Brief History

THE 9TH CENTURY

The Arabs respected the Roman cities and roads, making them bigger by adding new constructions. In the 9th century evidence from Arab texts points to new constructions inside the Alhambra, although it is thought that some kind of construction was built during the Roman period and even earlier. THE 11TH CENTURY

After the Caliphate of Cordova civil war, the capital of the Granada province was moved from Elvira to Granada in the 11th century, promoted by the Zirid Dinasty. The Ziries settled their court in the Alcazaba Cadima, or Old fortress, located in the Albayzin district and occupied in the 15th century with the construction of King Dar-alHorras Palace. At the slope foot there was an important Jewish settlement, around which the city of Granada started growing. Vizier Samuel ibn Nahgralla renovated and rebuilt the abandoned ruins located on the Sabikah Hill and built his palace there. THE 12TH CENTURY

The successive invasions of Almorvides and Almohades in Granada ended with fierce and bloody battles that took place in the Alcazaba del Albayzin and in the buildings of the Alhambra, which became the refuge for the local Andalusians and at times for the North African invaders. THE 13TH CENTURY

Al-Ahmar, the founder of the Nasrid Dynasty, took up residence at the Old Alcazaba of the Albayzin in 1238, though he felt attracted by the ruins on top of the Alhambra hill. Thus he embarked on the reconstruction of the building for the residence of his Court as we know it now. The Alhambra was a palace, a fortress and a citadel; the residence of the Nasrid Sultans and top government officials, court servants and the royal guard. The Nasrid Kingdom became the last Islamic sultanate on the Iberian Peninsula, and its capital Granada progressively received Muslim populations forced to retreat from the Christians. The city grew with the development of new suburbs and extended its walls nearly until it was conquered at the end of the15th century. TODAY

During these more than two and a half centuries, the relationship between the Alhambra and the city was that of a Medina and its Alcazaba (fortress). In Granada, besides the Alhambra, preserved as a symbolic mythic icon, we find many surviving testimonies and buildings of the Moors period despite the unavoidable transformations that it has experienced since the Middle Ages. It is currently an artistic-historical monumental group with four clearly distinguishable zones: the Palaces, the military zone or Alcazaba, the city orMedina, and the villa of the Generalife, all of them surrounded by woods, trees, gardens, parks and vegetable gardens.

Urban Distribution
Located on the top of the hill, this huge run-aground ship, as it was described by classic historicists, was progressively erected with the addition of new constructions that were grouped in the form of cells, enriching the architectural and urban development of the enclosure. The Alhambra is the result of an evolutionary process over more than two and a half centuries, during the reign of the Nasrids, and includes structures predating that time as well as important contributions and modifications during the Christian era, which continues to this day This is how the Alhambra we know today progressively acquired its present layout. Following, the most relevant milestones of this artistic historical monumental complex are described. 1. LA ALCAZABA It is probably the oldest part of the Alhambra, or at least the oldest documented building. It is located on the top of the hill, a vantage point for the guarding and dominating the surroundings areas, including the valley, the city, and points of access. Its triangular ground-floor corresponds to construction in the eleventh century, although the only real evidence of this period is the wall of the inner rampart, on the north side, and the gate at the upper side of the enclosure. In the twelfth century the Almoravides did some construction work in the Alcazaba. 2. THE FORTIFIED ALHAMBRA. The Alcazaba today is what the Nasrids built as of the 13th century, having added the towers to the fortress: The Tower of the Sentinel on the west side, and the Homage , Quebrada and Adarguero Towers on the east side. The complex is surrounded by a road, and the main access to the complex is through the Gate of Arms . The wall around the Alhambra was built at that time, with the addition of some towers and gates, which converted it into a fortified locality. 3. EARLY CONSTRUCTIONS The first palaces were built inside the walled area. A large Mexuar with front courtyards preceded Ismails Palace, now disappeared. The Generalife and the main core of the Palace of the Partal , representing some of the oldest remaining Nasrid constructions, established what would later become the palatine configuration of the site when palaces, houses and gardens were built. 4. THE PALACE OF COMARES Because he constructed buildings over older structures, or altered already existing buildings, Yusuf I is considered the first big builder of the Alhambra. Although he died before it was finished, he is credited with having built the Palace of Comares, and the Gates of Justice and of the Seven Floors , as well as many other structures. He was also responsible for decorating the Alhambra. The Mosque, the Rauda, the Madraza and the Palaces of San Francisco and of the Abencerrages were built in the first half of the 14th century 5. THE PALACE OF THE LIONS In the second half of the 14th century the structure of the complex experienced a significant change. Coinciding with Muhamnad Vs second mandate, in the most fertile period of the Nasrid Dinasty, the Alhambra was richly decorated, and parts of it being redecorated. His largest construction, the Palace of the Lions , was a departure from the traditional architectural style, having incorporated new formal and aesthetic concepts which were also reflected in the official administration and in Court matters.

