Granada, 08/2007

One of our stops during the Iberian Peninsula trip was Granada and the palace of Alhambra.

The following are a few pictures of this picturesque complex built by the Moorish monarchs. It is a palace/fortress overlooking the city of Granada and is famous for its ponds and gardens. Later Charles V  added a Renaissance palace - Palacio de Carlos V.

Alhambra comes from the Arabic word 'Al Hamra' which means the 'Red One' - a reference to the red clay of the region. The building of the fortress goes back to 9th century.  It was the home of the last ruling Muslim dynasty

Generalife borders Alhambra and houses some of the most beautiful gardens of the era.

Alhambra and Generalife

The central pools of Generalife and the waterways alongside the staircases

Courtyard of the Myrtles [below left]  &   The Wine Gate [below right]

Court of the Lions [below left]  &    The Baths [below right]

The Water Garden

AM & JP in Alhambra

The stalactite-like sculpting, Moorish motifs and lush gardens are the prominent features of the architecture of this residence of the Nasrid dynasty.

Views of Granada from Alhambra

View of the Palace of Carlos V in Alhambra from Generalife [left]  & The interior court of the palace [right]

 And here are a few examples of the flowers cultivated in the gardens with examples below, from left to right: Saucer Magnolia. Lotus and Tamarisk

The convent of San Francisco in the Alhambra complex is now a Parador that gives respite from the heat and the sun, to those who are willing to spend the extra Euro.

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 Washington Irving, the American writer, spent a long period in residence at the Alhambra.

More views of Granada from the Alhambra

 Granada

Our trip to Granada was completed with a flamenco night where the music was lively, the singers were good ...

... and the dancers included: The young, the mature, the old, the granny and a very lonely male.

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