Granada, Spain & The Alhambra | Flickr Granada, Spain & The Alhambra This set is dedicated to Snowshoeing Peg, who has patiently waited for it to be posted. GRANADA___________________ Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. The city of Granada sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. At the 2005 Census, the population of the city of Granada proper was 236,982, and the population of the entire urban area was estimated to be 472,638. The city has been inhabited from the dawn of history. The capture of Muslim Granada by the forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella’ Spanish army is one of the more significant events in Granada's history. The fall of Granada marks the latter half of the 15th century history of Spain and the region. It ended the eight hundred year-long Islamic presence in the Iberian Peninsula.

Freed from internal conflict, a unified Spain embarked on its greatest phase of expansion around the globe, leading to the arrival in the Americas by Isabella's protégé Christopher Columbus. Subsequent colonization led to the creation of the Spanish Empire, the largest empire of the world for its time. THE ALHAMBRA_______________ The Alhambra (in Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء‎, Al-Ḥamrā' , literally means "the red one"). The complete form of which was Calat Alhambra (الْقَلْعَةُ ٱلْحَمْرَاءُ, Al-Qal'at al-Ḥamrā' , "the red fortress") It is a palace and fortress complex constructed during the mid 14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada. The Alhambra occupies a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, once it fell to the Spanish Army, the site became Christian.

The literal translation of Alhambra, "red fortress", reflects the colour of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The buildings of the Alhambra were originally whitewashed; however, the buildings as seen today are again reddish. Completed towards the end of Muslim rule in Spain by Yusuf I (1333–1353) and Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada (1353–1391), the Alhambra is a reflection of the culture of the last days of the Nasrid Emirate of Granada. The castle was largely ignored until the eleventh century, when its ruins were renovated and rebuilt by Samuel ibn Naghrela, vizier to the King Bādīs of the Zirid Dynasty. It was constructed in an attempt to preserve the small Jewish settlement also located on the Sabikah hill, where the castle sits today. For inquiring minds, the Zirid Dynasty is a Berber dynasty, originating in Petite Kabylie among the Kutama tribe. For two centuries they ruled what is now modern day Eastern Algeria and Tunisia. An offshoot branch of the family ruled Granada until 1090.

According to surviving documents from the era, the red castle was quite small, and its walls were not capable of deterring an army intent on conquering it. Evidence, also from Arab texts, indicates that the fortress was easily penetrated and that the actual Alhambra that survives today was built during the Nasrid Dynasty. The Nasrid Sultans chose as the site for their court Sabika Hill. It is one of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, on the plain of Granada, which constituted an excellent site from which to keep watch over the capital of their kingdom and the surrounding area. From the beginning of the XIII century, the small older buildings, mainly watchtowers, some of which dated back to before the XI century, gradually grew into a huge walled site that was clearly intended to be both palace and court. 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 Palacio de Generalife.

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 Palacio de Generalife located outside the main fortress. Whilst fountains and flowing water are a common feature around the Alhambra today, they are particularly prevalent in the Palacio de Generalife. The Palacio de Generalife (Arabic: Jannat al-'Arif‎ - Architect's Garden) was the summer palace and country estate of the Nasrid sultans of Granada. The palace and gardens were built during the reign of Muhammad III (1302-1309) and redecorated shortly after by Abu I-Walid Isma'il (1313-1324). The Generalife is one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens. 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.

As previously stated, The Muslim rulers lost Granada and Alhambra in 1492, without the fortress itself being attacked, when King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile took the surrounding region with an overwhelming force of numbers. On January 2, 1492, the Sultan Boabdil, surnamed “The Unfortunate,” the last Moorish king of Granada, from 1481 to 1492, surrendered complete control of the remnants of the last Moorish stronghold of Granada, to Ferdinand and Isabella, Los Reyes Católicos ("The Catholic Monarchs"). The meeting took place in the Comares Tower”, where Boabdil agreed to give up Granada to the Catholic Kings, without a shot having to be fired. Strategically, there was nothing else Boabdil could have done (except to go down fighting, which would have meant an attack on the Alhambra itself, which was clearly indefensable). The Spanish had taken Granada and the surrounding region with an overwhelming force of numbers, and I believe Boabdil was not willing to sacrifice the remaining Moors in a lost cause. Unfortunately Boabdil's mother felt otherwise.

