The Alhambra: The Last Moorish Palace Where Water Whispers Poetry
Granada's Alhambra is the apex of Islamic architecture in Europe, a palace-fortress complex where the Nasrid dynasty ruled as Spain's last Muslim monarchy until 1492. This UNESCO World Heritage Site combines a military stronghold, a royal capital, and an architectural masterpiece all in one huge complex on a hilltop above Granada.
The crown gem of the Alhambra is the Nasrid Palaces, which were principally erected in the 13th and 14th centuries. Muhammad I al-Ghālib (died 1273) started building, but Yusuf I (1333-1354) and his son Mohammed V were the dynasty's greatest builders, creating most of the structures tourists see today. The palaces are divided into three areas: the Mexuar (a semi-public space for justice administration), the Comares Palace (the formal royal residence), and the Palace of the Lions (private royal quarters housing the harem).
Nasrid architecture is based on courtyards as major organising features, with reflection ponds or fountains at their centres. The iconic Court of the Lions features a centre fountain supported by twelve marble lions and flanked by 124 slender columns that form an arcade. The interiors are completely decorated: lower walls are covered in tile mosaics (azulejos), while higher sections are adorned with geometric designs, vegetal themes, and Arabic calligraphy in carved stucco. The characteristic muqarnas, which resemble stalactites, create three-dimensional honeycomb vaulting that appears to defy gravity.
After Granada fell to the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492, the Alhambra was converted into a Christian palace, bringing an end to over 800 years of Muslim dominance in the region. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Charles V built a magnificent Renaissance palace within the complex, and elements of it were destroyed and rebuilt in neoclassical design. Fortunately, 20th-century restoration maintained the remaining Nasrid elements, transforming the Alhambra into Spain's most popular landmark after the Prado Museum.
