GRANADA

1. La Alhambra, Crown jewel

Let's not think about it, the jewel in the crown is her. And not because we say so: the Alhambra is a World Heritage Site and the most visited monument in Spain and, obviously, the best place to see in Granada.

The monumental complex of the Alhambra, where the Nasrid kings lived with their entire court between the 12th and 15th centuries, is made up of the Alcazaba (walled military city), the Palaces, the Generalife gardens and an infinite number of patios (the Los Leones is the prettiest), fountains and impressive displays of Moorish art.

But in its golden age its interior hid mosques, workshops, schools, gardens, fountains, loves, heartbreaks, houses, kittens, businesses, fun and suffering. Centuries have passed since the reconquest ended Arab hegemony, and not even Napoleon could put an end to it: it seems that a Spanish soldier did not want to obey his order to demolish it with explosives. Goodness! Without a doubt it is the great jewel of tourism in Granada.

2.The Albaicín in Granada - the Oldest Neighborhood of Granada

The Albaicín (or Albayzín) is the oldest neighborhood in Granada. Located in front of the Alhambra hill, on the San Cristóbal hill, and surrounded by Sacromonte , Elvira street and the Darro river, the Albaicín is a world apart.
It has always been a city closed in on itself within Granada, perhaps due to the strong Muslim influence it has had since its origins.

What does Albaicin mean?

The name Albaicín or Albayzín could be derived from the Arabic Rabat al-bayyasin , which means neighborhood of the falconers, or perhaps from the term Al-bayyazin , after the inhabitants of Baeza who settled here.

There are also historians who say that the name Albaicín only means ' sloping neighborhood ', something that the visitor will soon discover is very true.
And although you see it written in very different ways, it seems that there is a consensus that Albaicín is the most correct and current way of writing it.

History of the Albaicín

Before the Alhambra was built , the Albaicín was already a Muslim court.

In the 11th century the Zirid dynasty built its royal palace here, surrounded by sumptuous fortresses, important buildings and Islamic temples. They also built the city's Main Mosque here.

The city descended through San Nicolás to the banks of the Darro River , populated by luxurious houses and equipped with splendid public baths, as those of Bañuelo show .
Even so, the greatest moment of splendor of the Albaicín took place during the Nasrid dynasty , when it had a population of more than forty thousand inhabitants and thirty mosques.
The streets were very narrow and the houses were small and clean. It had numerous cisterns, some of which have survived to this day.
There were also important palaces and houses of the Granada nobility.
After the Conquest by the Catholic Monarchs , the Albaicín was assigned to the Muslims as a place of residence and little by little they became isolated here.

Other Christian neighborhoods that were born in the medina gained prominence and became the new commercial and cultural center of Granada .

After several Moorish uprisings, the monarchs expelled all those who practiced the Muslim religion and all the mosques were demolished.
The neighborhood of a thousand mosques became the neighborhood of a thousand churches , and at the beginning of the 17th century the Moors definitively abandoned their homes in the Albaicín.
The rich Christians who lived in the medina took advantage of the opportunity and came to build their sumptuous cármenes in them.

The Albaicín was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994 for its outstanding universal value.
The neighborhood represents a unique and well-preserved example of Spanish-Muslim architecture from the medieval period.
It is a place to relax, to explore its narrow streets and discover viewpoints that do not appear in any guide.
From one of them, contemplate a sunset over the Alhambra at the precise moment it turns red.
It remains pending for another day that you admire the Albaicín from the Sabika hill and then you will understand why the Nasrid kings built the Alhambra there.

3.Mirador de San Nicolás - the Best Views of the Alhambra

The Mirador de San Nicolás is perhaps the most famous in Granada . Since Bill Clinton visited it in 1997 and said that he saw “the most beautiful sunset in the world”, it has become a must-see for tourists .

The beauty of this viewpoint is undeniable: the Alhambra and the Generalife facing each other, the city at their feet and the Sierra Nevada behind.

The charm of its surroundings , in the heart of the Albaycín neighborhood , with its cobbled streets, its cisterns, its tapas bars and its people, adds flavor to the picture.

4. Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada, in Granada, is the third highest mountain system in Europe. Among its peaks we find the highest peaks in Spain.
More than 20 exceed 3,000 meters in altitude, with Mulhacén being 3,482m . the roof of the Iberian Peninsula.

In these mountains is the southernmost ski resort with the most hours of sunshine in all of Europe. Located in the Penibetic System in the South of Spain in Andalusia, Sierra Nevada offers excellent conditions for practicing white sports .

The ski resort is located in the Granada municipality of Monachil, 31 kilometers from the city of Granada. It is the western area of ​​the Sierra Nevada National Park , which is in turn a Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve.

