Granada, El Alhambra, Spain

January 25, 2026

Granada, El Alhambra, Spain

Where to begin with this beautiful Sultan palace? Granada (which means pomegranate) is nestled In the Sierra Nevada mountain range and is not too big a city or as pretty as Andelusian cities on the coast of del Sol. However, most people visit to Granada to see El Alhambra Alcázaba which gives testament to Moor culture from 700 to 1400’s in all its geometric natural artesan architecture. It really is the Taj Mahal of Europe. The Moors conquered the then Carthaginian and Visigoth area ruling through multiple dynasties of Sultans for 700 years, before the Spanish catholics won back the territory. It was a time when Jews, Christians and Muslims lived together combining all sorts of knowledge and artistry.

Imagine all the open door horse shoe arches (many many) around beautiful marble floor courtyards with running water and fountains features, with citric and flower tree scents.

I thoroughly recommend that you individually zoom in on the pictures to see the structural detail and layer upon layer of artesan work upon these Palace, walls and ceilings. Remember, that although you are looking at a portion, in real life, the artwork expands the entire wall or ceiling.

Some Interesting historical facts. Once Granada was conquered back from the Muslims by the Catholic Spanish, the new monarchs, Isabel and Ferdinand, began the Spanish Inquisition which lead to Spinoza’s family fleeing the same persecution in Portugal to Amsterdam.

Alhambra spans a few hectares with gardens, high on a hill with fortress walls and different ancient stone port gates. There is the Sierra Nevada backdrop, plus it has three palaces. An admin building, a visitors palace and the main Sultan’s living quarters palace where a dining room’s wooden ceiling decorations, have the Spanish monarch’s Letters F and I etched all over as part of the pattern. The royals received the palace after the Moors were conquered and spent their six month honeymoon here.

200 hundred years later, King Philip V abdicated and left the throne to his grandson that led to the Spanish conquest of the Netherlands in the form of rule and taxes. It was William the silent (of Oranje) that led the resistance which lasted 70 years, the latter being alas assassinated. But the Netherlands was freed and as the Spanish colonization period ended, the Dutch began their glory age. But back to the Moor’s palaces and centuries old constructions.

It is absolutely massive and handles thousands of visitors per day. 8 hectares in total and by the end of the day on this excursion I had walked 15,000 steps but not seen all. It is absolutely worth taking a guide as they tell you all the history during the three hour tour. There are different sections as it once housed a city of 2000 people. 50 gardeners now maintain the gardens, but of course in winter, close to the snow capped 3000m high , the roses, magnolia trees and wysteria are not in bloom. The are lovely and if you can handle Spanish heat and crowds, summer would be a different experience.

Many ceilings like this. Beautiful little stained glass windows at the top, floor water little irrigation canals of running water and fountains are everywhere, where once Sultans and their harems would lounge drinking tea, upon Persian carpets, with tapestries on the walls, in the scent of enjoying the view of the Sierra Nevada.

Interesting about , much like their outward dress style, things are plain on the outside. The show and detail is kept for an internal introverted special surprise, completely unlike the austere plain outer building walls and towers. The interiors are the building facades. No paintings but pure geometric patterns in wood, stone and tiles.