6. THE CHRISTIAN ALHAMBRA The latest and more radical transformation of the Alhambra occurred after the Christian conquest. New concepts and styles introduced altered the complex, transforming the old buildings and urban environment. The main construction of the time was the Palace of Charles V , which though never finished added new volume to the buildings of the Alhambra and, like previous constructions, transformed the complex yet again. In the 16th century the eastern outer wall of the Alcazaba and the round Tower of the Cube were built, at the foot of which the large aljibe of Tendilla was also erected. In the 17th century the Garden of the Adarves was built between the south walls of the complex. The Courts of Lindajara and of the Grated Window , the St Mary Church , the Monastery of San Francisco, Charles Vs Pillar are some of the constructions of this period that contributed to the rich cultural profile of the complex.

Gate of Justice
Of the four gates in the Alhambra walls, the largest and most impressive is the Gate of Justice, built in 1348. Adjacent to the Gate of Justice is a circular artillery bastion from where a cut stone wall descends, in front of which a Grenadian Renaissance sculptural masterpiece of stone stands: Charles Vs Pillar. In the centre of the Esplanade is another more modest pillar in honour of the writer Washington Irving, built to commemorate the centenary of his death. The Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia) is also known as the Gate of the Esplanade (Puerta de la Explanada) because of the large esplanade that extended before it. Its magnificent silhouette stands out, making it one of the symbols of the Alhambra. In addition to its structural function, the Gate features one of the most significant symbolic icons of the Alhambra: the hand carved in the keystone of the arch and a key in the centre of the inner archway (Islamic symbols). These contrast with the Gothic figure of the Virgin and the Child, by Roberto Alemn, placed over the original Arab inscription of the Gate by order of the Catholic Monarchs. Four engaged columns with the representation of the Muslim Faith carved on the capitals, frames the door, which has preserved its iron-plated door leaves and other original iron work, recently restored. The interior of the Gate, with its defensive two turns to climb the steep ascent, contains three kinds of vaults: an elongated cross-vault, a cupola and three traditional cross vaults, all painted with red brick-like decoration, a common feature of the Nasrid architecture. Outside the gate, and by request of the inhabitants of the Alhambra in 1588, an altarpiece painted by Diego de Navas el Joven, was hung in the place where the first Mass was celebrated after the Christian conquest. The inner side of the Gate preserves part of the rich original decoration of rhombus tile patterns in the spandrels of the horseshoe arch. Opposite the gate is a wide outer-road at the wall foot, reinforced after the Christian conquest with sepulchre marble slabs. Further up the road we reach the starting point of the official guided tour, the Faade of the Gate of Wine, in front of the the Cisterns Square.

The Alcazaba
It is obvious that the Alcazaba plainly served a military function. The entrance to the Alcazaba was at the foot of the Tower of Homage . At the base of the tower is a slight slope. A simple L-shaped walkway keeps the main gate from being seen from the outside. The gate leads to an inner vaulted space with more turns that, at the end and before reaching the Place of Arms , opened up so that defenders could control all access and respond from above to an attack. In this covered corridor there are two access points: one leading to the ground and underground floors of the Tower of Homage, and the other to the top of the wall and to the tower itself through a narrow and steep vaulted staircase. This was not the only entrance to the Alcazaba, but probably the most important one since through it the royal guard patrolled the entire complex of the Alhambra. It also served to link it with the inner wall or the road that bordered the Alcazaba. The interior of the Alcazaba The area within the inner wall of the Alcazaba is what is known as thePlace of Arms in medieval fortresses. It was devoted to military parades during peace time and to establish the defensive strategy when battles were to be fought. For this reason it is an open and clear space with very few constructions. However, the Alcazaba of the Alhambra, as an enclosure integrated into a larger one, is a residential area for the royal guard of the Sultan who controlled and patrolled the palatial city, and was referred to as the Military District. It is actually a small city, with an urban distribution similar to that of any district of a Hispanic-Muslim city. A narrow road traverses the enclosure, dividing it into two well differentiated areas. To the north, walls and pavements are grouped following an irregular pattern with houses of different sizes but similar structures: the houses were tenanted by the royal guard that lived in the enclosure with their families. On the other side, walls similar to those of the houses but were built following a more regular pattern, with larger open courtyards, with evidence of the presence of warehouses or halls for the soldiers and younger guards.

