Palacios Nazaries, Alhambra, Spain

Today we are in Granada, Spain visiting Alhambra…the beautiful palace and fortress complex from the time when Spain was under Moorish rule. This was the court of the Nasrid dynasty.

There are many buildings and gardens that make up the Alhambra. This posting will give you a glimpse of one the buildings…the Moorish royal palace.

Our ticket to enter the Palacios Nazaries is stamped 9:30 so we are on time. So, it would appear, are hundreds of other people.

Only a certain number of people are admitted every half hour (and they do check the time on your ticket!). This palace is the one most people want to visit so it is very wise to limit the numbers that enter at one time.

Once inside you can move at your own pace. We find some areas are a bit crowded but most areas are not.

So let’s explore the palace…

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

What spectacular arches,

(I think this shape is known as arabesque.)

and elaborate ceilings,

and intricate wall designs.

(do enlarge the photos…you will see so much more!)

And to think most of this was done in the 1300’s. The architects and craftsmen were extremely skilled, weren’t they.

You will find no pictures of humans on the walls…not even of the royal families that lived here. (Quite different from European palaces where paintings of generations of  nobility line the walls.)

You will however find beautiful geometric designs and lines of poetry.

Water is a sparse commodity in this part of Spain so the Moors’ engineering ability to harness what water they could made this palace “paradise on earth”.

Inside the palace you will walk through  many rooms, hallways and courtyards…all with designs that will enchant the western eye that does not see this type of architecture that often.

On the second floor look for the shuttered windows.

From here the women of the court could look down into the hallways and gardens without being seen by others.

This garden photo was taken from one of these windows.

There are explanatory signs to help you as you explore the palace. However, I carry appropriate pages from Rick Steve’s guide book to supplement them. Just find a quiet corner and read the appropriate sections as you tour. 

Look for the Courtyard of the Lions (and take the time to read the information provided in the courtyard. The story is fascinating!)

And, believe it or not, there is a Washington Irving room. (no, that one was not named in the 14th century.) Again, read the information provided in the room to find out how it got this name.

As you are leaving the palace, stop in the hallway and look out the open archway toward the hills. There you will see the old Moorish town on the hillside. (And maybe a bit of Sacromonte, the gypsy neighbourhoods.)

 

Look way to the right and you will catch a glimpse of the Moorish wall built in the 1400’s to protect old Granada. (Do click on the photo to get a much clearer view of the walls)

Continue the visit in Part 2.

There’s much more to see so please join us in Part 2 as we visit the gardens, the fortress and the Generalife.

Click here for Part 2.