A Visit to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain

A view from the gardens overlooking the Alhambra

While in Southern Spain, I decided to make a visit to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. It seems to be that a visit in Andalusia (Southern Spain region) would not quite be complete without spending a half day at this place.

To provide a bit of history, the Alhambra was officially named an UNESCO world heritage site back in 1984 though this palace and fortress complex dates back to the 13th century. It was originally built by Moorish rulers atop the hillside in the north eastern section of Granada protected by mountains but later fell to Catholic Monarchs in 1492.

Archway view overlooking Granada

The main villa of the sultans from within the Alhambra

The site´s design is originally made up by Islamic architecture but was also influenced by Jewish and Christian artisans
and builders as each section of the palace and gardens hold a mix of
architectural details as you can see in these photos.

Fountain within Generalife

An example photo of the many designed landscapes

Walkway within the gardens

The design and layout of the complex inspired one of the worlds most
famous graphic artists, M.C. Escher for many of his works and they
dedicated an entire area within the palace to his many works. Although
you may not all know him by name, you would surely recognize many of
his artwork in present day. He has always been a favorite of mine so
it was great to spend time within this area.

Museum dedicated to M.C. Escher within the Palace of Charles V

Palace of Charles V

The photos below make up the Alcazaba area which is the military complex within the Alahambra. This area contains the famous Torre de la Vela, a watchtower that has an unbeatable view of the city and the Sierra Nevada mountains. The soldiers’ houses have disappeared, and the dungeons are closed, but you can walk along the towers.

View from atop one of the towers toward the Nasrid Palaces

Below are photos from the Nasrid Palaces which made up an entire complex of places that were used for the residing kings of Granada.

Patio from within the Nasrid Palaces

And upon leaving the gardens of Generalife on may visit out of the Alhambra, I took this photo along the walkway. It was definitely a good relief from the sun as it was extremely hot that afternoon.

Pathway in Generalife gardens