la Alhambra

Introduction

The Alhambra is Granada's most famous and magnificent landmark, and the world's best-preserved and most exquisite Islamic Moorish palace complex—a palace and fortress atop a hill overlooking Granada, the pinnacle of Islamic art and architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the not-to-be-missed number-one sight of Granada and all Spain. The Alhambra (meaning 'the Red Castle') was built in the Middle Ages as the palace and fortress of the Nasrid dynasty, the last Islamic Moorish kingdom in Spain (al-Andalus)—Granada was the final stronghold of Islamic Moorish rule in Spain. This grand complex sits on a hill overlooking Granada, made of fortress, palaces and gardens; it is the pinnacle of Islamic art and architecture and the most brilliant, precious legacy of Islamic civilization in Spain. Most breathtaking is its core, the Nasrid Palaces—the stunning, exquisite Islamic decorative art (intricate stucco, stalactite-like domes, brilliant colored tiles, fine calligraphy and geometric patterns, and murmuring fountain waters and light, as in the famous Court of the Lions); besides, the complex has the old Alcazaba fortress (climb the tower for a city panorama) and the exquisite Generalife gardens. With its unparalleled refinement and elegance, the palace captivated countless writers and poets (such as Washington Irving's 'Tales of the Alhambra'). Visiting Granada's Alhambra, marvelling at the exquisite, elegant pinnacle of Islamic art, is a soul-stirring, beautiful experience in Spain (book tickets well ahead).

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info