Alhambra palace urban structure

Alhambra Palace, Blog, Granada, Palatial city

Alhambra palace urban structure

The Nasrid Alhambra was a palatine city, designed and built for the service of the Court.

Its urban structure, inheriting the purest Andalusian and Islamic tradition, is perfectly organized in its development over the two and a half centuries of existence, with the logical transformations which imply an unstable sultanate and changing politics depending on pacts and vassalage.

A military complex for elite guard guaranteed the interior security of the Sultan, his family and the Government Institutions from the Alcazaba. The Alcazaba was like an independent military city, strategically located and cleverly connected with the rest of the Alhambra, where the guards lived with their families, with homes, a water cistern and baths, as in any quarter of a city.

There was a palatial area reserved for the life of the Sultan and his closest family. Here there were administrative offices, with a clearly formal layout, becoming more private and palatial depending on their departments. There were also spaces for Surah meetings and Councils of Viziers (ministers) and for public audiences. The Sultan called courtly parties coinciding with notable celebrations in the Muslim or State calendar.

In this palatine area, several palaces are set out, built in different periods, either through the adaptation and redecoration of their predecessor, or through the construction or addition of a new palace on its land. A street, with access to different areas of the palaces, would also serve to separate and isolate them from the rest of the Alhambra.
Serving this court was the Alhambra Medina, a whole city designed to cover any need of the Palace. Organized around a main street ascending slightly from west to east, the city had public baths, a mosque, shops, etc.
Next to the Mosque were the Rauda or Cemetery of the Sultans and a Madrasa.

In the lower are, behind the Puerta del Vino which served as the main entrance, there were houses, some very important, where civil servants and Court servants lived, small water cisterns and public spaces. Toward the middle of the street and along its sides are two large areas considered true palaces: the Hall of the Abencerrajes and what was formerly the Convent of San Francisco.

The upper area of the city was occupied by a range of small traditional industries: furnaces for glass and ceramic, a tannery for leather, waterwheels and even a mint for making currency.
The Acequia del Rey (or Sultan) entered the Alhambra through this area, through an aqueduct and a hatch, descending parallel to Calle Real, distributing water to the whole complex through countless channels. Small streets, alleys and small shelters made up the urban landscape of the cit.

The whole Alhambra was surrounded by a wall which made it unassailable in any attack, connecting it with the general wall of Granada. It had four main doors, two the the north – Armas and Arrabal – and two the the south – Justicia and Siete Suelos.

The Palace of El Partal

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The Palace of El Partal

A great pond located in the center, presided by the portico after which is found the Tower of the Ladies. After walking up a narrow landscaped path with a view of Sacromonte, on our left appear the north wall of the Alhambra and the remains of walls and some pavement that mark the location of what is currently called the Court of the Fig Tree.

A small pergola leads to a wide esplanade corresponding to the lower terrace of the Partal. To the left is the architectural structure for which the location is named: the Partal Palace portico.

As is customary in these buildings, it is situated, like the Palace of Comares, on the premises wall. The portico, with its five arches, overlooks a large pool in the centre of the garden. Behind the portico is the main room, located inside the tower known as Las Damas.

The wall decoration typically consists of a tile socle and wide stretches of plasterwork that originally were polychromatic friezes with wooden frameworks. Its decorative style suggests that it was built during the reign of sultan Muhammad III (1302-1309), making it the oldest—if only partially standing—palace in the Alhambra.

Adjacent to the Tower of the Ladies and above the portico, is a lovely small balcony built in Nasrid style, just like the balconies of other palaces, such as the Comares and the Generalife, often referred to in this day and age as observatories for the superb views they provide.

One of the reasons why the Palace of the Partal stands out from its neighbouring Comares and the Lions, which have maintained their overall structure since the days of the Nasrid, is that the Partal was only included in the Alhambra a little more than a century ago.

On 12 March 1891, its owner, Arthur Von Gwinner, handed ownership over to the State. At that time the building was little more than a simple house with a few plants. Its interior walls were covered over so that much of the structure and its original decoration were hidden from view.

Another detail of note is the fact that the wooden ceiling inside the Tower of the Ladies was dismantled by its last owner, turning up early last century in Berlin. It is currently one of the most prominent objects to be found in the Museum für Islamische Kunst del Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz..

Finally, the two large marble lions that stood in the front of the gallery, and which dated back to the 14th Century, were originally from Maristán, in Albaycin.