Palace of Charles V
Charles V, King and elected Emperor, was a monarch that was travelling throughout Europe when he decided to build his Palace in the Alhambra. His aim was not to establish his capital in Granada but to build another royal residence, significant for its symbolic value and location: a Muslim citadel conquered by his grandparents, the Catholic Monarchs. The construction of the Palace in the Alhambra, despite its careful design, changed the aspect of the complex, altering its internal structure and its connection to the city. The original project included a large colonnaded square to the west and a smaller square to the south, thus significantly modifying the accesses to the citadel. The Emperor decided to build the Palace in 1526 following the Roman style, probably influenced by the Governor of the Alhambra and Captain General Luis Hurtado de Mendoza, whose family played an important role in the introduction of the Italian culture in Castile, although the model of the palace could also have been suggested by Baldasare Castiglione, a friend of Rafael and Giulio Romano. The original project was designed by Pedro Machuca, trained in the artistic circle of the Rome of Lion X, who supervised the works of the palace between 1533 and 1550, the date of his death, completing the palaces faades except for the west and east faades. Pedro was succeeded by his son Luis who developed the circular courtyard; the works were abandoned for 15 years owing to the rebellion of the Moors in Granada in 1568. In 1619 the construction of the high colonnade of the courtyard was completed and the works continued until they were definitively abandoned in 1637, leaving the roof unfinished. When Philip IV visited Granada in 1628 he could not stay at the Palace, as it was not inhabitable after 90 years of works. The Palace remained unfinished until Leopoldo Torres Balbas devised a plan to recover the building in 1923. In the formal design of the Palace there was a strong intention of expressing a Roman-like architecture through the originality of the ground plant design, a circle enclosed in a square, and the use of the Renaissance architectural language. Noteworthy in the general design is the use of the octagonally shaped chapel, a geometrical shape that can be considered the second core structure of the Palace, and which was very popular in the Renaissance. The selection of the Alhambra as the site to erect the Palace manifests the triumph of Christianity over Islam. That is why it was necessary to maintain the old Islamic constructions as a counterbalance to the weight and

power of the classic Roman concept of the new palace. Charles V, as the Emperor of the Sacred Roman Empire, stood in the succession line of the Roman emperors of Antiquity.

The Mexuar- Oratory

The Mexuar and the Oratory were rooms used for various purposes: the Mexuar for Counsel of Ministers meetings, and the Oratory for worship. The Mexuar Its name is derived from the Arabic term Maswar, the place where the Surah or Counsel of Ministers met. It was also the place or hall where the Sultan dispensed justice. This room probably belonged to a structure that preceded the Palace of Comares and the Palace of the Lions. Its construction is attributed to Ismail (1314-1325), and has undergone many alterations and modifications Its decoration was adapted by Yusuf I (1333-1354) and later by Muhammad V during his second mandate (13621391). Both rulers were responsible for the construction of two best preserved Palaces of the Alhambra Originally it had a lantern-like central body that provide light to the inside, of which only the four columns and entablature have been preserved. In the 16th century an upper floor was added and the building was transformed into a Chapel. The area today, with its Renaissance balustrade, was originally enclosed by a wall that was connected to the courtyard; this was added to the room to be used as the chapel choir. Among the many significant alterations to the room was the epigraphic frieze of stucco that runs above the tiled socle . Coming from the lost Portico of the Court of Machuca, it was installed in the Mexuar by Moorish artisans to replace battlements with a clear symbolic purpose: The Kingdom is Gods, Power is Gods. Glory is Gods. This inscription replaced the Christian verse: Christus regnat. Christus vincit. Christus imperat. The Oratory A good Muslim must pray five times a day. He may do it in anywhere, although there are also medinas, mosques and oratories for that purpose. In the Alhambra, besides the Great Mosque, there were different oratories that were used by the Sultan, his family and the Court. Originally access to the Oratory was through the Gallery of Machuca. Ground level was at the height of the stone bench by the windows, which last century was lowered to facilitate access to the oratory. The windows allowed worshippers who were kneeling on the floor with their arms leaning on the window sill to observe the landscape and reflect on the greatness of nature and divine creation. When a powderhouse blew up in 1590 it destroyed the room. Later, it was renovated in 1917. The inscription includes a holy text from the Koran and praises by Muhammad V, among others. We can read: Come to pray. Dont be one of the negligent people.

