Granada

I decided to travel to Granada, Spain based on a painting. It wasn’t just that, of course, but my wife and I have enjoyed a colorful painting we bought of the amazing Alhambra for years, and I wanted to see it for myself. 

The Alhambra really is amazing. Historians are unsure about when it was first constructed. Some say it began in Roman times, during the first century of the Christian Era. Others say it really began in the 8th century. Either way, it was greatly expanded during the 13th and 14th centuries to become a huge Moorish fortress and palace. It was taken over in 1492 during the Christian conquest of the area, and its mosque was replaced by a church. (This is similar to what happened in Cordoba, but about 250 years later.) 

I had read about it before visiting, but I was still awestruck by the sheer scale of the place. There are six main buildings, each more elaborate than the last. The Islamic decorations can’t include images, so they use designs and scriptures from the Koran to line the walls and ceilings. Although they are at least 700 years old, and likely older, they are still incredibly beautiful. 

Some of the structures were purely utilitarian, built to ward off enemies in battle. Most of these were just big walls and towers, with commanding views of the local area. The living quarters and the gardens are where the most beautiful features lie. 

Many of the buildings have a central courtyard or more than one, with internal pools and gardens. These areas bring light into other interior parts of the buildings, and provided safe places to relax. As the Alhambra is located on top of a large hill, I was fascinated to see all the water fountains and pools. How did they get water up so high 1000 years ago? It turns out the Sierra Nevada mountains are even higher, and water can flow from there. A dam and aqueduct was constructed over 6 kilometers away that carries water to the entire compound. 

The gardens are extensive and beautiful. They are on several levels, and from some areas one can look down on two or three separate gardens. They often incorporate long thin pools that reflect the beauty around them. 

The one disappointment I had in the entire compound was the Christian church — Santa Maria of the Alhambra. The church was built between 1581 and 1618 on the previous site of the Alhambra mosque. It is large, but dark, and the decorations in the chapels and the main altar were overshadowed by the amazing Muslim artwork all through the rest of the complex. Luckily, Granada is the location for several beautiful churches closer to the center of town, including the Cathedral of Granada and the Basilica San Juan de Dios. The Cathedral rivals the large churches in Rome, and the Basilica is the most heavily decorated church I think I have ever visited. 

My legs are sore from all the hill-climbing, but I would recommend a trip here to anyone, just for the Alhambra alone. The rest of the city has much to offer, but it is hard to compete.