Adventures in Spanish 2013: Al Alhamba

As you all know by now, Granada is my favourite place in Spain. I've raved on quite enough about how much I like it. Time to share some thoughts, information and photos of this magical place. I'm rather proud of my photos of the Patio de los Arrayanes in the Nazrid Palace complex. Took a lot of waiting to get it!

Probably the most well known and visited monument in Granada is the Alhamba Palace. Well, it's not strictly a palace as it is more a city, with palaces, a military district, markets, parks and huertas (places where food crops were cultivated). It is a amazing place. In summer, around 8000 people per day visit and the rest of the year around 6000 per day. I've been to visit twice and will probably find time to go again, next time at night when they light up the palaces and the gardens, or perhaps for one of their Espectaculos. At the end of July and for all of August each year, there is a huge production combining works by Federico Garcia Lorca, a well known 20th Centaury poet and writer, music by Manuel De Falla, a famous composer and contemporary of Garcia Lorca and Enrique Moriente, a famous Flamenco singer. All are from Granada I understand and died in the first half of the 20th Centaury. It's apparently a show worth seeing and as it is set at night in the Generalife Gardens inside the Alhambra complex, I'm fairly keen to go.

This place has more legends than just about anywhere else I've heard of (except maybe Ireland). One famous author, Washington Irving (an American) visited here in 1828 and published a book called "Tales of the Alhambra". He was allowed to live in the complex whilst undertaking research on the history of the site. There is even a hotel very close to the Alhambra today called "The Washington Irving Hotel". Seems he was quite a celebrity. I only know of him as the writer of the short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" about Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman. Irving apparently also wrote a history of Christopher Colombus among other books.

Whilst the Alhambra was built by successive Arab rulers of Granada, there is also a Christian presence following the reconquest in 1492. Granada finally fell to the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand on 2 January 1492, finalising the reconquest of Spain. Charles V (grandson of Isabella) built a palace inside as well by destroying the great mosque. However, after ordering the mosque destroyed, he promptly left Granada and never returned so never used the subsequent palace that was built.

I'm quite sure my photos don't do justice to the beauty and grandeur of the site. any internet search will probably give you better views. However, I've included some of my personal favourites so you can see where I've been. I've got heaps more for those who want to brave a slide show when I get home !!