The Golden Room

Through the small door framed by a horseshoe arch that only allows access to one person in order to limit the flow of visitors from one room to the other, we reach the courtyard, where in the 14th century the Sultan received his vassals in the Alhambra. To the north of the courtyard, behind the three-arched portico, is theGolden Room, whose original decoration is attributed to Muhammad V. The name of the room is derived from the beautiful woodwork ceiling, which was repainted and decorated, like the rest of the room, under the rule of the Catholic Monarchs, as evidenced by the

representation of their emblem, the yoke and arrows, and the main window with a central column and Mudejarstyle capital. The room was used by the officials and secretaries of the Muslim court to write down and carry out the Sultans orders. Under the room runs the road used by the security guard of the palaces. Originally the road ran uncovered on top of the wall. But the subsequent alterations and transformations of the palaces in the 14th century left it hidden, like the original structure of this sector of the Alhambra. The upper floor of the room, also modified, lodged Empress Isabel of Portugal in the summer of 1526, and later the Governors and Alcaides of the Alhambra.

Faade of Comares
The majestic building stands opposite the gallery of the Golden Room. Its construction was ordered by Muhammad V in 1370 in commemoration of the conquest of Algeciras. Its ornamental composition enhances the structural distribution of the area, which is divided into three sections, combining patterns of golden triangles and squares, showing the evolution of Andalusian art. Originally it was painted with bright colours. Especially remarkable is the beautifully decorated eave, a masterpiece of Islamic woodwork. The combination of geometric, epigraphic and floral ornamental elements is displayed to perfection in this Faade. Before the Faade, and especially at the top of the stairs, as a symbol of the legitimacy of the throne, the Sultan gave audience and imparted justice to his vassals, following the tradition that dated back to antiquity. The Faade separated the administrative and public sector from the private and familiar part of the Palace. The right door led to the family and servants quarters. The left door led to the core of the Palace, after having followed a Z-shaped sloping corridor with no other lighting than that of the Palace, which brightly entered from the other end, all of which highlighting symbolic terms of the royalty of the premises.

The Court of the Myrtles

In the Hispano-Muslim houses, the courtyard is vitally important. It is the core of family life, around which all the other rooms are distributed. It is difficult to distinguish the wealth of a family by looking at the external part of a house or palace, as opposed to its courtyard. The palaces are like houses but larger and more densely decorated, though with the same structural pattern and functions. The Court of the Myrtles takes its name from the dense bushes of this plant, also called mirth, that grow on the longer sides of the pond Originally these green areas were placed lower and with a greater variety of short trees to prevent their tops from rising too much. The Pool plays an important part in the architectural and aesthetic definition of the site, with its surface of water that acts as a mirror and reflects the surrounding structures, generating a geometrical projection that breaks the structural horizontal lines of the place. The Court was paved with sizable white marble slabs, although at the end of the 16th century the floor was enlarged.

The Chamber of the Ambassadors

The Tower of Comares, at 45 m the highest in the Alhambra, also houses the largest room of the structure: the Hall of Comares, or Chamber of the Ambassadors, also known as the Throne Room. Nine small rooms were opened within its walls, each being similar to the other, except for the central room opposite the entrance, which was luxuriously decorated and reserved for the Sultan. The floor of the room, renovated on many occasions, still conserves in the central part many original pieces made of golden tiles. It probably also had marble slabs. The walls of the Hall are completely covered with decoration. The lower part conserves part of the original tiled socle, above which a rich plasterwork combines geometrical patterns with ataurique motifs (plasterwork or stucco decorated with leaf and flower motifs) and epigraphic elements. Originally it was painted with bright colours that formed tapestry-like relief patterns. The ceiling, with its symbolic layout, legitimated the power of the Sultan, sitting on his throne and presiding over the space of the room. The epigraphy of the Hall reproduces holy texts of a clearly political and religious intention, emphasizing the Divine power. Here are three illustrative examples: Eternity is an attribute of God; Depart in goodness since it is God who helps; Highness, Glory, Eternity, Empire and Power only belong to God.