They say that from one of the balconies, Boabdil’s mother, looked upon the whole proceeding with disgust. Expelled from his throne Boabdil rode off and eventually halted on a hill called “The Last Sigh of the Moor,” and wept as he looked back on the Alhambra. It was reported that his mother added to his bitterness with the cutting sarcasm, “Weep as a woman for a throne you have not been able to defend as a man”. As I said in the beginning, Boabdil's surname was “The Unfortunate.” That may have been because he happened to be the one in charge, in the end. I cannot help but wonder however, from the remarks above, if there might also have been another reason? So much for the Alhambra, and motherly love. The Alhambra is not just one palace today. With the march of time, many different palaces were add onto to, to make what the Alhambra is today. The Alhambra of today has no real overreaching design and its layout is somewhat disorganized.

When originally designed, it included plans for six palaces, five of which are grouped in the northeast quadrant forming a royal quarter, two circuit towers, and numerous bathhouses. As we visited the Alhambra it was easy to see that some rooms are set at odd angles to each other. This is a result of the site's many construction phases, from the original 9th century citadel to the 16th century palace of Charles V, which was erected by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1527. The Alhambra became a place where artists and intellectuals could take refuge as Christian Spain won victories over Al Andalus and the Moors. The Alhambra mixes natural elements with man-made ones, and is a testament to the skill of Muslim craftsmen of that time. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions and exhibits the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th-century and later interventions in buildings and gardens. After being allowed falling into disrepair for a time, the Alhambra was "rediscovered" in the 19th century.

INSIDE THE ALHAMBRA________ The decorations within the palaces typified the remains of Moorish dominion of Spain and ushered in the last great period of Andalusian art in Granada. With little influence and direction from the Islamic mainland, artists endlessly reproduced the same forms and trends, creating a new style that developed over the course of the Nasrid Dynasty. The Nasrids freely used all the display of stylistically resorts that had been created and developed during eight centuries of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula.. The isolation with the rest of the Islam and the commercial and political relationship with the Christian kingdoms also influenced in the space concepts. Columns, Muqarnas (a type of corbel used as a decorative device in traditional Islamic and Persian architecture),and stalactite-like ceiling decorations, appear in several chambers. The interiors of numerous palaces are decorated with arabesques and calligraphy. The arabesques of the interior are ascribed, along with other kings, to Yusuf I, Mohammed V, and Ismail I. The different Muslim rulers who lived in the complex added onto Alhambra. 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 make add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. In every case, the exterior was left plain and austere. Sun and wind are freely admitted to the buildings. Blue, red, and a golden yellow, all somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure, are the colors that were chiefly employed. After the Christian conquest of the city in 1492, the conquerors began to alter the Alhambra. The open work was whitewashed, the paintings and gilding were effaced, and the furniture soiled, torn, and or removed. Charles V (1516–1556) rebuilt portions, in the Renaissance style of the period, and destroyed the greater part of the winter palace to make room for a Renaissance-style structure which was never completed. Philip V (1700–1746) “Italianised” the rooms and completed his palace in the middle of what had been the Moorish building; he had partitions constructed that blocked up whole apartments.

Over subsequent centuries, the Moorish art was further damaged, and, in 1812, some of the towers were destroyed by the French under Count Sebastiani. In 1821, an earthquake caused further damage. The architect José Contreras, who was endowed in 1830 by Spanish King Ferdinand VII, undertook Restoration work in 1828. After the death of Contreras in 1847, work continued with fair success by his son Rafael (d. 1890) and his grandson. The majority of the palace buildings are quadrangular, with all the rooms opening on to a central court. The whole of the Alhambra 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. As I said previously, it was easy to see that some rooms are set at odd angles to each other. Designed to reflect the very beauty of Paradise itself, today the Alhambra is made up of gardens, fountains, streams, a palace, and a mosque, all within an imposing fortress wall, flanked by 13 massive towers.