In 1995 the lions were moved to the Museum of the Alhambra in order to be restored and preserved. In the mid-nineteenth century, they had been in the Partal, where their preservation, chronology, function, and context were ignored.

The Partal Gardens

This lovely section of the Monumental Complex of the Alhambra is the result of a logically pursued process, carried out by a well-managed system of landscaping and architectural planning, which was put into effect in the 1930s and has been a determinant in the increase in tourism, establishing current perspectives of interpretation.

Since the mid-nineteen hundreds various acquisitions and expropriations of small properties from private owners in the area have facilitated a series of archaeological explorations.

Walls, pavements and other architectural elements were recovered, particularly in the first three decades of the twentieth century. In addition, landscaping was put into effect, so that archaeological recoveries could be properly integrated into the surrounding flora and countryside, thus providing a noteworthy example that has bolstered the notoriety of the Alhambra around the world.

The original mechanism pertains to a terracing process, in which terrain levels, ascending from the wall to the fortress, and elevated above the left bank of the Darro river basin, in the direction of the upper Alhambra, were colonized and urbanized, on what was probably the site of the original Nasrid palace settlement.

THE PARTAL CHAPEL

The square shaped chapel stands adjacent to the Partal. Because of its decoration, the chapel is believed to have been constructed during the reign of Yusuf I. The mihrab is correctly situated in the Alhambra tradition. Structurally part of the main wall, the chapel blends in with the countryside, thus enhancing its suitability for the sultan’s prayers and meditations on nature and creation.

THE PARTAL DWELLINGS

A group of houses built on the wall in the 14th Century, the Partal Dwellings are part of the palace portico.

The four two storey detached Partal Dwellings—the González Pareja house, the Villoslada house, the House of the Balconies and the House of the Paintings—have no courtyards. They are known for their interior plasterwork, armour, and particularly for their courtly mural paintings, which some authors claim are the only examples of Nasrid painting in the entire Historical-Artistic Monuments Complex, the paintings of the Hall of the Kings and the Court of the Lions having been done by Christians painters.

Alcazaba

Alcazaba, Alhambra Palace, Blog, Granada

Alcazaba

Origin of the Nasrid Alcazar

It is obvious that the Alcazaba plainly served a military function. The entrance to the Alcazaba was at the foot of the Tower of Homage . At the base of the tower is a slight slope. A simple L-shaped walkway keeps the main gate from being seen from the outside.

The gate leads to an inner vaulted space with more turns that, at the end and before reaching the Place of Arms , opened up so that defenders could control all access and respond from above to an attack.

EIn this covered corridor there are two access points: one leading to the ground and underground floors of the Tower of Homage, and the other to the top of the wall and to the tower itself through a narrow and steep vaulted staircase.

This was not the only entrance to the Alcazaba, but probably the most important one since through it the royal guard patrolled the entire complex of the Alhambra. It also served to link it with the inner wall or the road that bordered the Alcazaba.

The interior of the Alcazaba

The area within the inner wall of the Alcazaba is what is known as the Place of Arms in medieval fortresses. It was devoted to military parades during peace time and to establish the defensive strategy when battles were to be fought. For this reason it is an open and clear space with very few constructions.

However, the Alcazaba of the Alhambra, as an enclosure integrated into a larger one, is a residential area for the royal guard of the Sultan who controlled and patrolled the palatial city, and was referred to as the Military District.

It is actually a small city, with an urban distribution similar to that of any district of a Hispanic-Muslim city. A narrow road traverses the enclosure, dividing it into two well differentiated areas. To the north, walls and pavements are grouped following an irregular pattern with houses of different sizes but similar structures: the houses were tenanted by the royal guard that lived in the enclosure with their families. On the other side, walls similar to those of the houses but were built following a more regular pattern, with larger open courtyards, with evidence of the presence of warehouses or halls for the soldiers and younger guards.

The Nasrid Palaces

Alhambra Palace, Andalucia, Blog, Granada, Nasrid Palace, Spain

The Nasrid Palaces

A series of interconnected palaces that were built by the Nasrid dynasty, the last Muslim rulers of the Iberian Peninsula, during the 13th and 14th centuries. The Nasrid Palaces are known for their exquisite architectural details, intricate stucco work, beautiful tilework, and stunning courtyards and gardens. Some of the notable palaces within the Nasrid Palaces are the Palace of Mexuar, the Palace of Comares, and the Palace of the Lions. These palaces showcase the rich Islamic and Moorish architectural styles and provide a glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of the Nasrid rulers.

