La Alhambra - The 'h' is silent.

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La Alhambra - the "h" is silent.

for Moroccan poets it was "a pearl set in emeralds”

for the Emirs who built it this was“paradise on earth”

Its elegant architecture rests in a setting both formidable and of rare natural beauty – on a plateau towering above the plain commanding an eagle’s eye view of the city of Granada, the Darro River and the heights of the Sierra Nevada (snowy mountain).

Today it is hailed as the Taj Mahal of Spain,with filigree palacesinside a mighty fortress. A place of exquisite beauty beside raw power, the delicate heart within a beast.







Its origin as an Islamic Palace started 800 years ago under Mohammed I, Emir (Sultan or governor) of the Nasrids of Morocco who ruled Spain. This was the Golden Age of Islam - precision through science, algebra and geometry was being striven for. Moslem rulers who lived here created designsfor perfect palaces as their “paradise on earth”. They continued this concept untilits conquest by Christians in 1492 when la Alhambra became the Spanish Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. It was here at Alhambra that Christopher Columbus received Isabella’s permission to seek the New World. Spanish rulers vandalized and altered the buildings... Charles V demolished the Winter Palace to build a Renaissance castle... Philip V installed partitions and blocked off areas chopping up the perfect spaces.. Napoleon’s troops while barracked here, destroyed large areas. After the site was abandoned by the throne it was occupied by squatters and contrabandistas until a resurgence of interest fueled by British travelers and intellectuals in the 1800s. Now restored, La Alhambra is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site - a perfect example of Moorish art despite the neglect, wilful vandalism and ill-judged restoration it has suffered.











The Alcazába or Citadel (13^th Century) towers over the landscape. The 35 acre Alcazába fortress protected the Nasrid Palaces and Generalife gardens which are situated inside its walls.


La Alhambra properly refers to thePalaces of the Moorish kings, the Nasrids: being Mexuar Palace, Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions plus the Generalife gardens for the Summer palace.







Alcazába, sitting on inaccessible bare rock with impenetrable mountains at its back and the Darro River below, was never captured. Emir Boabdil surrendered after being heavily outnumbered by Spain’s Christian troops. Its massive outer walls, towers and ramparts remain today. At Torre de la Vela, the tower 85 ft. high, on 2nd January 1492 the flag of Ferdinand and Isabella was raised. The Moors were defeated, Spain had conquered Granada.







Generalife – “Jaanat Al Arif” - is the Garden of the Architect. Our tour began here then took us by foot on a wander for 3 hours through the maze of gardens, palaces and buildings converted to Christian use that is Alhambra today. In 1314 Emir Ismail 1 began the gardens for the Summer palace intending to provide spectacular views of the Alhambra and the Darro Valley - rows of fountains and ‘humble’ palaces, cascading waterways, individually landscaped Moorish gardens, grottos and observation points. Generalife is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful gardens in the world today. There are many beautiful grand landscapes of the lower hills from virtually every part of the immense gardens..









Alhambra “qalat-al-hamra” -is Arabic for the red one (or red castle). Built using red tapia-brick for its walls which is believed to have given its name.



Only 3 of the original 7 Palaces survive. They are architectural gems reflecting the perfect symmetry and mathematical precision, the hallmark of the Golden Age of Islam. The buildings are quadrangular, the rooms open on to a central court while adjoining rooms connect though proportionately smaller rooms and passages. The full effects of sun and wind were allowed to enter resulting in “airy lightness and grace”. Palace exteriors are minimalistic, plain and austere. Their interior ceilings and walls are intensely and exquisitely decorated in Alhambra Stucco. There is lyricism in the geometric patterns and cursive Arabic calligraphy on the marble pillars and arches and courtyards. I was most captivated though by the stunning beauty of their stucco ceilings or three dimensional fretwork that looked as real as the night sky.



Mexuar Palace1238 - was the first to be built, by the Emir Mohammed 1as his official residence and domestic residence. The buildings here suffered most drastically during conversion from Islamic to Christian Architecture in the 1500s though the grand entrance to the sultan’s official residence remains.



The Harem upstairs features hidden windows, they contained baths with hot and cold running water and pressurized showers! One room near the baths was especially fascinating. Called the Hall of the Secrets (Sala de los Secretos) if two people stand in opposite corners of the room and speak quietly into their corner wall, the person in the opposite corner will hear the words clearly. The vaulted acoustics are perfect. I know because I tried it with one of the other persons on tour.