In spite of the long neglect, willful vandalism, and sometimes ill-judged restoration, which the Alhambra has endured, it still remains an atypical example of Muslim art in its final European stages. Show more The Alhambra Spain View Google Map The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed during the mid 14th century), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today. Within the Alhambra, the Palace of Charles V was erected by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527. The terrace or plateau where the Alhambra sits measures about 740 m (2430 ft) in length by 205 m (674 ft) at its greatest width.

It extends from WNW to ESE and covers an area of about 142,000 m². Its most westerly feature is the alcazaba (citadel); a strongly fortified position. The rest of the plateau comprises a number of palaces, enclosed by a relatively weak fortified wall, with thirteen towers, some defensive and some providing vistas for the inhabitants. The river Darro passes through a ravine on the north and divides the plateau from the Albaicín district of Granada. Similarly, the Assabica valley, containing the Alhambra Park on the west and south, and, beyond this valley, the almost parallel ridge of Monte Mauror, separate it from the Antequeruela district. Information and maps of travel Nativeartefacts.com: Moorish Fortress Alhambra In Spain - YouTube Nativeartefacts.com: Moorish Fortress Alhambra In Spain Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Oct 28, 2009 Nativeartefacts.com: Moorish Fortress Alhambra In Spain The Alhambra (Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء‎, Al-Ħamrā, literally "the red one"), the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra (الْقَلْعَةُ ٱلْحَمْرَاءُ, Al-Qal'at al-Ħamrā, "the red fortress"), is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed during the mid 14th century), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. Category Alhambra Alhambra ''This article is about the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. For other meanings, see: Alhambra (disambiguation).

The Alhambra ( Arabic : الْحَمْرَاء, Al-Ħamrā, literally "the red one"), the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra (الْقَلْعَةُ ٱلْحَمْرَاءُ, Al-Qal'at al-Ħamrā, "the red fortress"), is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed during the mid 14th century), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada . Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today. Within the Alhambra, the Palace of Charles V was erected by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1527.

Overview The terrace or plateau where the Alhambra sits measures about 740 m (2430 ft) in length by 205 m (674 ft) at its greatest width. It extends from WNW to ESE and covers an area of about 142,000 m². Its most westerly feature is the alcazaba (citadel); a strongly fortified position. The rest of the plateau comprises a number of palaces, enclosed by a relatively weak fortified wall, with thirteen towers, some defensive and some providing vistas for the inhabitants. The river Darro passes through a ravine on the north and divides the plateau from the Albaicín district of Granada. Similarly, the Assabica valley, containing the Alhambra Park on the west and south, and, beyond this valley, the almost parallel ridge of Monte Mauror, separate it from the Antequeruela district.

History Completed towards the end of Muslim rule in Spain by Yusuf I (1333-1353) and Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada (1353-1391), the Alhambra is a reflection of the culture of the last days of the Nasrid emirate of Granada. It is a place where artists and intellectuals had taken refuge as Christian Spain won victories over Al Andalus. The Alhambra mixes natural elements with man-made ones, and is a testament to the skill of Muslim craftsmen of that time. The literal translation of Alhambra, "red fortress", reflects the color of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The buildings of the Alhambra were originally whitewashed ; however, the buildings now seen today are reddish. The first reference to the Qal’at al Hamra was during the battles between the Arabs and the Muladies during the rule of the ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad (r. 888-912).

In one particularly fierce and bloody skirmish, the Muladies soundly defeated the Arabs, who were then forced to take shelter in a primitive red castle located in the province of Elvira, presently located in Granada. According to surviving documents from the era, the red castle was quite small, and its walls were not capable of deterring an army intent on conquering. The castle was then largely ignored until the eleventh century, when its ruins were renovated and rebuilt by Samuel ibn Naghrela, vizier to the King Bādīs of the Zirid Dynasty, in an attempt to preserve the small Jewish settlement also located on the Sabikah hill. However, evidence from Arab texts indicates that the fortress was easily penetrated and that the actual Alhambra that survives today was built during the Nasrid Dynasty. Ibn Nasr, the founder of the Nasrid Dynasty, was forced to flee to Jaén in order to avoid persecution by King Ferdinand III of Castile and his supporters during attempts to rid Spain of Moorish Dominion. After retreating to Granada, Ibn-Nasr took up residence at the Palace of Bādis in the Alhambra.