The Bath of Comares

The baths are one of the essential elements of the Islamic urban structure. The homes of those who could afford it were equipped with one, as were all the palaces in the Alhambra. Access to the Bath of Comares (Bao de Comares) was through the door nearest to the noble rooms of the structure, a frequent constructive pattern in this type of buildings. Originally behind the L-shaped door were a small vestibule and a toilet, opposite which were the rooms of the servants in charge of the baths, serving as both an office and a dwelling. The Christian conquerors had a different view of the baths and their contrasting domestic structure led to the modification of the access point: a gate in the wall was added to the structure, decorated with plasterwork from elsewhere. The new gate led directly to the first bayt al-maslaj or Apodyterium, thus avoiding the original turn and corridor. This first room of the bath, consisting of a hall with a double-arched entrance, was the antechamber of the bath itself, which served as a room for dressing and massages. Next to it, though appropriately separated, was a toilet that aerated towards the domes of the low structure of the bath, which consisted of two floors, the second floor standing at the level of the Court of the Myrtles. In front of the dressing room was a staircase that led to the Room of the Beds, the second apodyterium of the Bath.

The Court of the Lions Fountain- Water Jet

The Palace of the Lions was the architectural pinnacle of the Alhambra. Its celebrated fountain was a symbol of its decorative richness and an example of the complex water system. In addition to its symbolic function the fountain also had a practical purpose. The complex water system allowed the water to flow out in the form of a shallow surface. The central cylindrical unit of the fountain basin allowed the water to flow in and out thus preventing it from spilling out of the fountain. On a small scale, the Fountain of the Lions represents the entire technical concept behind the creation of the Alhambra, a structural conception rooted in human and constructive experiences developed creatively over many centuries. Muhammad V was responsible for the construction of the beautiful palace during his second mandate, between 1362 and 1391, his first mandate having only lasted five years. During his mandate the Nasrid Sultanate reached its pinnacle: the Palace of the Lions was a synthesis of the finest Moorish artistic styles developed over the years. The architectural pattern of the Palace of the Lions was similar to that of the Palace of Comares, although with the traditional design of the Spanish-Moorish houses, i.e. a central open air courtyard as the centre of family life was flanked by a number of polyvalent rooms consisting of a ground floor and at least one upper floor or loft. The Court had a cross ground floor design with a central fountain, following the same pattern as other earlier and later constructions used in Muslin Spain and elsewhere. The proportional and visual perfection of the surrounding arched gallery supported by columns converted this Court into one of the most celebrated and admired of architectural structures. Its fame has caused an intense debate over whether the four sides of the cross were originally paved or covered with bushes placed at a lower level than the galleries and walkways. There are examples of both cases in other constructions. Notwithstanding the debate, the magnificence and originality of the courtyard is unsurpassable.

The Hall of the Abencerrages

Of the two residential areas surrounding the Court of the Lions, the rooms located at the south end of the Court developed around the Hall of the Abencerrages, which derived its name from a legend of the 16th century, according to which the members of this North-African family were invited to a banquet and then massacred in this hall. The main room stands up over the level of the Court, which can be seen from the inside through the only opening of the hall, a wide door that conserves the original door, which is decorated with intricate woodwork that has been restored on various occasions. It has a square ground floor design with a central 12-side marble fountain flanked by two alcoves that are framed by double arches. Most of its plasterwork decoration was restored in the 16th century; the Seville tile covered socle also dates from the 16th century. Noteworthy is the eight-point stalactite star of the cupola that spreads out into eight trunk-like stalactites. As is customary in Nasrid architecture, behind the entrance door we find two highly modified corridors that once led to a no longer existing toilet and to the upper floor or projecting loft over the Court.

