Definition of Alhambra in Granada

At the top of the city of Granada, the Nasrid dynasty built a unique palace-city in the world, the Alhambra. His building It dates from the beginning of the 13th century, when the Nasrids viewed with concern the advance of the Christians in their attempt to reconquer the Iberian Peninsula. In 1492 the Catholic Monarchs occupied the kingdom of Granada and ended the last Muslim stronghold on the peninsula.

For three centuries the Alhambra fell into oblivion, but in the 19th century the romantics rescued the legacy of the Alhambra. At present it is one of the most valued tourist visits in the international plane.

The last enclave of Muslim culture in Spain

The citadel of the Alhambra was built for more than 150 years. It has 37 colossal towers, but it is not simply a military fortress, as there are palaces, patios and gardens for leisure. The presence of the Water it is one of its most characteristic elements. One of the secrets of its construction is found in the material used for its

edification, specifically a conglomerate of sand, clay and stone that gives the Alhambra its characteristic reddish color (the Muslims called it the red city).

In the times of the Nasrid dynasty in the Alhambra there was a court where the sultan taught Justice, the so-called Comares Palace next to the Patio de los Arrayanes and a complex of buildings located around the Patio de los Leones, perhaps the most emblematic place. Along with these buildings there were rooms for women and other buildings such as the Puerta del Vino or the Jardines del Pardal. The conquest Christianity of the Alhambra marked the beginning of a series of modifications, among which the Palace of Carlos V stands out, the Spanish emperor who established his private residence in Granada.

The most unknown Alhambra

Tourists who currently visit it cannot access certain enclaves. Inside there are subways, passageways, secret tunnels, rooms that could have housed great treasures and cold dungeons in which Christians were imprisoned and later used for him exchange of prisoners.

To defend the city of Granada, the Nasrids had built a military compound inside the Alhambra, the Alcazaba. In it lived the elite guard that protected the life of the sultan. This place remained hidden for centuries, but after excavations carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, this military structure was discovered, as well as silos that served to to stockfood.

Photos: Fotolia - Sorincolac / JackF

Themes in Alhambra in Granada