A few months later, he embarked on the construction of a new Alhambra fit for the residence of a king. According to an Arab manuscript since published as the Anónimo de Granada y Copenhague, This year 1238 Abdallah ibn al-Ahmar climbed to the place called "the Alhambra" inspected it, laid out the foundations of a castle and left someone in charge of its construction… 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.

The Muslim rulers lost Granada and Alhambra in 1492 without the fortress itself being attacked when King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile took the surrounding region with an overwhelming force of numbers. Art The decorations within the palaces typified the remains of Moorish dominion within Spain and ushered in the last great period of Andalusian art in Granada. With little influence from the Islamic mainland, artists endlessly reproduced the same forms and trends, creating a new style that developed over the course of the Nasrid Dynasty. The Nasrids used freely all the display of stylistical resorts that had been created and developed during eight centuries of Muslim rule in the Peninsula as the Calliphal horse-shoe arch, the Almohad sebka or the Almoravid palm, and unused combinations of them, beside novelties as the stilted arches and the capitals of muqarnas, among others. The isolation with the rest of the Islam, and the commercial and political relationship with the Christian kingdoms also influenced in the space concepts.

Columns, muqarnas and stalactite-like ceiling decorations, appear in several chambers, and the interiors of numerous palaces are decorated with arabesques and calligraphy. The arabesques of the interior are ascribed, among other kings, to Yusef I, Mohammed V, and Ismail I. Damage produced in Later Era After the Christian conquest of the city in 1492, the conquerors began to alter the Alhambra. The open work was filled up with whitewash, the painting and gilding effaced, and the furniture soiled, torn, or removed. Charles V (1516–1556) rebuilt portions in the Renaissance style of the period and destroyed the greater part of the winter palace to make room for a Renaissance-style structure which has never been completed. Philip V (1700–1746) Italianised the rooms and completed his palace in the middle of what had been the Moorish building; he had partitions constructed which blocked up whole apartments. Over subsequent centuries the Moorish art was further damaged, and, in 1812, some of the towers were destroyed by the French under Count Sebastiani.

In 1821, an earthquake caused further damage. The work of restoration undertaken in 1828 by the architect José Contreras was endowed in 1830 by Ferdinand VII; and after the death of Contreras in 1847, it was continued with fair success by his son Rafael (d. 1890) and his grandson. Designed to reflect the very beauty of Paradise itself, the Alhambra is made up of gardens, fountains, streams, a palace, and a mosque, all within an imposing fortress wall, flanked by 13 massive towers. Setting Moorish poets described it as "a pearl set in emeralds," in allusion to the colour of its buildings and the woods around them. The palace complex was designed with the mountainous site in mind and many forms of technology were considered. The park (Alameda de la Alhambra), which is overgrown with wildflowers and grass in the spring, was planted by the Moors with roses, oranges and myrtles ; its most characteristic feature, however, is the dense wood of English elms brought by the Duke of Wellington in 1812.

The park has a multitude nightingales and is usually filled with the sound of running water from several fountains and cascades. These are supplied through a conduit 8 km (5 miles) long, which is connected with the Darro at the monastery of Jesus del Valle, above Granada. In spite of the long neglect, willful vandalism and sometimes ill-judged restoration which the Alhambra has endured, it remains 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, in ground-plan, quadrangular, 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. Alhambra was added onto 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 make add to the aesthetic and functional complexity.

In every case, the exterior is left plain and austere. Sun and wind are freely admitted. Blue, red, and a golden yellow, all somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure, are the colours chiefly employed. The decoration consists, as a rule, of stiff, conventional foliage, Arabic inscriptions, and geometrical patterns wrought into arabesques . Painted tiles are largely used as panelling for the walls. The palace complex is designed in the Mudéjar style which is characteristic of western elements reinterpreted into Islamic forms and largely popular during the Reconquista, a period of history in which the Christian kings reconquered Spain from the Muslims. Overview The Alhambra resembles many medieval Christian strongholds in its threefold arrangement as a castle, a palace and a residential annex for subordinates. The alcazaba or citadel, its oldest part, is built on the isolated and precipitous foreland which terminates the plateau on the northwest. That is all massive outer walls, towers and ramparts are left.

