Alhambra Palace (Alhambra) description and photos - Spain: Granada (Topic)

Alhambra Palace description and photos - Spain: Granada. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Alhambra.

Photo and description

The Alhambra, the most famous monument of Moorish art in Spain, was built during the reign of the Nasrid dynasty. The palace was built from wood, ceramic tiles and plaster. Each ruler made some changes to this complex of buildings and courtyards. After the Reconquista, Charles V ordered to destroy part of the palace and build another palace and church in its place. From this period, the Alhambra fell into decay, it was plundered, there were fires in it. The restoration of the palace was undertaken only at the end of the 19th century.

The palace of Charles V stands out for its massiveness. But inside the square building (60x60 m) hides one of the most beautiful Renaissance courtyards in Spain. These are the creations of Pedro Machuca, a Toledian who studied in Italy, possibly with Michelangelo. The circular courtyard in a simple style with a double row of columns (Doric at the bottom, Ionic at the top) has a diameter of 30 meters. Now the Palace of Charles V houses the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Spanish-Muslim Art.

The Lion's Courtyard is a fabulous courtyard built under Muhammad V, framed by arcades of 124 graceful columns. In the center of the courtyard there is a fountain, the bowl of which is supported by 12 stone lions. According to an old legend, 100 members of the Abenserrach family were beheaded by order of the emir in the Hall of Abenserrachs as punishment for one of them falling in love with the emir's concubine. The Royal Hall, where feasts and festivities were held, is famous for its unique ceiling, decorated with paintings on the skin of knightly and hunting scenes. The reservoir of the Myrtle Courtyard is surrounded by a hedge of myrtle bushes and graceful arcades. From the oldest building of the Alhambra - Palaio del Partal - only a portico with arches and a tower has survived.

On the north side of the Alhambra are the Generalife Gardens. Here the rulers could hide from the sun and palace intrigues. The gardens were planted in the 13th century, but their layout has changed several times.

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Topic: Alhambra Palace (Alhambra) description and photos - Spain: Granada.