The Mexuar

Its name is derived from the Arabic term Maswar, the place where the Surah or Counsel of Ministers met. It was also the place or hall where the Sultan dispensed justice. This room probably belonged to a structure that preceded the Palace of Comares and the Palace of the Lions. Its construction is attributed to Isma’il (1314-1325), and has undergone many alterations and modifications. Its decoration was adapted by Yusuf I (1333-1354) and later by Muhammad V during his second mandate (1362-1391). Both rulers were responsible for the construction of two best preserved Palaces of the Alhambra.

Originally it had a lantern-like central body that provide light to the inside, of which only the four columns and entablature have been preserved. In the 16th century an upper floor was added and the building was transformed into a Chapel. The area today, with its Renaissance balustrade, was originally enclosed by a wall that was connected to the courtyard; this was added to the room to be used as the chapel choir.

Among the many significant alterations to the room was the epigraphic frieze of stucco that runs above the tiled socle . Coming from the lost Portico of the Court of Machuca, it was installed in the Mexuar by Moorish artisans to replace battlements with a clear symbolic purpose: The Kingdom is God’s, Power is God’s. Glory is God’s”. This inscription replaced the Christian verse: «Christus regnat. Christus vincit. Christus imperat».

The visit to the monumental complex will be made on the date indicated in your ticket. The time of visit to the Nasrid Palaces is also indicated therein. The rest of the complex (Alcazaba, Partal and Generalife) can be visited from 08:30 a.m. until closing time.

The Oratory

A good Muslim must pray five times a day. He may do it in anywhere, although there are also medinas, mosques and oratories for that purpose. In the Alhambra, besides the Great Mosque, there were different oratories that were used by the Sultan, his family and the Court.

Originally access to the Oratory was through the Gallery of Machuca. Ground level was at the height of the stone bench by the windows, which last century was lowered to facilitate access to the oratory. The windows allowed worshippers who were kneeling on the floor with their arms leaning on the window sill to observe the landscape and reflect on the greatness of nature and divine creation.

When a powderhouse blew up in 1590 it destroyed the room. Later, it was renovated in 1917. The inscription includes a holy text from the Koran and praises by Muhammad V, among others. We can read: “Come to pray. Don’t be one of the negligent people.”

The Golden Room

Through the small door framed by a horseshoe arch that only allows access to one person in order to limit the flow of visitors from one room to the other, we reach the courtyard, where in the 14th century the Sultan received his vassals in the Alhambra.

To the north of the courtyard, behind the three-arched portico, is the Golden Room, whose original decoration is attributed to Muhammad V. The name of the room is derived from the beautiful woodwork ceiling, which was repainted and decorated, like the rest of the room, under the rule of the Catholic Monarchs, as evidenced by the representation of their emblem, the yoke and arrows, and the main window with a central column and Mudejar-style capital. The room was used by the officials and secretaries of the Muslim court to write down and carry out the Sultan’s orders.

Under the room runs the road used by the security guard of the palaces. Originally the road ran uncovered on top of the wall. But the subsequent alterations and transformations of the palaces in the 14th century left it hidden, like the original structure of this sector of the Alhambra. The upper floor of the room, also modified, lodged Empress Isabel of Portugal in the summer of 1526, and later the Governors and Alcaides of the Alhambra.

Facade of Comares

The majestic building stands opposite the gallery of the Golden Room. Its construction was ordered by Muhammad V in 1370 in commemoration of the conquest of Algeciras. Its ornamental composition enhances the structural distribution of the area, which is divided into three sections, combining patterns of golden triangles and squares, showing the evolution of Andalusian art.

Originally it was painted with bright colours. Especially remarkable is the beautifully decorated eave, a masterpiece of Islamic woodwork. The combination of geometric, epigraphic and floral ornamental elements is displayed to perfection in this Façade.

Before the Façade, and especially at the top of the stairs, as a symbol of the legitimacy of the throne, the Sultan gave audience and imparted justice to his vassals, following the tradition that dated back to antiquity.