On its watchtower, the Torre de la Vela, 25 m (85 ft) high, the flag of Ferdinand and Isabella was first raised, in token of the Spanish conquest of Granada on January 2, 1492. A turret containing a large bell was added in the 18th century and restored after being damaged by lightning in 1881. Beyond the Alcazaba is the palace of the Moorish rulers, or Alhambra properly so-called; and beyond this, again, is the Alhambra Alta (Upper Alhambra), originally tenanted by officials and courtiers. Access from the city to the Alhambra Park is afforded by the Puerta de las Granadas (Gate of Pomegranates), a triumphal arch dating from the 15th century. A steep ascent leads past the Pillar of Charles V, a fountain erected in 1554, to the main entrance of the Alhambra. This is the Puerta de la Justicia (Gate of Judgment), a massive horseshoe archway surmounted by a square tower and used by the Moors as an informal court of justice.

The hand of Fatima, with fingers outstretched as a talisman against the evil eye , is carved above this gate on the exterior; a key, the symbol of authority, occupies the corresponding place on the interior. A narrow passage leads inward to the Plaza de los Aljibes (Place of the Cisterns), a broad open space which divides the Alcazaba from the Moorish palace. To the left of the passage rises the Torre del Vino (Wine Tower), built in 1345 and used in the 16th century as a cellar. On the right is the palace of Charles V, a smaller Renaissance building. The Royal Complex consists of three main parts: Mexuar, Serallo, and the Harem. The Mexuar is modest in decor and houses the functional areas for conducting business and administration. Strapwork is used to decorate the surfaces in Mexuar. The ceilings, floors, and trim are made of dark wood and are in sharp contrast to white, plaster walls. Serallo, built during the reign of Yusef I in the 14th century, contains the Patio de los Arrayanes.

Brightly colored interiors featured dado panels, yesería, azulejo, cedar, and artesonado. Artesonado are highly decorative ceilings and other woodwork. Lastly, the Harem is also elaborately decorated and contains the living quarters for the wives and mistresses of the Arabic monarchs. This area contains a bathroom with running water (cold and hot), baths, and pressurized water for showering. The bathrooms were open to the elements in order to allow in light and air. The Harem also features representations of human forms, which is forbidden under Islamic law. The Christian artisans were most likely commissioned to design artwork that would be placed in the palace and the tolerant Muslim rulers allowed the work to stay. The present entrance to the Palacio Árabe, or Casa Real (Moorish palace), is by a small door from which a corridor connects to the Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles), also called the Patio de la Alberca (Court of the Blessing or Court of the Pond), from the Arabic birka, "pool". The birka helped to cool the palace and acted as a symbol of power.

Because water was usually in short supply, the technology required to keep these pools full was expensive and difficult. The aim of the pools was to give the impression that the pool had mystical powers because it never evaporated, making them form a good opinion of their leader. This court is 42 m (140 ft) long by 22 m (74 ft) broad; and in the centre, there is a large pond set in the marble pavement, full of goldfish, and with myrtles growing along its sides. There are galleries on the north and south sides; that on the south is 7 m (27 ft) high and supported by a marble colonnade. Underneath it, to the right, was the principal entrance, and over it are three windows with arches and miniature pillars. From this court, the walls of the Torre de Comares are seen rising over the roof to the north and reflected in the pond. The Salón de los Embajadores (Hall of the Ambassadors) is the largest in the Alhambra and occupies all the Torre de Comares.

It is a square room, the sides being 12 m (37 ft) in length, while the centre of the dome is 23 m (75 ft) high. This was the grand reception room, and the throne of the sultan was placed opposite the entrance. It was in this setting that Christopher Columbus received Isabel and Ferdinand's support to sail to the New World . The tiles are nearly 4 ft (1.2 m) high all round, and the colours vary at intervals. Over them is a series of oval medallions with inscriptions, interwoven with flowers and leaves. There are nine windows, three on each facade, and the ceiling is decorated with inlaid-work of white, blue and gold, in the shape of circles, crowns and stars. The walls are covered with varied stucco works, surrounding many ancient escutcheons. The Patio de los Leones (Court of the Lions) is an oblong court, 116 ft (35 m) in length by 66 ft (20 m) in width, surrounded by a low gallery supported on 124 white marble columns.

