Granada, southern Spain. At dawn on January 2, 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella, rulers of the United Kingdom of Aragon and Castile, slowly approach the Alhambra. They eagerly await entry into the palace, aware that they have been given an extraordinary historical role, the moment that their predecessors have strived for centuries – the reconquest of the land from Islamic conquerors.
At the same time, inside the palace in the Alhambra, Sultan Boabdil finishes the last preparations for departure, as he walks through the grand halls and gardens, aware that he will never see what they called the “paradise on earth” again. He leaves the palace, passes through the doors of the Tower of Seven Floors, and meets King Ferdinand. Legend has it that his final request was for the doors through which he exited the palace to be forever closed, so that no one else would pass through them. After that, he surrenders the keys to the Alhambra and quietly leaves the city. As the flag of the United Kingdom waves over the palace, the era of Islamic rule comes to an end. In the kingdom of Granada, Boabdil gazes at the Alhambra for the last time from a hill above the city, sighing sadly and crying for everything he has lost. At that moment, his mother Ajsha utters the legendary words: “You cry like a woman for what you did not know how to defend like a man.” To this day, this place is called “The Last Moorish Sigh” in memory of this legend.
With this story, an extremely important period in not only Spanish but also European history comes to an end. It began in the year 711, when a group of Berber and Arab tribes crossed the Gibraltar with the aim of spreading Islam, and in less than three years, they conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula, which they called al-Andalus, the land of the Vandals. The Spaniards, due to their dark skin color, called the new conquerors Moors.
Their rule, with many ups and downs, lasted for almost eight hundred years, until the moment when Boabdil surrendered the keys of the Alhambra to King Ferdinand, thereby transferring the last Muslim kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, Granada, into the hands of the Christians. The Alhambra is a symbol of their power and magnificence, a testament to their cultural and architectural achievements. One station becomes a symbol of victory, and for others of loss and defeat. However, for all, it is a magnificent example of the beauty and harmony of Moorish art, evidence of the skill and knowledge of its builders. It is so unique and different from everything that existed in Europe at that time.
Today’s Alhambra is quite different from what Ferdinand and Isabella encountered when they first set foot in it. Although they were enchanted by what they found, it represented, above all, a symbol of victory over the Moors that needed to be preserved as a reminder for future generations. However, despite their efforts, a large part of the Alhambra did not remain preserved in the following centuries. It suffered numerous changes, earthquakes and fires, demolitions, additions, years of neglect, as well as excessive and often poorly executed restorations. There are few written records left about the Alhambra from those times, so over the centuries, real events have become intertwined with stories and legends, making it a place that still preserves many secrets. Due to ignorance, we know that the names under which we now know some of its parts are not the ones used by the population at that time, but their original names have not been preserved.
Although Alhambra is often referred to as a palace, it is actually a complex of palaces, towers, gardens, and courtyards, or, as it was called from the very beginning, Madinat al-Hamra, the Red City. It is assumed that the name comes from the reddish color of the material used for its construction.
During its heyday, Alhambra was indeed a fortified city where several thousand people could live. Within the city walls were the royal palaces, residential quarters for prominent citizens of Granada, as well as houses for officials, artisans, and merchants. The city also had other facilities that make up a complete city: offices, shops and workshops, baths, schools, mosques, and a cemetery, streets, squares, and parks.
Today, only a third of that city remains, which can be divided into three parts: the fortress of Alcazaba, the royal palaces, and the Generalife gardens. The Nasrids and Generalife.
Alcazaba
Muhammad I, known as al-Ahmar, founded the Nasrid dynasty in 1238 and became the ruler of the Kingdom of Granada, the last Muslim kingdom on Spanish soil. Although he made a truce with the Christian ruler Ferdinand III and paid him tribute, he was aware of the constant danger that the Christians posed to his kingdom. Therefore, he decided to build a new royal palace on the nearby hill of Sabika, on the remains of a palace from the 9th century, which could be easily defended.
The first step in the construction of the palace was the reconstruction of the existing fortress called Alcazaba. Thus, according to al-Ahmar’s idea, a new fortress in the shape of a triangle was created, which together with thirty towers, the number of towers that once existed in the entire complex, formed an impregnable stronghold. To further strengthen the fortress, al-Ahmar orders the construction of double walls, and the space between them could be filled with water in case of an attack. They then face an almost unsolvable problem: how to bring the nearby Darro River to the elevation where the fortress is located. The solution to the problem showcases the inventiveness of its builders. They find a place where the river flows above the fortress, six kilometers away, and there they build an artificial lake and a dam. The water is then brought to the entire area through aqueducts and channels. They also anticipated the possibility of water shortages during dry periods, so they built huge reservoirs to ensure a continuous supply for the population and gardens.