The Façade separated the administrative and public sector from the private and familiar part of the Palace. The right door led to the family and servants quarters. The left door led to the core of the Palace, after having followed a Z-shaped sloping corridor with no other lighting than that of the Palace, which brightly entered from the other end, all of which highlighting symbolic terms of the royalty of the premises.

Chamber of the Ambassadors

This throne room is the largest lounge of the compound, encircled by nine small bedchambers, reserved one of them for the sultan.

The Tower of Comares, at 45 m the highest in the Alhambra, also houses the largest room of the structure: the Hall of Comares, or Chamber of the Ambassadors, also known as the Throne Room. Nine small rooms were opened within its walls, each being similar to the other, except for the central room opposite the entrance, which was luxuriously decorated and reserved for the Sultan.

The floor of the room, renovated on many occasions, still conserves in the central part many original pieces made of golden tiles. It probably also had marble slabs. The walls of the Hall are completely covered with decoration. The lower part conserves part of the original tiled socle, above which a rich plasterwork combines geometrical patterns with ataurique motifs (plasterwork or stucco decorated with leaf and flower motifs) and epigraphic elements. Originally it was painted with bright colours that formed tapestry-like relief patterns.

The ceiling, with its symbolic layout, legitimated the power of the Sultan, sitting on his throne and presiding over the space of the room. The epigraphy of the Hall reproduces holy texts of a clearly political and religious intention, emphasizing the Divine power. Here are three illustrative examples: “Eternity is an attribute of God”; “Depart in goodness since it is God who helps”; “Highness, Glory, Eternity, Empire and Power only belong to God”.

The Palace of the Lions

It was the architectural pinnacle of the Alhambra. Its celebrated fountain was a symbol of its decorative richness and an example of the complex water system. In addition to its symbolic function the fountain also had a practical purpose. The complex water system allowed the water to flow out in the form of a shallow surface. The central cylindrical unit of the fountain basin allowed the water to flow in and out thus preventing it from spilling out of the fountain.

On a small scale, the Fountain of the Lions represents the entire technical concept behind the creation of the Alhambra, a structural conception rooted in human and constructive experiences developed creatively over many centuries. Muhammad V was responsible for the construction of the beautiful palace during his second mandate, between 1362 and 1391, his first mandate having only lasted five years. During his mandate the Nasrid Sultanate reached its pinnacle: the Palace of the Lions was a synthesis of the finest Moorish artistic styles developed over the years.

The architectural pattern of the Palace of the Lions was similar to that of the Palace of Comares, although with the traditional design of the Spanish-Moorish houses, i.e. a central open air courtyard as the centre of family life was flanked by a number of polyvalent rooms consisting of a ground floor and at least one upper floor or loft.

The Court had a cross ground floor design with a central fountain, following the same pattern as other earlier and later constructions used in Muslin Spain and elsewhere. The proportional and visual perfection of the surrounding arched gallery supported by columns converted this Court into one of the most celebrated and admired of architectural structures.

Its fame has caused an intense debate over whether the four sides of the cross were originally paved or covered with bushes placed at a lower level than the galleries and walkways. There are examples of both cases in other constructions. Notwithstanding the debate, the magnificence and originality of the courtyard is unsurpassable.

The Hall of the Kings

The Hall of the Kings is the most emblematic chamber of the Palace of the Lions . It was an area used for relaxation and leisure, structured around a large vestibular hall, more than 30m long, that was reserved for receptions and celebrations. The celebrations held in the hall could be observed from the five alcoves that flank the hall, except at the western side of the hall, with access to the courtyard through three wide openings framed by three stalactite arches, following a structural pattern similar to that found in the Hall of Comares. The five alcoves are separated from each other by four small niche-like chambers.

The Hall of the Kings is divided into three square-shaped spaces with the porticos and the alcoves in the centre, covered with stalactite cupolas that rise up from the general roof in the form of “lanterns” –another typical feature of the Nasrid architecture. These spaces are perpendicularly segmented by large double stalactite arches.

Both the plasterwork decoration and the tiles, especially on the lower parts of the walls, have been frequently restored. The distribution of the spaces and the combination of light and shadows that illuminate the space, together with the extraordinary composition of the opening to the Court, make the Hall of the Kings one of the most intriguing Alhambra palace areas.

The paintings on the east side vaults of the Hall of the Kings represent sequentially the scenes of a medieval story in which some knights, clearly distinguishable by their Muslim and Christian robes, perform different tasks perhaps to obtain the favour of a lady in a feudal scenario.

