Alhambra
Alhambra Site Features
Site Features
The Alhambra is composed of four unique, beautiful, and unforgettable main sections
The Alcazaba
Alcazaba is the original fort, the 'red castle' for which the castle is named. The Alcazaba stands mostly in ruins but is still impressive, and the views of Granada below are incomparable.The Nasrid Palaces
The Nasrid Palaces are the true gem of the Alhambra. Built over the course of centuries by the Moorish sultans and kings, the royal palaces are ornately designed and intricate, offering a taste of Moorish royalty's luxurious extravagances. The walls and ceilings are intricately carved and painted, and everywhere you look, there are fountains, pools, and cascading walls of water. You'll be allowed to enter the Nasrid palaces during the thirty-minute time window stamped on your entry tickets, but you don't have to complete your tour in thirty minutes – which is a very good thing, since there is so much to see within the walls of the sultans.
The Generalife
The Generalife is a less formal palace, replete with vegetable and fruit gardens, fountains, and beautiful pathways. The exquisite gardens are still as lovely as they must have been when the sultans and their wives and daughters enjoyed their respite from the formalities of court life here. The flowers, herbs, fruits – and most importantly, the fountains – all represented the Moorish depiction of Paradise, a fruitful oasis where everything was in flower and fruit.
The Charles V Palace
The Charles V Palace was built by Charles V after the reconquest of Andalusia by Spain. Its most striking features are the round courtyard and the view of the Alhambra.
Inside the palace, visitors can tour two museums, the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo de la Alhambra.