Hello, all! Jake and I have been having a wonderful time in southern Spain! Last weekend, we took a short trip to Granada, home of the famous Alhambra. The city of Granada has a strong Moorish influence stemming from the Nasrid dynasty (12th-15th century). The influence is still very apparent in the architecture being that most of it has not changed since ancient times.
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One of the most obvious examples of the Nasrid influence in Granada is the Alhambra palace, seen in the picture above. Building began in 1238 by Muhammad I al-Ahmar and it served as a palace and fortress to the Moorish Emirs in Spain until 1492 during the Reconquista by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella.
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| Here is another view of the Alhambra palace from the opposite side. We ventured off in true tourist fashion and discovered Carmen de los Mártires. It was a home built in the 19th century with gardens that featured exquisite views of both the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Alhambra palace. The garden site was used for military jousts and tournaments, but also as a place to hold the Christian prisoners that were building the Royal Palace. At least they had a nice view... |
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Now, we did actually go inside the Alhambra. It is such a popular attraction that you have to book your tickets in advance. The Nasrid Palace is the most popular attraction inside the Alhambra and you are given a specific time that you are allowed to enter. I felt bad for a couple who queued up just to find out that they had their time wrong and had missed their entrance. The ticket collector wouldn't budge and the poor couple just trudged away. On the other hand, Jake and I did not suffer this demise and we quite happily toured around the magnificent palace with our mouths opened in awe. The picture above is of the typical design seen throughout the palace. |
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One of the most famous courtyards in the Nasrid Palace, Pateo de los Leones, or the Patio of the Lions. Much to our dismay, it was under construction...humpf. The Fountain of the Lions is in the center and represents strength and courage.
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This was a view from the Alcazaba, the military fortress and one of the oldest parts of the Alhambra. This picture was taken from the Torre de la Vela, or the Watch Tower. The Sierra Nevada mountain range is featured in the background.
Outside of the Alhambra we enjoyed great walks, fun shops, and delicious food. Tapas was our culinary staple of choice for this trip. We would stop about once ever couple of hours for a beer and a small bar snack. The food was generally pretty nice and it cost us nothing more than 2 euro each! It was great and I fully endorse this way of eating.
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| After the Reconquista, Christian influence spread all over Granada and the rest of Spain. Many of the mosques were converted to churches, and Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity. Our host recommended that we take the time to scope out the Basilica de San Juan de Dios and we are so glad that we did. The Basilica was built in the 15th century and is the final resting place of San Juan de Dios, the founder of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller. It is adorned from top to bottom in pure gold and is truly a sight to see! If this isn't an example of Catholic indulgence, then I don't know what is! |
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This was a view from the terrace on top of our hostel. To the left is the Cathedral of Granada, which was built on top of the Nasrid Great Mosque of Granada in the 16th century, and in the background you can catch another good view of the Sierra Nevada. We enjoyed a good glass of wine or four on this terrace.
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I wanted to end with this picture. This is for my family.
For more pictures click here.
Hasta Luego!
Mary |
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