The story may be said to start in the northern alcove, be independent or continue and end in the room. Here the scenes represent a chess game being played in a castle, after which the Christian knights, one on foot and the other on a horse, trounce a lion and a bear; on the other side of the castle a Muslim rider spikes a large wild boar.

From the main tower of a large castle in the upper background, a troubled lady watches a medieval joust taking place, in which the victor is obviously the Muslim nobleman whose spear unseats the Christian knight; on the left of the castle a mythological scene is depicted of the rescue of a lady from the grips of a savage beast. All the scenes take place in the middle of an extraordinary and exuberant natural environment, with birds and wild animals moving in an environment that is densely covered with plants and trees.

The Hall of the Kings was named after the ten enigmatic individuals whose figures are illustrated on the dome above the main bedchamber. For many years the figures were incorrectly thought to depict leading members of the Nasrid dynasty; till the 19th century the chamber was known as the Hall of Justice owing to the fact that the figures were thought to be courtroom judges. Nevertheless, it is generally understood that the scene is a realistic depiction of an activity that commonly took place there: a meeting of dignitaries in the presence of the Sultan or leading members of the Court.

The figures, whose features depict venerable westerners, are seen seated in traditional fashion and gesturing while having a lively conversation. They are ceremoniously dressed, bearing swords and wearing belts and Nasrid style turbans.

The Hall of the Abencerrajes

A impressive muqarnas’ dome as an eight pointed star form opening over eight horns, its the most spectacular detail of the hall. Of the two residential areas surrounding the Court of the Lions, the rooms located at the south end of the Court developed around the Hall of the Abencerrages, which derived its name from a legend of the 16th century, according to which the members of this North-African family were invited to a banquet and then massacred in this hall.

The main room stands up over the level of the Court, which can be seen from the inside through the only opening of the hall, a wide door that conserves the original door, which is decorated with intricate woodwork that has been restored on various occasions. It has a square ground floor design with a central 12-side marble fountain flanked by two alcoves that are framed by double arches. Most of its plasterwork decoration was restored in the 16th century; the Seville tile covered socle also dates from the 16th century. Noteworthy is the eight-point stalactite star of the cupola that spreads out into eight trunk-like stalactites.

As is customary in Nasrid architecture, behind the entrance door we find two highly modified corridors that once led to a no longer existing toilet and to the upper floor or projecting loft over the Court.

The Hall of the Two Sisters

The Hall of the Two Sisters, the second main chamber of the Palace of the Lions, is structurally similar to that of the Hall of the Abencerrages. It is situated above the court, where the only entrance is located, the wooden door of which is lavishly decorated with geometric shapes.

Upon entering the hall several corridors to the left and the right lead respectively to the upper floor rooms and to the residence lavatory. The name is derived from the setting where two large marble flagstones lie with a small fountain in between from which water flows along a canal to the Court of the Lions. The tiled socle , the most peculiar of its sort in the Alhambra, is a lovely geometrical composition consisting of variously coloured interwoven laces.

In characteristically Nasrid fashion, the plasterwork decoration is divided into large stretches, separated by inscriptions covering the walls, and culminating in the masterfully executed stalactite dome with its star in the centre and highly ornamented carved stucco in honour of Pythagoras’ well-known theorem. To the sides of the square-shaped hall, two alcoves can be reached. Exquisitely embellished with handcrafted wood designs, both have room enough for a dais or a bed.

The Observation Point of Daraxa

Behind the stalactite arch is one of the loveliest designs to behold in the Alhambra palaces: the Lindaraja Balcony. The name in Spanish of the lookout is derived from “Ayn Dar Aisa”, which is Arabic for “the eyes of Aisa’s home.” During the Nasrid reign it served as a watchtower overlooking the countryside, with a garden extending from its base.

As you approach the threshold of the arch, you see some of the most the delightful tiling in the Alhambra, with small tiles forming an attractive design. The traditional niches have been replaced by various blind arches. The interior walls of the balcony are representative of the decorative proportionality favoured by the Nasrid architects, considered by some authors as possibly being a Nasrid Baroque style.

Beneath a stalactite blind arch is some polychromic plasterwork, mostly inscriptions, framing a window with a double-arch and a mullion which, like the side windows, is situated in a low position from where a person sitting on the floor can admire the countryside. A false covering, with multicoloured crystals constituting a veritable treasure, crowns the top of the room, in what may well be the stateliest location in the Palace of the Lions.

