The Alhambra was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.
In 1492 the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella and the palaces were partially altered to Renaissance tastes.
It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well-known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions.
The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inspiration for many songs and stories.
The Alhambra endures as an atypical example of Muslim art in its final European stages, relatively uninfluenced by the direct Byzantine influences found in the Mezquita of Córdoba. The majority of the palace buildings are quadrangular in plan, with all the rooms opening on to a central court, and the whole reached its present size simply by the gradual addition of new quadrangles, designed on the same principle, though varying in dimensions, and connected with each other by smaller rooms and passages.
The Alhambra was extended by the different Muslim rulers who lived in the complex. However, each new section that was added followed the consistent theme of "paradise on earth". Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. In every case, the exterior was left plain and austere. Sun and wind were freely admitted. Blue, red, and a golden yellow, all somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure, are the colors chiefly employed. The design included plans for six palaces, five of which were grouped in the northeast quadrant forming a royal quarter, two circuit towers, and numerous bathhouses. During the reign of the Nasrid Dynasty, the Alhambra was transformed into a palatine city, complete with an irrigation system composed of acequias for the gardens of the Generalife located outside the fortress. Previously, the old Alhambra structure had been dependent upon rainwater collected from a cistern and from what could be brought up from the Albaicín. The creation of the Sultan's Canal solidified the identity of the Alhambra as a palace-city rather than a defensive and ascetic structure.
(Extracts from Wikipedia)
Today was when we visited the Alhambra and was the day we were blown away with the visual spectacular of this magnificent site.
A bus up the hill dropped us at the gates at 9.00am and by this time there were 100s of other tourists milling around - there was also a sign advising that tickets for the day had been sold out but luckily we had purchased ours before we left NZ, tickets which included entry to the Palacios Nazaries at 9.30.
Once inside the Nazaries there were numerous comments passed between us but all were a version of "look at that!" The architecture was truly amazing.
We have seen numerous palaces and castles throughout Europe but in my mind this was el número uno - it had none of the opulence of Versailles but it didn't need it, the architecture spoke for itself.
Words cannot describe what the eye can see so best let a few pictures (of the 111 taken today) try and tell some of the story.
The Alcazaba adjacent to the Palacio gave great views over to the Albaicin and one could photograph tourists over there who were photographing us over here!
And a walk through the gardens of the Generalife, the recreational area for Nasrid Sultans, finished off a superb visit
The Alhambra is strongly recommended as a "bucket list item"
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