The Hall of the Kings. Paintings

The Hall of the Kings is the most emblematic chamber of the Palace of the Lions . It was an area used for relaxation and leisure, structured around a large vestibular hall, more than 30m long, that was reserved for receptions and celebrations. The celebrations held in the hall could be observed from the five alcoves that flank the hall, except at the western side of the hall, with access to the courtyard through three wide openings framed by three stalactite arches, following a structural pattern similar to that found in the Hall of Comares. The five alcoves are separated from each other by four small niche-like chambers. The Hall of the Kings is divided into three square-shaped spaces with the porticos and the alcoves in the centre, covered with stalactite cupolas that rise up from the general roof in the form of lanterns another typical feature of the Nasrid architecture. These spaces are perpendicularly segmented by large double stalactite arches. Both the plasterwork decoration and the tiles, especially on the lower parts of the walls, have been frequently restored. The distribution of the spaces and the combination of light and shadows that illuminate the space, together with the extraordinary composition of the opening to the Court, make the Hall of the Kings one of the most intriguing Alhambra palace areas. The paintings on the east side vaults of the Hall of the Kings represent sequentially the scenes of a medieval story in which some knights, clearly distinguishable by their Muslim and Christian robes, perform different tasks perhaps to obtain the favour of a lady in a feudal scenario. The story may be said to start in the northern alcove, be independent or continue and end in the room. Here the scenes represent a chess game being played in a castle, after which the Christian knights, one on foot and the other on a horse, trounce a lion and a bear; on the other side of the castle a Muslim rider spikes a large wild boar. From the main tower of a large castle in the upper background, a troubled lady watches a medieval joust taking place, in which the victor is obviously the Muslim nobleman whose spear unseats the Christian knight; on the left of the castle a mythological scene is depicted of the rescue of a lady from the grips of a savage beast. All the scenes take place in the middle of an extraordinary and exuberant natural environment, with birds and wild animals moving in an environment that is densely covered with plants and trees. The Hall of the Kings Vaulting The Hall of the Kings was named after the ten enigmatic individuals whose figures are illustrated on the dome above the main bedchamber. For many years the figures were incorrectly thought to depict leading members of the Nasrid dynasty; till the 19th century the chamber was known as the Hall of Justice owing to the fact that the figures were thought to be courtroom judges. Nevertheless, it is generally understood that the scene is a realistic depiction of an activity that commonly took place there: a meeting of dignitaries in the presence of the Sultan or leading members of the Court. The figures, whose features depict venerable westerners, are seen seated in traditional fashion and gesturing while having a lively conversation. They are ceremoniously dressed, bearing swords and wearing belts and Nasrid style turbans.

The Hall of the Two Sisters

The Hall of the Two Sisters, the second main chamber of the Palace of the Lions, is structurally similar to that of the Hall of the Abencerrages. It is situated above the court, where the only entrance is located, the wooden door of which is lavishly decorated with geometric shapes. Upon entering the hall several corridors to the left and the right lead respectively to the upper floor rooms and to the residence lavatory. The name is derived from the setting where two large marble flagstones lie with a small fountain in between from which water flows along a canal to the Court of the Lions. The tiled socle , the most peculiar of its sort in the Alhambra, is a lovely geometrical composition consisting of variously coloured interwoven laces. In characteristically Nasrid fashion, the plasterwork decoration is divided into large stretches, separated by inscriptions covering the walls, and culminating in the masterfully executed stalactite dome with its star in the centre and highly ornamented carved stucco in honour of Pythagoras well-known theorem. To the sides of the square-shaped hall, two alcoves can be reached. Exquisitely embellished with handcrafted wood designs, both have room enough for a dais or a bed.