The Court of Lindaraja

Adjoining the Court of the Grated Window is a similar structure that is more monastic in character. The Court of the Lindaraja owes its name to the prominent open air observation point on the southern side of the Palace of the Lions wall.

What then would seem to be an open air garden below is in fact enclosed by the three rooms of the Emperor’s Chambers, with arcaded galleries on the ground floor making use of columns removed from other sites in the Alhambra. The affect is cloister-like, which is further enhanced by the design of the garden with its fountain in the middle.

Made of stone from the Elvira Mountains, the base, ridge and pilaster of the fountain are Baroque. From around 1626 to 1995 the fountain had an adorned marble Nasrid basin with epigraph inscriptions, probably meant for the Court of the Lions, but which is currently kept in the Museum of the Alhambra.

Leaving the court and the Palace can be done through only one of the three rooms, which also has an upper-floor gallery that until recently was called “Châteaubriand’s room” owing to the fact that the famous French author and politician left his signature on one of the columns that came from the Court of Machuca, which had been demolished.

Queen’s Robing Room

The antechamber of the Emperor’s Chambers leads to an open air gallery. From the Gallery on the right, projecting from the wall, the Abu-I-Hayyay Tower can be seen. It is unique in that it disrupts the structural consistency of the Alhambra towers. The inside of the tower conserves an intimate pavilion to which the famous “stove” was added. The outside of the gallery, which is in the Italian tradition, replacing the original zenithal lantern, came to be known as the “Queen’s Robing Room”.

Comares Baths

Particularly notable among the unique features of Islamic architecture preserved at the Alhambra is the hammam: the Comares Bath, until recently called the Royal Bath due to having been reserved for the personal use of the Catholic Monarchs. Today we know that each palace of the Alhambra had its own hammam, but this is the only Islamic medieval baths which has been practically fully preserved in the West. Taken from Roman baths by Islamic culture, it soon became an essential element in the Muslim world.

The rooms of the baths of the Alhambra, due to their state of preservation and special nature, are not regularly visited, in order to preserve them as well as possible; however they can be viewed from other spaces through gaps.

Located between the palaces of Comares and Lions, near the bedrooms of the palace, it has a direct door onto the patio, next to the corridor in which the Sultan lived and governed.

These baths have preserved all elements quite well, with structural alterations due to a change of use and maintenance which was more symbolic than functional. The entrance, on the same level as the patio of the Arrayanes, leads to a first vestibular space for undressing, with an alcove and a separate latrine with a vent.

The first apodyterium descends by a steep staircase to the rest room, called the bayt al-maslaj, which is perhaps the most notable place in the baths, with the so-called Bed room, due to the two large, slightly elevated chambers flanking the main room.

This whole space was vented and lit with a skylight, through a central lantern, very common in Nasrid architecture. The decorative elements of the room, fountain, flooring, columns, tiling and plasterwork are largely original, although ceilings and plasterwork were repaired and repainted with bright colors in the second half of the 19th century. The doors which flank the beds form part of the baths’ original structure: in addition, parallel to its entrance is a service storeroom; the edges lead to a latrine behind the alcove, and the steam rooms of the baths.

The whole steam area of the hammam is covered with vaults perforated with a multitude of slightly conical skylights, with lobed and star shapes. With openable windows on the exterior face, the bathroom servants opened them or closed them to regulate the steam atmosphere in the rooms.

Following this is a smaller space and passage, called bayt al-barid, with a basin of cold water, followed by the central area of the baths or bayt al-wastani, a large room heated with a central area flanked by slightly pointed triple horseshoe arches.

Facing the entrance, another doorway leads to the final heated room of the baths, the bayt al-sajun, at the ends of which, under large iwans, two large basins pour cold and hot water. Under the floor of this room is the hypocaust, next to which, behind the blind arch, are the furnace (al-furn) and the boiler, with a woodshed nearby to store the material to burn, and the rear service door.

The steam rooms have marble floors, under which there are pipes for maintaining the heat, therefore in these rooms, thick-soled footwear had to be worn. In the same way, earthen channels of different sizes and diameters were installed in the walls to vent the hot air and steam from the boiler and reach the necessary temperature and humidity for the baths.