5. La Alcaicería - The Old Souk or Arab Market

The Alcaicería of Granada is a commercial area full of small shops , mostly dedicated to the sale of souvenirs and Granada crafts.

Why is it called the Alcaicería?

Its name comes from the Arabic al-qaysariya, which designates a commercial institution and the buildings that comprise it.Although it is also said that it is related to the name of Caesar, to whom the Arabs were grateful for allowing them the silk trade.

What was the Alcaicería?

It was a closed and well-protected market , property of the monarch after the Conquest, where raw silk was delivered to collect taxes and mark it, and where, in addition, high-priced merchandise was sold: silk, silver objects, goldwork, sumptuous clothing. , whose sale was prohibited outside of it.

A little of history

The Alcaicería was founded in the 19th century. XIV next to the Main Mosque in the time of Muhammad V. It was accessed through nine doors that were closed at night to protect it.

After the conquest of the city (1492), the Christian kings organized their government, maintaining Muslim institutions and customs, although always appointing the governor from among the noble lords. It was closed at night with solid doors, and only the warden and the guards remained inside.

In the S. XVI had almost 200 small stores.In the S. XVII significant changes occur. Bermúdez de Pedraza explains that all types of silk, woven and skein, gold, cloth, linen and other merchandise were sold in the Alcaicería.
His warden guards it and watches over it at night with dogs, opens and closes it during the day, and takes care of its cleanliness.

At night, all the doors and establishments were closed, the shutters of the surrounding houses were closed, with bars to prevent theft, and the guard did a thorough patrol, leaving only two of them and the warden with the dogs inside.

In the S. In the 18th century , silk cultivation suffered a decline and some shops were not rented.The enclosure was divided into two parts: one, with the silk markets or shops, and the other, with the jelices, the customs and their offices.
Thus, liners, notaries and other shops unrelated to the art of silk were installed. An emblematic place that you will not forget.

6. Dar al-Horra

Dar al-Horra  is a former 15th-century Nasrid palace located in the Albaicín quarter of Granada, Since the early 16th century it was used as part of the Monastery of Santa Isabel la Real. It is now a historic monument

The palace is dated to the 15th century when Granada was the capital of the last Muslim Emirate on the Iberian Peninsula, under the leadership of the Nasrid dynasty. It was probably built under the reign of Yusuf III (1408–1417). Near the end of the dynasty, the palace was used as a residence by Aisha al-Horra (or Aixa), the wife of Sultan Abu'l-Hasan Ali (also known as "Muley Hacén"; ruled 1464–1482 and 1483–1485) and mother of the last Nasrid sultan, Muhammad XII (also known as "Boabdil"; ruled 1482–1483 and 1487–1492). The name "Dar al-Horra" ("House of the Free Woman") comes from this association. The palace is located atop the hill of the Albaicin neighbourhood, which was formerly the site of the Alcazaba al-Qadima, the former palace and citadel of the Zirid rulers during the period of the Taifa kingdoms in the 11th century. There is some suggestion that the palace was originally part of the Zirid palace, but this has not been substantiated with evidence.

After the fall of Granada to Spain and the end of the Reconquista in 1492, the property was given to Hernando de Zafra, secretary of the Catholic Monarchs, who used it as his residence. In 1493 the palace was the venue for several agreements signed between the Catholic Monarchs and the remaining Muslim nobility, whereby the latter left for Morocco. In 1507 the palace was converted by Queen Isabel into a Franciscan convent for nuns, as part of the Monastery of Santa Isabel la Real.

7. The Madrasah of Granada - First University of the 14th Century

La Madraza was the first public university in Al Andalus and later became the first town hall in Granada .
The Madrasah of Granada was founded by Yusuf I in 1349 with all the splendor of the Nasrid era .Mathematics, medicine and law were taught there by such illustrious figures as Ibn al-Jatib and Ibn Zamrak, whose poems decorate the walls and fountains of the Alhambra.
Located in the center of Granada, on Oficios Street, it is the only building from the period that remains standing, in what was one of the most emblematic areas of Nasrid Granada: the suburb of the Great Mosque .

The name Madrasah comes from the Arabic word "madrasah", which means Koranic school or university .Ferdinand II of Aragon gave the building to the Casa del Cabildo (Town Hall) in 1500, after his rich library was burned by Cisneros in the Bib-Rambla square in one of the largest burns in Europe.
Since then it was completely transformed until it reached its current baroque appearance in 1722 , with the remains of the Arab construction being demolished.Until 1841 the Town Hall was housed here - it is also known as the Old Town Hall - and finally the State recovered it in 1943.Today it belongs to the University of Granada and is the headquarters of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Nuestra Señora de las Angustias .

