Welcome to Andalusia! In this article, I'd like to take you on a tour of Granada in southern Spain! You know this mythical region in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. "Andalucía" in Spanish is a community of 8 million inhabitants spread over 8 provinces: Almería, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Malaga and Seville.
1. Geographical location of Andalusia
Andalusia is one of Spain's best-known regions, separated geographically from the north of the country by the famous river : the Guadalquivir, which rises in the east in the region in the Sierra de Cazorla(near the Natural Park of the same name) to descend more than 650 km via Cordobathen Seville It flows into the Gulf of Cadiz and the Atlantic Ocean (crossing the Doñana Park, more on that later 😜).
The north of Andalusia is defined by the Sierra Morenaand by the Betic Cordilleras in the south. (which forms the arc of Gibraltar). As the gateway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, the climate is fairly hot and arid, without being desert-like. There is little rainfall, from mild winters to very hot summers, especially in recent years.
My ideal time to visit Andalusiaas you can imagine is indeed spring (March to May) unless you enjoy the high heat 😜!!! Late September to November can be great too, but night will fall earlier . (Which can be an advantage for photographers of course, but the days will be shortened for visits!!)
Between its geographical location, its climate and its history (which we're also going to talk about) Andalusia is an interesting region for nature, travel and landscape photographers...
2. The city of Granada
Capital of the province of Granada (of course), at the foot of the Serra Nevada With its snow-capped peaks (part of the Betic Cordillera), it is the 4th largest city in Andalusia, which I would describe as dynamic because it is a university town, but also a city of tourism and history. So there's plenty of nightlife in the bars, tapas restaurants, flamenco and authentic districts such as AlbaicÍn: the gypsy quarter, or Sacromonte, the cave-dwellers' quarter.
But what attracts tourists to Granada the most? is the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Allow for a full day's visit, and a minimum 5km walk. The Alhambra is a walled city within Granada itself.occupied by the Moors for almost 800 years, Granada has a great heritage with this Palace.
3. The Alhambra Palace
Situated on Sabika hill, the palace offers superb views over the city, with the aforementioned districts on one side and a view of the peaks on the other. The Alhambra has 4 main sections The Alcazaba, the Nasrid palaces, the gardens: the Generalife and the palace of Charles V. It is the most prestigious medieval Muslim architecture in the Mediterranean.. During your visit, I strongly advise you to opt for the guided tour, which gives the site a completely different feel.
The Nasrid palaces
Le Palais des Nasrides is a complex of ornamental buildings built over several generations which is divided into a number of rooms linked by vestibules and corridors.divided into three structures The Mexuar, Comares Palace and the Palace of the Lions.
All this is arranged around the two splendid patios known as the Cour des Myrtes (Patio de los Arrayanes) and the Cour des Lions (Patio de los Leones).
The Mexuar room
This is where your visit to the Alhambra begins. This will be your first room. Built between 1314 and 1325 by Sultan Ismaïl I, it was the seat of the royal court.
After the reconquista, it was converted into a Christian chapel in the 14th century.e century. Four marble columns supported a dome in the central space, which has now disappeared and been replaced by a wooden ceiling. The room is decorated with azulejo panellingThe central stars represent the Nasrid motto in Arabic characters, theThe two-headed eagle of the House of Habsburg and the Columns of Hercules.
After this room, he guided tour will take you to the splendid Courtyard of the Myrtles, an integral part of the Comares Palace.
Comares Palace
Le Comares Palace was built mainly by the Nasrid builders Yusuf I and Mohammed V al-Ghanî. The Spanish also call it the patio des Arrayanes. This is the largest area of the palace.
This palace is made up of 3 main parts:
- the cour des Myrtes (patio de los Arrayanes)
- the salle de la Barque,
- the Throne room or Ambassadors
As you can see from the photos, in Arab culture, water was of course very precious, and as such a symbol of wealth, but also of aestheticism. More specifically, throughout the palace you'll find a water circuit, serving as a natural air-conditioning system that maintains surprisingly stable temperatures in the various rooms. It is also aesthetically pleasing, as the reflections of the water were a way of highlighting this precious resource. In this water engineering, there is a balance between its circulation, its noise and its inertia to obtain reflections and the whole offering a meditative quietude to get closer to Allah. That was the idea!
Then there's the patio de los Léones 😁 !!
The Lion's Palace
Probably the most famous patio in the Alhambra for its lions. It is a rectangular courtyard 35m by 20m decorated with arabesques and geometric motifs, surrounded by 124 white marble columns (the coat of arms of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada is regularly carved throughout the patio).
Above each arch and column, rectangular panels are decorated with arabesques and sculpted filigree. In the centre of the courtyard is the Fountain of the Lions, an alabaster basin with twelve white marble lion statues representing the 12 suns of the zodiac, the 12 months of the year and also a symbol of power and courage.
Water pipes running from the fountain to the four sides of the courtyard represent the 4 cardinal points. Water is once again the symbol in the foreground.
The Alcazaba
This name comes from the Arabic " Al Casbah " which means fortress or citadel. An alcazar This is a "fortified" palace that combines military qualities with pleasure, as was built by many Muslim sovereigns in Andalusia. These palaces were later adopted by Christian rulers. after the Reconquista. (This is why most Andalusian architecture is a mixture of Arab and Christian cultures)..
It is an entire city of warriors, built on the Alhambra hill.. Its height was a strategic advantage against attackers: from the top of the highest tower, you could see the whole plain of Granada. The Alhambra was designed to withstand sieges.
With its inner medina, distinct from that of the Alhambra enclosure, it corresponds to the inner dungeon of a fortified castle in architectural terms. medieval.
During the Reconquista in the XVe From the top of the Alcazaba tower in the 16th century, the Nazarite princes watched the movements of military troops on the plains of Granada. Symbolically, the Catholic Monarchs, their adversaries, had set up a fortified military camp in Santa Fe on enemy territory, to assert their presence on the ground.
The Generalife
This was the garden of the Nasrid princes. They used to come here to cool off in the shade near the water basins. The Generalife is located outside the city walls, on the other side. This palace is very well known in Spain.
The name is derived from the Arabic "Jannat al-Arif" meaning "gardens of the architect".
The channeling of water down from the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada is once again an asset and a powerful symbol of the water management that refreshed every courtyard and garden.
The Palace of Charles V
Le Palace of Charles V is an addition (by the Castilian conquerors) made after the palaces were built. Its construction symbolised the Emperor's power over the conquered lands. The Emperor wanted to establish his residence here. Previously, the Catholic kings had built several halls here, but Charles V's intention was to have a permanent residence worthy of his rank, so that he could enjoy the architectural beauty of the Alhambra. The project was entrusted to Pedro Machuca in 1527 for completion in 1537. A laborious project in the Mannerist style that was emerging in Italy.
The palace is square on the outside, with a main façade 63 metres wide and 17 metres high, and a circular patio on the inside. The geometry was inspired by the Italian Renaissance. The palace is the most important work of the Renaissance in Spain.
The south and west façades are fully decorated, while those to the north and east are only partially so, because the building was joined to the Alcazaba. Both the exterior and interior (the circular patio) have two levels. The lower part is in the Tuscan style and the upper part in the Ionic style.
The important thing to remember here is that, at a time when the destruction of temples and palaces was common practice, the Christian kings were won over by the undeniable beauty of the Alhambra, which has enabled it to be preserved to the present day.
That's it for this little tour of Granada, and especially the Alhambra,
I look forward to seeing you soon for the rest, and invite you to visit my online galleries,
David