In the 16th century, some ceramic baseboards of these rooms were renovated, on some of which, the abbreviation of the imperial “Plus Ultra” could be read, and a modern output installed, through the adjoining Lindaraja patio.

Due to its uniqueness, for visitors and artists the Comares Bath has been one of the main points of fascination in the whole Alhambra. From Jerónimo Münzer in 1494, to avant-garde Henry Matisse in 1910, people have been captivated by the atmosphere and the mystery of its light. The wealth of visual artists who have depicted it is extensive, notably the writings of Alexandre Laborde (1812), the notes of Richard Ford (1831) and the plan made by James Cavanah Murphy (1813) with details such as the circuit of pipes and the boiler of the baths.

The Alhambra Palaces location and buildings

Alhambra Palace, Blog, Granada, Islamic Heritage

THE ENCLAVE

The Alhambra is the main enclave of a complex territorial structure, demonstrating its importance through its dominion over the city of Granada.

Granada corresponds with the historic hilltop city model, surrounded by mountains and irrigated by the rivers Darro and Genil, the first dividing the land into two opposite fronts which determined the construction of the medieval city. The hills around the Darro are those of San Cristóbal (760m) on the right bank of the river and Sabika (790m), on the left bank. The Alhambra stands on the latter.

It was no accident that Muhammad I (1237-1273) selected a place with such privileged geographic conditions, also taking into account the existence of previous large fortified constructions. The high locations of cities have special characteristics and are due to geopolitical decisions consistent with the medieval mentality.

Dominance of the location and control of territory were everything in the organization of a kingdom in the 13th century, in which both military power and administrative organization required an enclave which safeguarded the physical presence of power over the city, while keeping it separated from it.

LOCATION

The Alhambra stands on the hill of Sabika, which penetrates inland to a fertile plain, as the last bastion of the Sierra Nevada, facing Albaicín and Sacromonte, between the Darro and Genil river basins.

Surrounded by mountains, Arabic writers compared Granada to a crown, with the jewel of the Alhambra protruding from it.

The history of the Alhambra’s constructions is closely related with the city of Granada, of which there is archaeological documentation of overlapping walls from the Iberian, Roman and Islamic period, successively.

The Alhambra that we see today was not built at one specific time. It was formed gradually, adding new constructions, grouped as cells, enriching its architectural and urban development.

STRUCTURE

This enormous “stranded vessel” on the hill, as classical historians called it, was formed gradually, adding new constructions.

The Alhambra is the result of development over almost two and a half centuries under the Nasrids, as well as the previous constructions, along with the important contributions and modifications made in the Christian period, and which continued practically until the present day.

In this way, the Alhambra that we know today was structured, with the most important milestones detailed below:

LA ALCAZABA

Possibly the oldest occupied place in the whole of the Alhambra, or at least the part from which the oldest information comes. Its location, on the highest area of the hill, makes it a privileged place for observation and monitoring of the surroundings, of the city, the plain and its points of access.

The triangle marked on the ground survives from the 11th century constructions, although the only certainty of this period is the section of the interior wall to the north, and the door of its upper enclosure. In the 12th century, the Almoravids carried out some work and adaptations on the Alcazaba.

THR FORTIFIED ALHAMBRA

In the 13th century, the Nasrids gave the Alcazaba its current appearance, adding large towers to it: the Vela tower to the west and the Homenaje, Quebrada and Adarguero towers to the east. The whole enclosure was surrounded on the exterior with a patrol road and the important access through the Puerta de las Armas.

From then, the walling and fortification of the whole perimeter of the Alhambra began with its walls, adding some towers and doors at intervals along its perimeter.

FIRST CONSTRUCTIONS

With the structure of the inner walls defined, the first palaces were built. A large Mexuar preceded by patios lay before the Palacio de Isma’il, which no longer stands. The Generalife and the essential core of the Palacio del Partal, the oldest surviving Nasrid constructions, shape a palatial space open toward the city, designed as a palatial area of buildings, enclosures and gardens.

PALACIO DE COMARES

On some of the previous constructions, adding and modifying structures, Yusuf I became the first great builder of the Alhambra. Although he would not see it completed, he built the Palacio de Comares, as well as the large Puertas de la Justicia and Siete Suelos, along with many other constructions and decorations of the Alhambra.

In the first half of the 14th century, the Mosque, the Rauda, the Madraza and the Palacios de San Francisco and Abencerrajes were added.

