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The Alhambra ( / ælˈhæmbrə /, Spanish: [aˈlambɾa]; Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء, romanized : al-ḥamrāʼ ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing ...
- Tales of The Alhambra
Tales of the Alhambra (1832) is a collection of essays,...
- Alcazaba of The Alhambra
The Alcazaba, seen from the north. The Alcazaba (Spanish:...
- Alhambra (Disambiguation)
The Alhambra is a palace in Granada, Spain. ... Alhambra, a...
- Muhammad I of Granada
Origin and early life A map of Southern Spain around...
- Court of The Lions
The Court of the Lions (Spanish: Patio de los Leones) or...
- Court of The Myrtles
The pool of the Court of the Myrtles, looking towards the...
- Tales of The Alhambra
- Overview
- History
- The palace and grounds
Alhambra, palace and fortress of the Moorish monarchs of Granada, Spain. The name Alhambra, signifying in Arabic “the red,” is probably derived from the reddish colour of the tapia (rammed earth) of which the outer walls were built.
Constructed on a plateau that overlooks the city of Granada, the Alhambra was built chiefly between 1238 and 1358, in the reigns of Ibn al-Aḥmar, founder of the Naṣrid dynasty, and his successors. The splendid decorations of the interior are ascribed to Yūsuf I (died 1354). After the expulsion of the Moors in 1492, much of the interior was effaced ...
The Alhambra is situated in a locale of rare natural beauty. The plateau upon which it was built overlooks the Albaicín (Albayzin) quarter of Granada’s Moorish old city. At the base of the plateau, the Darro River flows through a deep ravine on the north. The park outside the palace (Alameda de la Alhambra) was planted by the Moors with roses, oranges, and myrtles. Its most characteristic feature, however, is the dense wood of English elms brought there in 1812 by the duke of Wellington during the Peninsular War.
The lower entrance to the park is the Puerta de las Granadas (Gate of Pomegranates), a massive triumphal arch dating from the 16th century. Just inside the gate is a statue of American author Washington Irving, which was erected in 2009, on the 150th anniversary of Irving’s death, to commemorate his role in sparking interest in Spain’s Moorish past. A steep ascent leads past a fountain, erected in 1554, to the main entrance of the Alhambra. This is the Puerta Judiciaria (Gate of Judgment), a horseshoe archway surmounted by a square tower, which was used by the Moors as an informal court of justice. The Moorish portion of the Alhambra includes the Alcazaba, or citadel, which is the oldest part; only its massive outer walls, towers, and ramparts are left. Beyond the Alcazaba is the Alhambra palace and beyond that the Alhambra Alta (Upper Alhambra), which was originally tenanted by officials and courtiers and was part of a royal city constituting a seat of government.
The present entrance through the Oratory leads to the Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles). This court is 140 feet (43 metres) long by 74 feet (23 metres) wide. In the centre is a large reflecting pond set in the marble pavement. The brilliant green of the pond and the manicured myrtles growing along its edges provide a sharp contrast to the white marble of the surrounding courtyard. Surrounding the Court of Myrtles are the rooms of the Palacio de Comares (Comares Palace). The Facade of Comares, to the west of the courtyard, is an ornamental gateway constructed in the 14th century by Muḥammad V. It was in this area that the sultan customarily held audience with his vassals.
The Patio de los Leones (Court of the Lions) is an oblong court 116 feet (35 metres) long and 66 feet (20 metres) wide. Surrounding the court is an ornately decorated gallery supported by 124 white marble columns. A pavilion with filigree walls and a wooden domed ceiling, perhaps modeled upon a Cistercian lavabo, projects into the court at each extremity. The colonnade is paved with white marble, and in the centre of the court is the Fuente de los Leones (Fountain of the Lions), an alabaster basin supported by the figures of 12 white marble lions, emblems of strength and courage.
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- Jackie Craven
- Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Alhambra today combines both Moorish Islamic and Christian aesthetics. It is this melding of styles, associated with centuries of Spain's multi-cultural and religious history, that has made Alhambra fascinating, mysterious, and architecturally iconic.
- Alhambra, the Red Castle. Alhambra was first built by the Zirites as a fortress or alcazaba in the 9th century. No doubt Alhambra we see today was built upon the ruins of other ancient fortifications on this same site — an irregularly shaped strategic hilltop.
- Architectural Characteristics and Vocabulary. Mixing cultural influences is nothing new in architecture — the Romans mixed with Greeks and Byzantine architecture blended ideas from the West and the East.
- Muqarnas Example. Notice the angle of the windows leading up to the dome. The engineering challenge was to put a round dome on top of a square structure.
- Plan of the Alhambra and Generalife. 1,730 meters (1 mile) of walls and thirty towers of varying size enclose this city within a city. Access was restricted to four main gates.
- Three palaces. The Alhambra’s most celebrated structures are the three original royal palaces. These are the Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions, and the Partal Palace, each of which was built during 14th century.
- The Comares Palace. Comares Palace façade (photo: Jeff and Neda Fields, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Court of the Myrtles (photo: david_totally, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Behind El Mexuar stands the formal and elaborate Comares façade set back from a courtyard and fountain.
- Palace of the Lions. Court of the Lions, Alhambra (photo: Jim Gordon, CC BY 2.0) The Palacio de los Leones (Palace of the Lions) stands next to the Comares Palace but should be considered an independent building.
The property of the Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada, stands on two adjacent hills, separated by the river Darro. Rising above the modern lower town, the Alhambra and the Albayzín form the medieval part of the City of Granada, which preserves remains of the ancient Arabic quarter. These components represent two complementary ...
The Alhambra Palace is one of Spain’s most important tourist attractions and rightfully so. This massive palace and fortress complex is a testimony to the refined and elegant Moorish civilization of Al-Andalus that flourished here between the 9 th and 15 th centuries. It also tells the unique history of Granada, Andalusia and even Spain.
The Palace of Carlos V , (built after the city was seized in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs) , Is also in the medina. The monumental complex also has an independent palace in front of the Alhambra, surrounded by orchards and gardens, which was the solace of the Granadine kings, The Generalife .