The lower walls of the palace are decorated with patterns of glazed brick and cut tiles - triangles juxtaposed with a six-pointed star and a hexagon. They intertwine to produce complicated geometric patterns. Called the ‘Bow Tie’ pattern it is a rare and highly skilled ceramic art, producing an infinite sense of space.







Comares Palace built as his official residence by Emir Yusuf 1 (dec 1353) this is an outstanding example of Alhambra’s Islamic architecture. The decorations and openings high overhead allow light and air, with additional natural light entering at lower levels for sitting or reclining. Three of Alhambra’s most acclaimed features are here.





First, the Emir’s visitors would arrive at the Courtyard of the Myrtles a pond 140 ‘ long with marble pavements, flanked by two rows of myrtles. The still water precisely mirrors the perfectly aligned buildings behind (hence called the Taj Mahal of Spain). Rising behind it is the Comares Tower, the Emir’s throne room and the grand official reception room. Designed to impress, it achieves this in spectacular fashion.







From the Court of the Myrtles the Emir’s visitors then enter the Hall of the Boat. This is the Emir’s throne room. Its name ‘baraka’ - Arabic for blessing - became corrupted to the Spanish word barca. Its curved boat-shaped ceiling (which led to the misunderstanding) is yet another architectural masterpiece. Ceiling decorations in Islamic buildings are a major feature, more important than floors which are often plain or covered with carpets, even today.







From the Hall of the Boat his visitors finally entered the Hall of Ambassadors the largest room in the palace, a majestic hall where official receptions took place. Its walls, niches, columns and arches are completely covered in decorative inscriptions. Its dome 75’ high is a stunning work of craftsmanship – cedar wood is decorated in interlacing patterns like stars, painted to seem like silver and ivory and mother of pearl. The ceiling patterns are so masterfully crafted I saw an endless starry sky.







The last of the 7 palaces to be built (Sultan Mohammed V dec 1391). The Palace of the Lionshas a distinctive courtyard and white marble fountain of 12 lions. It is fed by four streams of water. It was also the family residence containing the Harem for the Emir’s wives in the rooms above the marble arches. thus there are no windows looking outside the palace but it contains the ‘hortus conclusus’ (enclosed garden) in the courtyard re-creating the natural world and paradise.







Calligraphy is everywhere being a central feature of Islamic art, depicting the word of Allah. At Alhambra the calligraphy is elegant, cursive with repeating Koranic verse but also, unusually, the poetry of Ibn Zamrak. Repeating motifs of plants and trees and shells, god’s creations, to depict the universe in order and harmony.







The Islamic Emirs created Alhambra as “paradise on earth”











The tour group broke up at the Gate of the Wine after souvenir shopping and lil tapas. Having spent the morning on foot following the previous calamitous day of travel, I had only enough energy to return to Presidente hotel to find lunch. The neighbourhood is full of cafes and the Church of St Anthony, within easy walking distance. I don’t even remember what I ate. Then I snatched a quick snooze before our last night in the city. We three wandered off aimlessly as tourists do, looking for something like tapas. We were early it seemsbut we chose a sidewalk cafe for people watching and ordered wine and food. A rag tag guitarist looking very roman came by twanging his strings and singing lustily. Tourists from all corners of the globe ambled by, looking around, peering undecided as tables filled with hungry patrons. Later we found a swinging bar over flowing with a young Friday crowd of Spanish business types. We joined them and had a few before we left for bed.







Next day we would journey to Sevilla for a flamenco show. Or so we thought. It was the day that was not to be! Granada proved to be the full extent of our Spanish holiday. After that unbelievably rude and unpleasant altercation at Hotel Roma we did join Marg Bishop and her friends for a fleeting but very pleasant reccy in Sevilla. We strolled the neighbourhood streets of her hotel with hundreds of tourists, before high-tailing it for the last train to Madrid. Sleeping and waiting at the airport counters we ate what food we had in our bags. Mixing with hundreds of Ryanair budget backpackers before we dragged our weary asses back to Canada.





Not the Spanish vacation I’d dreamed of but it holds a special place in the warehouse of my memories.

I had La Alhambra and it was spectacular.

Please Scroll all the way down to see my 90 photos! including glimpses of the landscape and the lady in the red head tie (I think she may have been from Canary Is) who triumphed over the bus driver who refused to accept her digital ticket. That was most interesting.

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Photos

Alhambra's perfection - 'a pearl set in emeralds' 'paradise on earth'
This single image encapsulates the palaces at Alhambra

Wedding couple at Generalife gardens Alhambra
The gardens today host community events like weddings