PALACIO DE LOS LEONES

In the second half of the 14th century, a great modification was made to the internal structure of the Alhambra. Coinciding with the second mandate of Muhamnad V, in the most prolific period for the Nasrids, he decorated and redecorated the majority of the spaces that we see today.

His great construction, the Palacio de los Leones, breaks away from the usual architectural layout, bringing new aesthetic and formal concepts which were also reflected in the administration of the State and the matters of the Court.

THE CHRISTIAN ALHAMBRA

The final and most radical transformation of the Alhambra occurred after the conquest. New concepts imposed new uses with significant modifications to buildings and urban elements.

The main modification is certainly the Palacio de Carlos V which, although never having been finished, added a new volume to the buildings of the Alhambra, inserting itself, like its predecessors, as another space.

In the 16th century, the outer wall was added to the east of the Alcazaba with the circular Cubo tower, and the large Tendilla cistern at its base. In the 17th century, the Jardín de los Adarves was created between the southern walls.

The Patios of Lindaraja and La Reja, the Church of Santa María, the Convent of San Francisco, and the Pillar of Carlos V, are some of the contributions to the Alhambra, contributing to creating its rich cultural stratification.

LANDSCAPE

The Alhambra stands on the hill of la Sabika, between the Darro and Genil river basins. Surrounded by mountains, Arabic writers compared Granada to a crown, with the jewel of the Alhambra protruding from it.

Without doubt, the Alhambra occupies a privileged location, where its architectural values are combined and perfectly integrated with the urban surroundings and the landscape in which it is immersed.

To appreciate the architectural and scenic values of the Alhambra, it is recommended to visit the Albaicín quarter (Mirador de San Nicolás) or Sacromonte. From these points, the spectacular relationship of the Alhambra with the territory and the city of Granada can be observed.

Granada, the last kingdom Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus History, Blog, Granada, Granada Kingdom

Granada, the last kingdom Al-Andalus

Centuries of history and the legacies of different cultures have transformed the urban layout of the city of Granada. The events that took place from the late 10th and early 11th centuries onwards led to a series of dramatic changes in which the region’s capital was moved from Madinat Ilbira to the hill of the Hishn Gharnata, which became the official seat of the Zirid Kingdom founded by Zawi ben Zirí around the year 1013.

The consolidation of the kingdom in subsequent decades with the conquest of the neighbouring coras (territories) and the additional resources obtained by the new irrigation networks enabled the Zirid dynasty to consider building a city with a new layout. It could be argued that Granada only became genuinely urban in the Zirid period, a hypothesis borne out by archaeological excavations and the analysis of surviving structures.

From this point onwards the city began to grow beyond its walls, a process that extended especially in the 14th Century, so creating what would become 15th Century Granada, of which we will be studying the perimeter, city walls and enclosures. This insight into life in Granada in the last years of the Nasrid Dynasty, who turned a blind eye on the events that signalled the end of a flourishing culture, will allow us to better understand what went on within the walls of Madinat Gharnata. A knowledge of some of the buildings (of which unfortunately few traces remain) that witnessed the amazing events of those final years is also an important part of this visit.

Neither should we forget the last years of war, a medium through which to study the leading participants, above all the three Sultans Muley Hacén, el Zagal and Muhammad XII “Boabdil”, about whom doubts still exist today as to whether their actions could have changed the destiny of their lost Kingdom. A tragic end to what had been a brilliant lineage, who in spite of their political ups-and-downs were responsible for the creation of the unforgettable Kingdom of Granada.

The Alhambra, Nasrid palaces

Nasrid Dynasty Al-Ahmar, founder of the Nasrid dynasty, installed himself in the Antigua Alcazaba del Albaicín, drawing attention to the ruins on the hill of the Alhambra. He then decided to initiate its reconstruction and install his court in it, beginning the construction of the Alhambra that we know today.

The Alhambra was a palace, citadel and fortress, residence of the Nasrid sultans and senior officials, court servants and elite soldiers, reaching its full splendor in the second half of the 14th century, coinciding with the sultanate of Yusuf I (1333-1354) and the second reign of Muhammad V (1362-1391).

Granada, capital of the Nasrid kingdom, gradually received Islamic populations due to the advance of the Christian conquest. The city grew, adapting, creating new quarters and expanding its walls practically until being conquered at the end of the 15th century.

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