The Partal and the Gardens

After walking up a narrow landscaped path with a view of Sacromonte, on our left appear the north wall of the Alhambra and the remains of walls and some pavement that mark the location of what is currently called the Court of the Fig Tree. A small pergola leads to a wide esplanade corresponding to the lower terrace of the Partal. To the left is the architectural structure for which the location is named: the Partal Palace portico. As is customary in these buildings, it is situated, like the Palace of Comares, on the premises wall. The portico, with its five arches, overlooks a large pool in the centre of the garden. Behind the portico is the main room, located inside the tower known as Las Damas. The wall decoration typically consists of a tile socle and wide stretches of plasterwork that originally were polychromatic friezes with wooden frameworks. Its decorative style suggests that it was built during the reign of sultan Muhammad III (1302-1309), making it the oldestif only partially standingpalace in the Alhambra. Adjacent to the Tower of the Ladies and above the portico, is a lovely small balcony built in Nasrid style, just like the balconies of other palaces, such as the Comares and the Generalife, often referred to in this day and age as observatories for the superb views they provide. One of the reasons why the Palace of the Partal stands out from its neighbouring Comares and the Lions, which have maintained their overall structure since the days of the Nasrid, is that the Partal was only included in the Alhambra a little more than a century ago. On 12 March 1891, its owner, Arthur Von Gwinner, handed ownership over to the State. At that time the building was little more than a simple house with a few plants. Its interior walls were covered over so that much of the structure and its original decoration were hidden from view. Another detail of note is the fact that the wooden ceiling inside the Tower of the Ladies was dismantled by its last owner, turning up early last century in Berlin. It is currently one of the most prominent objects to be found in the Museum fr Islamische Kunst del Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz.. Finally, the two large marble lions that stood in the front of the gallery, and which dated back to the 14th Century, were originally from Maristn, in Albaycin. In 1995 the lions were moved to the Museum of the Alhambra in order to be restored and preserved. In the midnineteenth century, they had been in the Partal, where their preservation, chronology, function, and context were ignored. The Partal Gardens This lovely section of the Monumental Complex of the Alhambra is the result of a logically pursued process, carried out by a well-managed system of landscaping and architectural planning, which was put into effect in the 1930s and has been a determinant in the increase in tourism, establishing current perspectives of interpretation. Since the mid-nineteen hundreds various acquisitions and expropriations of small properties from private owners in the area have facilitated a series ofarchaeological explorations. Walls, pavements and other architectural elements were recovered, particularly in the first three decades of the twentieth century. In addition, landscaping was put into effect, so that archaeological recoveries could be properly integrated into the surrounding flora and countryside, thus providing a noteworthy example that has bolstered the notoriety of the Alhambraaround the world.

The original mechanism pertains to a terracing process, in which terrain levels, ascending from the wall to the fortress, and elevated above the left bank of the Darro river basin, in the direction of the upper Alhambra, were colonized and urbanized, on what was probably the site of the originalNasrid palace settlement.

The Generalife
The Generalife Almunia was ideal for gardening and rest. Most of the buildings were residential and much of land was used for grazing and cultivation. The orographic site was divided into terraces. There are four main vegetable gardens. The vegetable gardens were separated by thick walls, the remains of which can still be seen. Their Spanish names have been preserved for centuries: Colorada (Red), Grande (Large),Fuentepea (Crag Spring) and Mercera (Haberdashery). The boundaries of each one have remained about the same since Medieval times. A meadow surrounded the premises, where horses and farm animals would graze and the sultan hunt. The provenance of the term Generalife has long been disputed. Some say it derives from Jardin (Garden), or Huerta del Zambrero (Zambreros Vegetable Garden); also el ms elevado de los jardines (the highest garden); casa de artificio y recreo (house of guile and recreation); Mansin de placer o recreacin grande (Mansion of pleasure and great recreation); and Jardn del citarista (Zither players Garden); the most commonly accepted being Jardin or Jardines del Alarife, in other words, The builder or architects Garden. After the conquest in 1492, the Catholic Monarchs assigned a keeper to watch over the area and make improvements. In 1631 the keepers charge was given to the Granada-Venegas family, until 1921, when the state, after a long drawn out legal battle, was finally awarded custody of the premises. There were several access points, with the remains of at least three accounted for. The most direct access connected the Generalife Almunia to the Alhambra through the vegetable gardens. Another access point was the gate where the people who tended the gardens resided, and which can still be seen in the Entrance Pavilion (Pabelln de Entrada). The third access point was located at the Gate of the Rams (Postigo de los Carneros), in the highest area; however, today the official tour commences at point where a line of cypress trees were planted in honour of a visit by Isabel II in 1862. Built between the 12th and 14th centuries, the Generalife was used as a place of rest for the Muslim royalty. It was designed as a rural villa in the vicinity of the Alhambra, with decorative garden, fruit and vegetable patches, courts and other structures. The entrance to the Generalife is interesting for two reasons. On the one hand, its exterior part is rural, befitting a country house more than a palace; on the other hand, various courts had to be traversed at different levels in order to reach the interior of the Alhambra palace itself.The vegetable gardens located on the south side of the palace, between the Promenade of the Cypress Trees (Camino de los Cipreses) and the Promenade of the Walnut Trees (Camino de los Nogales), were transformed into landscaped gardens in 1930.