Initially, Alcazaba served as a royal palace, and later, when the rest of the complex was built, it was used to accommodate the army that secured the royal palaces. From what has been preserved to this day, it is evident that it was once a true small town within its walls, where There were military residential buildings, food and weapon storage, a public kitchen, bathing facilities, stables, and prisons.
Al-Ahmar built the fortress of Alcazaba and ensured the water supply, but he did not live to see his dream come true – the construction of the royal palace. His successors started building it, and each of them wanted to leave their mark on this space, to build a new palace and be recorded in history. Thus, a network of palaces is created within the complex, each of them different and magnificently unique in its own way.
Nasrid Royal Palaces
< p>Looking at Alhambra from the outside, it is hard to even imagine the beauty it hides within. It seems as if the simple and somewhat rough exterior was meant to emphasize the inner harmony that reigns behind its walls and towers.
The guiding thought of all the builders of Alhambra was to create a place that would be a replica of paradise. For them, this meant achieving unity between human endeavor and the elements of nature. That is why this entire space is a play of light. and shadows, while water symbolizing life is constantly in motion; sometimes flowing calmly, sometimes gushing or falling. Everything exudes harmony and beauty that comes from the skilled use of numbers and their ratios, so Alhambra equally celebrates both art and mathematics. Nothing is random, every part is built according to a specific ratio – a set of interconnected rectangles.
Although the principles on which it is built often seem complex and incomprehensible, the result is a harmony that can be felt.
The same laws have been applied both in large and small scales: for the construction of palaces and courtyards, as well as for various types of ornaments that cover the walls and ceilings of the palaces. A lot of attention and skill was needed to breathe beauty into the palace walls, using different materials and techniques. The lower parts of the walls are usually covered with painted tiles that, in accordance with the teachings of Islam, have floral or geometric motifs. Above them, poetry is carved in calligraphy. Nika Ibn Zamrak, which continues the readings from the Quran. However, the most common calligraphy is the slogan of the Nasrid dynasty, which dates back to the time of al-Ahmar. The story goes that upon his return from a battle, the people welcomed and celebrated him as a victor, but he responded to them with the words: There is no other victor but Allah. Since then, these words became the slogan of the dynasty, and their rulers used the calligraphic script to decorate their palaces.
There used to be at least six palaces that were not connected to each other, but today only three remain: Mexuar, Comares, and the Lion’s Palace.
Mexuar is the oldest of all the royal palaces. It is believed that the sultan received the citizens of Granada here, who came seeking advice or justice. He would sit on an elevated part of the room, hidden from view behind a wooden lattice, listening to their requests. At the entrance of the palace, there is a plaque that confirms this assumption: Do not be afraid to seek justice, for you will find it here. After the reconquest The palace was converted into a church.
Mexuar is connected to the Comares palace by a small room known as the Golden Room due to its gilded ceiling. These rooms and corridors are part of the Muslim way of building houses, where one does not enter straight but with turns that are meant to confuse the person entering or leaving and leave them at the mercy of their host. That is why every palace consists of a series of rooms, passageways, and courtyards.
Comares
Granada experiences a short period of prosperity when Sultan Yusuf I comes to power in 1333. However, after the defeat inflicted upon them by the Christians, his allies, the Marinids, leave Spain, and he retreats to the Alhambra. Aware that in these circumstances, when Christians have military superiority, diplomacy is the only option left for him. He needs an impressive space for conducting negotiations and at the same time regaining the trust of the people and establishing authority in the kingdom. That is when he begins the renovation of the existing part of the Alhambra and the construction of a new palace. His new residence… The residence consists of several rooms located around the Court of Myrtle (Patio de los Arrayanes). In the center of the courtyard, there is a pool surrounded by myrtle bushes, from which the courtyard gets its name. The pool was built so that the tops of the bushes were at the same level as the pool, so that nothing would distract from the view of the water. The water in this space serves as a mirror in which everything is reflected and gains a double dimension. Two circular fountains at each end symbolize the circle of life. Water on one end springs forth in a jet, representing birth, then falls into a wide pool and continues its life in all its fullness, passing through a narrow channel in the autumn of life, flowing into the other end and starting the whole circle again. The area around the pool was paved with marble slabs.
