The Alhambra

Awesome reflection in the palace courtyard pond

There are two places on Earth built by man that are so beautiful and filled with such splendor that I found myself fighting tears in their presence, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and the Alhambra in Granada. Both are in Spain. 

As I mentioned before, the Alhambra really inspired our decision to travel to Spain this summer. So naturally I was excited to see the palaces. We woke up early to climb the steep hill where the Alhambra lies. The streets of city were quiet and we didn’t pass a soul as we ascended to the ancient palace. At the top, the sun was still rising above the mountains. A few excited adventurers like ourselves wandered the largely deserted complex but mostly the only people about were the gardeners. The Alhambra only allows so many people a day to visit the site and they carefully regulate how many people enter the palaces at a given time so each person is assigned a time slot to visit and ours was not until 1pm. 

So we started our visit at the General Life, this was originally the summer palace of the Moorish rulers and built in the 1300s. There are vast gardens surrounding this palace including large hedges made of Cyprus surrounding shallow ponds of water that bubble from fountains. In the dry high desert climate there is little use for grass and so the gardens are mostly comprised of ponds and shrubs with well-placed benches and drinking fountains. The gardens were replanted in the 1930s.

Building in the Alhambra complex currently under restoration

General Life Summer Palace

Palatial Gardens

General Life Gardens

General Life Gardens

From there we walked along the outer edge of the complex through the palatial gardens back towards the palaces and the Alcazaba. One thing we noticed going on as we walked was a lot of restoration effort. The sprawling walled complex is made up of many different buildings throughout its long and sordid history. Some have been better maintained, some are just significantly newer, and some have fallen into disrepair. Southern Spain has a lot of Moorish palaces scattered throughout the region and what really sets the Alhambra apart is the level of restoration and preservation.

The Alcazaba (citadel) is the oldest portion of the complex. A former military installation that dates to around 900. It has a thick tower you can climb via a windy staircase giving you the best view of the area. From this vantage point you can see the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, the entire city and surrounding hills making it the perfect place to look out for enemy armies.

Alcazaba

View from the Alcazaba

Zoomed in view of the town from the top of the Alcazaba

Alcazaba

Due to our excellent planning and earlier reconnaissance of the complex, we managed to see everything except the palaces by 10:30. However our appointed time was not until 1pm. We could go back to our apartment for a couple hours but that would require hiking down the hill. Hanging out for an hour and some then climbing back that steep slope in the heat. Needless to say we opted to instead explore some of the free museums tucked away.

One temporary exhibit showed incredible photographs of the Alhambra taken by a modern day photographer over the course of a year using 1800s camera technology. The idea was that the Alhambra has been photographed since photography was first developed and he wanted to explore the site using the technology that had first captured it. This of course involves photo plates and long exposures but the results were incredible. We also decided to kill some time by visiting the snack bar where we discovered a Spanish favorite that we have eagerly adopted, tinto verano. You might consider it a sangria substitute. It is loosely translates to “red summer wine” and it is a red wine mixed with lemon soda. We had seen it made a few times in bars but thought it was a cheap sangria knock off until we saw it on tap at the Alhambra snack bar. It is refreshing without being overly sweet. And at 4% alcohol it has about the same alcohol content as light beer. 

Finally the moment came where we were allowed into the palaces. The large palace complex is made up of three palaces each built at a different time by a different ruler but so close together they seamlessly transition into each other resulting in a massive expanse of palace. 

I feel like it is impossible to describe the wonder that is the Alhambra. I can only say that the level of detail is almost overwhelming. The walls are covered with hand painted tiles and beautifully carved ceramic panels. The ceilings are patchwork of wood or tile interwoven and locking in a way that have not only allowed to remain despite centuries of sieges but I once read have been described as portraying the inter-connectivity of the universe. The details are so rich that even wandering the unfurnished rooms you can’t help but feel surrounded by luxury. It is sort of the antithesis of something like Versailles where the walls are gilded with precious metals and opulent but it somehow feels cheap and over the top. The materials are simple stone, wood and ceramics yet the artisan-ship, the love and labor that went into producing every inch of the walls and ceiling make it so much more splendid and grand. 

Ceiling of the Oldest Palace

Close up of the ceiling

Windows in the 1st Palace

Close up of windows

Courtyard

Door to the 2nd Palace. Notice the colored tiles and details on both the wood door and the wall.

Interior door of the 2nd Palace

Patterns on the Wall

Courtyard of the 3rd Palace

Courtyard of the 3rd Palace

Close up of moasic wall tiles

Fountain of Lions

Close up of wall pattern and tile work

Awkward iphone photo of a glass ceiling in a newer section

The Alhambra did not disappoint. I can see why it has captured the hearts and imaginations of many artists and writers since its creation and is truly a wonder of the world.