The Alhambra from Mirador San Nicolás, near sunset. The
12-acre complex of buildings was constructed beginning in the 13th century,
first by Moorish kings, and in the 15th to 16th centuries by the Catholic
monarchy. Note the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. That is the water supply for the entire area.
View from the opposite direction of the first photo, the Albaicín neighborhood as seen from El Alhambra
The Generalife, the sultan’s summer palace where the
royals would go on a hot summer day, an easy stroll from the Alhambra.
The Moors developed a remarkable system for water
distribution, which they learned from the Romans. Water was diverted from the Sierra Nevada. It coursed through the
Alhambra and then into the Darro river just below. Fountains are found
throughout, accompanied by the gentle sound of running water.
View of the Alhambra from the gardens of the
Generalife.
Bridge across the moat connecting the Alhambra with
the Generalife.
The Alcazar, the fortified area of the Alhambra,
enclosing the royal palaces.
Puerto de Vino, the entrance to the Alcazar.
The reflecting pool
Islam forbids the representation of
people or animals, so the elaborate decoration of walls contains geometric
tiles and inscriptions from the Koran.
Tom, María and Roger at the end of the tour, taking us
almost two miles around the 12 acres of the Alhambra.
Statue of Washington Irving, who wrote Tales of the
Alhambra in 1829 during his four-month stay
here. His efforts led to a greater interest in the preservation of this
remarkable monument to Moorish architecture.
Coming soon: photos of Granada and other sites in Andalucía