The Sultan’s visitors, ambassadors, and delegates waited in this courtyard to be received by the Sultan. When they finally entered the Ambassadors’ Hall, they would find themselves in almost darkness after the glare of the water and marble. Before them, a dark figure would appear in the middle, completely naked. ems to be an intimidating space surrounded by windows on all sides. The windows, with their colored glass, resemble deep niches, giving the hall a dark atmosphere when first entering. This gave the sultan a psychological advantage over his visitors.
Once their eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, they would be amazed by their surroundings. The lace-like walls seem to sing praises to Allah and the sultan, while eighteen meters above them, an incredible ceiling rises, representing the masterpiece of Moorish builders. It is made of eight thousand pieces of cedarwood arranged in eight-pointed stars, intricately intertwined on seven levels. It is believed that these levels represent the seven heavens one must pass through to reach paradise, while the four diagonals symbolize the four rivers of paradise: wine, water, honey, and milk.
Jusuf did not live to see the completion of the Comares Palace. He was killed by a deranged slave during a prayer in the mosque. He is succeeded by his son Muhammad V. and builds the largest and most beautiful monument of Alhambra – the Palace of the Lions.
Palace of the Lions
Muhammad V had to leave Alhambra due to an assassination attempt. He finds refuge with his friend, the Catholic ruler Pedro the Cruel, who helps him regain his throne. Upon his return, Muhammad orders the construction of a palace that would surpass Pedro’s masterpiece, the palace in Seville built in the Moorish style. The palace he builds merges Muslim and Christian architectural styles, setting it apart from the others.
Its central part is the Court of the Lions (Patio de los Leones), named after the fountain that dominates the courtyard, supported by twelve stone lions.
Four channels flowing towards the fountain divide the courtyard into four equal parts, and the length of each part corresponds to its double width. Examples of the use of mathematical principles based on Pythagorean teachings can be found throughout the palace, in the proportions of the courtyards and surrounding rooms, the fountain, and the courtyard. According to some assumptions, the palace served for the private needs of the ruler and his family, while others believe that there was a medresa, a religious school, in this space.
The courtyard is surrounded by a hundred and twenty-four elegant columns, behind which magnificent halls are located. The Abencerrajes Hall is most famous for a terrifying legend which gave it its name. Sultan Muley Hacen suspected that his favorite wife Zoraya was having an affair with someone from the Abencerrajes family. Not knowing who it was, he invited all the male members of the family to a dinner where they were killed, and their blood left traces in a small fountain in the middle of the hall. But what is particularly magnificent in this hall is the dome shaped like an eight-pointed star, executed in muqarna technique. It is a type of decoration in the form of prisms that connect to each other in intricate geometric shapes reminiscent of stalactites, and they were used to decorate the columns and ceilings in the Alhambra.
Underneath the dome There are sixteen windows, and due to the play of light and shadow, the entire dome appears weightless and as if it is floating in space.
Generalife
The Generalife Palace was built in the 14th century as a retreat for the rulers of the Alhambra. Its name comes from the Arabic Yannat al-arif, meaning “Architect’s Garden”, and it is believed to have been named in memory of the vizier who chose the location of the palace and designed its gardens. Unlike the Alhambra, its architecture is simpler, without excessive details and decorations. It was surrounded by orchards and fields that supplied the Alhambra, and only a part of the original gardens remain preserved.
Alhambra after conquest
Isabella and Ferdinand were the first Christian rulers of the Alhambra, who, enchanted by what they found, made only minor changes to adapt it to their needs. When their grandson Charles V visited Granada, he decided to build a new palace within the Alhambra. The job was assigned to Pedro Machuco, a disciple of Michelangelo, who began It is starting the construction of a Renaissance palace right next to the Nasrid palaces. Although the rectangular palace with a circular inner courtyard is the most beautiful example of the Renaissance in Spain, many agree that it is simply in the wrong place.
Over the centuries, the complex has undergone numerous changes. Part of the palaces, the residential quarter, the medina, and some of the towers disappeared, and a church was built on the site where the mosque used to be.
Although the Alhambra is now a monument to the beauty of Islamic art and a testament to the incredible skills of its builders, it is above all a reminder of a great culture and civilization that, at a time when the rest of Europe was living in the Middle Ages, created magnificent works of art, revived forgotten knowledge in mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy, and most importantly, achieved convivencia – the coexistence of different peoples, cultures, and civilizations.