The Alhambra has been called "one of the most beautiful and admired monuments in the world." It is a palace and a fortress, a palatine city erected during Nasrid Dynasty that survives as a one of the best-preserved palaces of the Islamic Golden Age. There is much written about the Alhambra, it’s architecture and history, and information is easily found on the internet. Rather than summarize that information, I present you with a brief review of my visit and a mountain of photos.
The Alhambra is best visited early in the morning, before throngs of people arrive in buses, in taxis or on foot to wander through the magnificent Nasrid Palace, climb the towers of the Alcazaba, or wander through the gardens and the Generalife. I had booked my entry ticket to the Nasrid Palace for 8:30, the earliest time available, and planned to arrive at least 15 minutes earlier so as to secure a spot at/near the head of the waiting line.
I left the hotel at 7:30, stopping briefly at an open café for an espresso, croissant and orange to go. I continued up Sabrika Hill, past the Puerta de las Granadas, up through the woods and entered the Alhambra through the Puerta de la Justice. I had arrived with enough time to visit the rest room, purchase an audio guide and still be the fourth party in line.
Passing through the Puerta de las Granadas in the early morning
At promptly 8:30 the line began to inch forward – passports checked, tickets scanned – and soon I was among a handful of folks gazing at the splendor of the intricacies of the Nasrid Palace. It had a familiar air, evoking some of the well-known Islamic palaces and kasbahs in and near Marrakech. But nothing I’d seen had prepared me for the stunning beauty of the Nasrid Palace – the elegance of the layout, the detail of the stucco designs, and the expanse of patios and interior gardens. I wandered through room after room, often alone, torn between wanting to linger and to keep moving so as to get photographs unspoiled wth tourists wandering into view. In fact, the early group of visitor was very deferential of each other, moving aside to avoid getting into the camera’s view. A selection of palace photos is shown below, mostly uncaptioned.
Somewhere along the way, I took and left turn and exited the palace. I had lost the small group of people that were in “my group”, raising suspicions that I may of missed some of the many rooms. As there was nothing I could do, I enjoyed the outdoor garden spaces before exploring other areas of the Alhambra, including the Alcazaba. I then made my way over to the Generalife Gardens, which sits on the nearby slop of the Hill of the Sun.
Interior of Palace of Carlos V. "Construction began in 1527 but dragged on and was left unfinished after 1637. The building has never been a home to a monarch and stood roofless until 1967. Today, the building houses the Alhambra Museum on its ground floor and the Fine Arts Museum of Granada on its upper floor".