A pavilion projects into the court at each extremity, with filigree walls and light domed roof. The square is paved with coloured tiles, and the colonnade with white marble; while the walls are covered 5 ft (1.5 m) up from the ground with blue and yellow tiles, with a border above and below enamelled blue and gold. The columns supporting the roof and gallery are irregularly placed. They are adorned by varieties of foliage, etc.; about each arch there is a large square of arabesques; and over the pillars is another square of filigree work. In the centre of the court is the Fountain of Lions, an alabaster basin supported by the figures of twelve lions in white marble, not designed with sculptural accuracy, but as symbols of strength and courage. The Sala de los Abencerrajes (Hall of the Abencerrages) derives its name from a legend according to which the father of Boabdil, last king of Granada, having invited the chiefs of that line to a banquet, massacred them here. This room is a perfect square, with a lofty dome and trellised windows at its base.

The roof is decorated in blue, brown, red and gold, and the columns supporting it spring out into the arch form in a remarkably beautiful manner. Opposite to this hall is the Sala de las dos Hermanas (Hall of the two Sisters), so-called from two white marble slabs laid as part of the pavement. These slabs measure 50 by 22 cm (15 by 7½ in). There is a fountain in the middle of this hall, and the roof —a dome honeycombed with tiny cells, all different, and said to number 5000— is an example of the so-called "stalactite vaulting" of the Moors. Among the other features of the Alhambra are the Sala de la Justicia (Hall of Justice), the Patio del Mexuar (Court of the Council Chamber), the Patio de Daraxa (Court of the Vestibule), and the Peinador de la Reina (Queen's Robing Room), in which there is similar architecture and decoration. The palace and the Upper Alhambra also contain baths, ranges of bedrooms and summer-rooms, a whispering gallery and labyrinth, and vaulted sepulchres.

The original furniture of the palace is represented by the vase of the Alhambra, a specimen of Moorish ceramic art, dating from 1320 and belonging to the first period of Moorish porcelain. It is 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) high; the ground is white, and the enamelling is blue, white and gold. Of the outlying buildings in connection with the Alhambra, the foremost in interest is the Palacio de Generalife or Gineralife (the Muslim Jennat al Arif, "Garden of Arif," or "Garden of the Architect"). This villa probably dates from the end of the 13th century but has been restored several times. Its gardens, however, with their clipped hedges, grottos, fountains, and cypress avenues, are said to retain their original Moorish character. The Villa de los Martires (Martyrs' Villa), on the summit of Monte Mauror, commemorates by its name the Christian slaves who were forced to build the Alhambra and confined here in subterranean cells.

The Torres Bermejas (Vermilion Towers), also on Monte Mauror, are a well-preserved Moorish fortification, with underground cisterns, stables, and accommodation for a garrison of 200 men. Several Roman tombs were discovered in 1829 and 1857 at the base of Monte Mauror. Influence In literature Parts of the following novels are set in the Alhambra: Washington Irving's ''Tales of the Alhambra''. It is a collection of essays, verbal sketches, and stories. Irving lived in the palace while writing the book and was instrumental in reintroducing the site to Western audiences. Salman Rushdie 's ''The Moor's Last Sigh'' Amin Maalouf's ''Leo Africanus'', depicting the reconquest of Granada by the Catholic kings. Philippa Gregory's ''The Constant Princess''. Langston Hughes 's poem "Movies" in his collection ''Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951)'' Federico Garcia Lorca's play ''Doña Rosita the Spinster'', mentioned by title character Dona Rosita in her song/speech to the Manola sisters.

Paulo Coelho's novel ''The Alchemist'' Ali Smith's '' The Accidental In music Pop Music star Charjee Von-Varjee released a song called "Let's Rock at The Alhambra" in 2001. The plot of the ballet-héroïque "Zaïde, reine de Grenade" (Zaïde, Queen of Grenada) by the French Baroque composer Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer (c. 1705-1755), takes place at the Alhambra, loosely based on historical events.