8.The Corral del Carbón - The Best Preserved Andalusian Alhóndiga

The Corral del Carbón is an Andalusian warehouse from the year 1336, or even before.It is the oldest monument left to us by the Arabs and the best preserved alhóndiga on the peninsula.The Corral del Carbón was built in the 14th century by Yusuf I, during the Nasrid era, and served as a warehouse for merchandise to be sold there, in addition to housing merchants who passed through the city.Later, in the 16th century , Christians adapted it for theatrical performances.

The construction is made up of an entrance pavilion and an interior body with a patio surrounded by galleries and naves.The center is occupied by a square stone basin with side spouts. The façade of the Corral del Carbón is monumental, it presents a large pointed horseshoe arch.
The entrance door admires whoever passes through it and promises even better treasures and beauties inside. However, it contrasts with the simplicity and lack of ornaments inside.

9.Paseo de los Tristes - Stunning Views at the foot of the Alhambra

The Paseo de los Tristes is a street that connects the Carrera del Darro with the Cuesta del Chapiz. It is usually the way to go up to Albaycín or Sacromonte. On the Paseo de los Tristes you will enjoy impressive views of the Alhambra .
When we leave the narrow Carrera del Darro behind, suddenly, an esplanade opens up where we can contemplate in all its splendor:the Alhambra forest, its walls and the imposing Comares Tower, theNasrid Palacesand, higher up, thePalace of the Generalife.

This popular street begins right where theCarrera del Darroends , at the interesting Casa de las Chirimías, next to the bridge that bears the same name.
The Paseo de los Tristes is officially called Paseo del Padre Manjón, but it is better known by this popular name that it received because it was the place where the funeral processions that went to the cemetery formerly passed.

10.Bib-Rambla Square - Historic Center of Granada

The Plaza de Bib-Rambla is located in the historic center of Granada. Place of passage to reach the Cathedral, the Alcaicería or the Zacatín, among other notable places.
Over the centuries, this square has undergone many renovations, but it has always been surrounded by the most important points of the city . In the Nasrid era, the commercial area par excellence was located here . Right next door was the Main Mosque. Merchants passed through here on their way to the Alcaicería or the Corral del Carbón , an old warehouse. Students also passed through here on their way to the Madraza , the first university in Granada.

Where does your name come from?

Bib al-Ramla Square owes its name to the Bib al-Ramla Gate or Arenal Gate that was here and was one of the main gates opened in the wall that surrounded the city.It was called that because it was close to the Darr riverbed that passed near here on its way to the Genil bridge.Starting in the 16th century, it began to be called the Gate of Ears and Hands, because the limbs of executed thieves and criminals were hung there.
With the remodeling of the square in Christian times, this gate was dismantled and rebuilt in the Alhambra Forest where it can be seen today.

A little of history

The Plaza de Bib-Rambla or Bibarrambla was a place of celebrations already in Arab times.After the Conquest, the auto de fes of the Inquisition took place here and events as unfortunate as the burning of manuscripts and Arabic books. Almost the entire library of the Madrassah disappeared here in a bonfire because they were considered heretical books.It could be said that this is the most transformed area of ​​the city , which has been adapting to the needs of each era until reaching the present day.
At the end of the 19th century, only one historic building remained in the square: the Archbishop's Palace , which would also be modified later.

Of course there are a lot of interesting places left. If you have enough time and want to explore the city, don't forget to take ask us. As always, if you have questions, we are here!

10.Bib-Rambla Square - Historic Center of Granada

The Genil Palace is also known as the Palace of Abu Said (El Cid Palace). It was ordered to be built by the Almohad governor of Granada, Ishad ibn Yusuf, in 1218. The Ginel Palace is located between the Camino de Ronda and the Granada Exhibition and Congress Palace, a few metres from the place where, on 2 January 1492, the keys of the city were handed over by King Abu Abdullah to the Catholic monarchs, and where the monument to King Bouabdallah stands.

The Genil Palace was a lavish residence located on the outskirts of the city. These residences were known as Almunia, among which we can highlight the Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo and the Ginel Palace. The Genil Palace consists of a system of orchards, gardens and pavilions, centred around a large pond more than 125 metres long and 28 metres wide. During the construction of the Granada Metro, the large swimming pool, the largest of its kind in the city, was found, in which aquatic games were held.From Alcazar Genil there is a dome 5 metres wide, 5 metres long and 10 metres high. The tower has a sloping roof. The interior walls are decorated with original stucco, with floral, geometric and epigraphic motifs. The interior is lit by twenty small windows in the upper part with lattice work. In the centre is a fountain with a flowerbed that was originally connected to a huge pond. The cornice is finished with multicoloured stalactites and a wooden cover. The dome also has two wings or pavilions measuring 2 x 4 metres, covered by a flat wooden roof, which were added in the 19th century. It also had its own defence system.

Of course there are a lot of interesting places left. If you have enough time and want to explore the city, don't forget to take ask us. As always, if you have questions, we are here!