The Palace of the Generalife

The entrance to the Generalife is interesting for two reasons. On the one hand, its exterior part is rural, befitting a country house more than a palace; on the other hand, various courts had to be traversed at different levels in order to reach the interior of the Alhambra palace itself. The entrance is currently denominated the Court of the Dismount (Patio del Descabalgamiento) owing to the presence of footrests that facilitate horse riders in their dismount. Also on hand are two side buildings, which were probably used by stable hands. Once entrance was gained, the visitor would have to climb a stairway past the security guard benches, toward a room above, with a control window. The second court, which underwent changes, is located at the top and surrounded by arched galleries, except for in the front, where access to the interior of the palace is gained. Entrance to the palace itself is through a tiny door, today partially hidden by undergrowth and embedded in traces of marble, with a tiled lintel and the ever present arch-key marking. From there, a steep narrow stairway

leads to a residence, connected to the Court of the Main Canal (Patio de la Acequia), called the North Pavilion (Pabelln Norte), which in turn leads to an arcaded gallery, with five arches and bedchambers, and on to the Royal Chamber (Sala Regia) and the observation point of Ismail I. The Royal Chamber (Sala Regia) is noted for its plasterwork, niches and lovely stalactite capitals. The often repeated interior layout includes bedchambers framed by arches. Of particular note is the stalactite outset cornice supporting the ceiling. THE GENERALIFE PALACE LOW GARDENS Beneath the Palace North Pavilion lies a small closed garden that dates back to the period of Arabic rule. In 1526 Andrea Navagero described its walls as being covered with ivy and having a fountain that shot water ten fathoms into the air. To the west of the garden a staircase leads slightly above to a garden beneath the Palace West Gallery. The garden was designed in 1928 by Torres Balbs, after the building adjacent to the North Pavilion had been demolished. West of that, and slightly lower, covering the entire length of the Main Canal Gallery Court (Galera del Patio de la Acequia), lie the gardens that, though somewhat altered now, in the 19th century were depicted in an engraving by the French archaeologist and traveller Alexandre Laborde.

The Court of the Main Canal

It draws water from the Royal Canal (Acequia Real), the principal hydraulic source for the entire historical-artistic monument complex. The court channel was originally in the shape of a crossing, like the one in the Court of the Lions (Patio de los Leones), supplying water to four oblique parterres. These famous crossing jets, which have been copied the world over, were, however, only installed in the 19th century. Nevertheless, an archaeological excavation in 1958 revealed that at one time it had twelve spouts. Being completely closed in, the court once had an intimate quality about it, which later reforms to it have sacrificed. In addition to the arcaded pavilions on the sides, there were also one storey dwellings, if only on the west side, which were badly damaged in a fire in 1958 that later prompted the earlier mentioned excavation. The Court of the Main Canal (Patio de la Acequia) was designed as an interior garden, with the exception of the small lookout point on the west side, adjacent to the central arbour. The side part was originally enclosed by a high wall with a continuous eave, which was destroyed during the Christian era. Some of the remains can be seen at both ends. As a result, it was transformed into a sort of belvedere when the landscape appeared, and the intimate quality of the place was lost. Added to the length of the court was a narrow open corridor with arches and the figures of the Catholic Monarchs, a yoke and arrows painted on the intrados along with the well-known expression, Its all the same (Tanto Monta). Originally, the central observation point must have been the only opening to the outside in the court, which to this day preserves the lavish plasterwork decoration from the time of Sultan Ismail I (1314-1325). Some of the plasterwork, though, was removed and mounted on other plasterworks during the reign of Muhammad III (13021309). The low windows of the observation point are a characteristic of Nasrid architecture. People could lounge on the floor, and with their arm on the sill, contemplate the landscape around the Palace and its gardens, the hill on which the Alhambra stands, and the city of Granada in the background.