Alhambra has directly inspired musical compositions as Francisco Tárrega's famous tremolo study for guitar Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Memories of the Alhambra)[ Claude Debussy 's piece for 2 pianos Lindaraja (composed in 1901) and the prelude La Puerta del Vino (in the 2nd book of preludes, composed 1912-13).[ "En los Jardines del Generalife", first movement of Manuel de Falla 's Noches en los Jardines de España, and other pieces by composers such as Ruperto Chapí (Los Gnomos de la Alhambra,1891) Tomás Bretón and many others are included in a stream called by scholars "Alhambrismo". In pop and folk music, Alhambra is the subject of the Ghymes song of the same name. The rock band, The Grateful Dead, released a song called Terrapin Station on the 1977 album of the same name.

The song itself was a series of small compositions penned by Robert Hunter and put to music by Jerry Garcia, a lyrical section of this Terrapin Station "suite" was called Alhambra. In September 2006, Canadian singer/composer Loreena McKennitt performed live at the Alhambra. The resulting footage premiered on PBS and was later released as a three-disc DVD/CD set entitled Nights from the Alhambra. The Basque pop group Mocedades did a song called Juntos en La Alhambra Alhambra is the title of an EP by Canadian rock band The Tea Party, containing acoustic versions of a few of their songs. British composer Julian Anderson's Alhambra Fantasy (1999–2000), commissioned by the London Sinfonietta, was influenced by the architecture of the Alhambra Palace. In two sharply contrasting sections the work relates different facets of the Alhambra – the first, rough and energetic, is related to the building of the Palace itself, dominated by the sounds of hammering and banging on percussion. Short counterpointed and juxtaposed motifs create, for some, the impression of a mosaic.

The second section evokes the beautiful landscape of the Vega. The composer is careful to point out that he has not written programmatic music, although his concern is with the splendour of the palace itself, its place in the landscape and its relevance to the complex and turbulent history of the region. In 1976, filmmaker Christopher Nupen filmed "The Song of the Guitar" at the Alhambra. It was an hour long program featuring the legendary Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia . It is now available on DVD. Alhambra alongside with Albaicín is mentioned in Mago de Oz song named El paseo de los tristes from album Gaia II. Influence in graphic art M. C. Escher's visit in 1922 inspired his following work on regular divisions of the plane after studying the Moorish use of symmetry in the Alhambra tiles.

Influence in 19th- and 20th-century architecture From 19th-century Romantic interpretations until the present day, many buildings and portions of buildings worldwide have been inspired by the Alhambra: there is a Moorish Revival house in Stillwater, Minnesota which was created and named after the Alhambra. Also, the main portion of the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, California, is a postmodern version of the Court of the Lions. One also recalls the Alhambra Theatre in central Bradford , England [ (Wikipedia) The Alhambra : Spain ... The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed during the mid 14th century), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today.

Within the Alhambra, the Palace of Charles V was erected by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527.The rest of the plateau comprises a number of palaces, enclosed by a relatively weak fortified wall, with thirteen towers, some defensive and some providing vistas for the inhabitants. The river Darro passes through a ravine on the north and divides the plateau from the Albaicín district of Granada. Similarly, the Assabica valley, containing the Alhambra Park on the west and south, and, beyond this valley, the almost parallel ridge of Monte Mauror, separate it from the Antequeruela district.The terrace or plateau where the Alhambra sits measures about 740 m (2430 ft) in length by 205 m (674 ft) at its greatest width. It extends from WNW to ESE and covers an area of about 142,000 m². Its most westerly feature is the alcazaba (citadel); a strongly fortified position.

Alhambra Palace - Granada | garden, fortification, UNESCO World Heritage Site World / Spain / Granada / Granada World / Spain / Andalucía / Granada / n.a. (113) palace, garden, fortification, UNESCO World Heritage Site The Alhambra (from Arabic الْحَمْرَاء = Al-Ħamrā', literally "the red one"; the complete name was الْقَلْعَةُ ٱلْحَمْرَاءُ = al-Qal'at al-Ħamrā' = "the red fortress") is a castle and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed during the mid 14th century), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today.

Within the Alhambra, the Palace of Charles V was erected by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527. Nearby cities: Granada, Jaén, Cabra Coordinates: 37°10'33"N 3°35'20"W

Question: What is the palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain constructed during the mid 14th century that occupies a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada, Spain?
Answer: The Alhambra