Palace of the Spanish rulers in Granada. The Alhambra in Granada is a unique architectural masterpiece of Spain. The centuries-old history of the Alhambra
One of the most important architectural creations Arab world is located in Spain. Many will be surprised where Arabic architecture comes from in distant Spain, but it so happened that for a long time Spain was under the rule of the Muslim Moors, at the dawn of whose power the Alhambra palace-fortress in Granada was built.
Briefly about the castle-fortress
"Alhambra" is translated from the Arabic language as "red". There are several versions about the meaning of this name. So, according to one of them, the brick wall of the complex is red, according to another, the Alhambra Palace was built at night in the light of torches, as a result of which the buildings were given a red tint.
The Alhambra Castle is located on the southeastern border of Granada. From the outside it looks like an ordinary Moorish fortress, but all its beauty is inside. In its organization, the Alhambra contains many courtyards, fountains, and swimming pools. Each courtyard has an entrance through an arcade, and inside there are beautiful rooms - halls for feasts and ambassadors, bedrooms.
The material from which the complex was built is interesting. Short-lived clay and alabaster were used in construction. But masters from the 14th century managed to create a real miracle in Europe with their help.
Of course, main feature Moorish palaces are artistic carvings on plaster. Here it is expressed especially clearly.
The visitor's interest is also attracted by the arches of the buildings, reminiscent of symmetrical stalactites.
Since the Moors lived in arid places, water was of particular value to them. Here many pools and fountains were organized for her. The water cooled, delighted the ears with its flow and brought life to plants. And there was plenty of greenery here, because the builders wanted to build heaven on earth here, and the garden is an integral part of this place. The bright complex stood out against the background of the forests located at the foot of the forest, for which it received the name “pearl in emeralds.”
For a long time, the Alhambra Palace in Spain was abandoned, and its rediscovery and restoration occurred only in the 19th century.
This museum Islamic architecture considered by many to be the finest achievement of Moorish culture. The Alhambra complex is worthy of attention and attracts many tourists.
Conceived as a castle-fortress, rising on the top of a mountain, the Alhambra Palace changed hands more than once, saw many bloody battles, and its walls acquired a reddish tint over time. Some claim that this happened because of the color of the building bricks, others - because of the local ferruginous soils that cast a reflection on the walls of the fortress.
And one of the legends of the Alhambra says: the palace became red because it was erected at night, by the light of torches - and the reflections of the fire played an important role. That’s why the Moors named their castle Alhambra, which means “Red Fortress”.
The Alhambra Palace in Spain is an architectural and park complex located on the top of Alsabique, one of the mountains of the Sierra Nevada range, at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. m., in the east of the city of Granada, 450 km from Madrid, the capital of Spain, on the left bank of the Darro River. On geographical map the exact location of the palace can be calculated using the following coordinates: 37° 10′ 37″ N. la., 3° 35′ 24″ e. d.
Construction of the Alhambra Castle began in the mid-thirteenth century on the initiative of the Moorish ruler Muhammad I of the Nasrid dynasty. The palace is one of the most striking monuments of Moorish architecture in Europe, the appearance of which was absolutely not influenced by Byzantine culture.
The unique architectural complex was created over several centuries, and therefore over time it formed the most real city: there were gardens near its fortress walls, and watchtowers, palaces, a mosque, pavilions, and even a city (Medina) were erected on the territory. in which about 2 thousand people lived. These were mainly castle employees - doctors, cooks, blacksmiths, security guards.
Fortunately, there was plenty of space for the construction of a huge number of buildings on the territory of the fortress: the area of the architectural complex was about 140 thousand square meters. m., length - almost 750 m, maximum width - about 200 m, and the total length of the outer fortress wall is about 2 km. Christian slaves were involved in the work, and brick, concrete, marble, wood, ceramics and plaster were used as building materials.
To build the Alhambra Castle, considerable financial and human resources were used. Despite all its beauty and unusual design for a European palace, the castle more than once came close to complete destruction: its condition directly depended on who was in power in Spain at that time:
- King Mohammed I built a fortress and began construction of the Alhambra Palace, making it a royal residence.
- Muhammad II and Muhammad III significantly strengthened the fortress, adding watchtowers and additional ramparts. Also during this period, the Generalife summer palace was built.
- In the XIV century. Yusuf I decided to completely rebuild the fortress. The reconstruction lasted about a hundred years, and therefore the work was completed by Muhammad V. As a result, the Alcazaba fortress received a purely military purpose, and next to it, the Alhambra palace complex was erected on the mountainside.
- In 1492, the Spanish troops of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile captured Granada - and things got off to a bad start for the castle. better times: decorative drawings were covered with whitewash, paintings and gilding were removed, furniture was broken.
- In the 16th century Charles V decided to build a castle in the Renaissance style on the territory of the Alhambra, almost completely destroying it Winter Palace(although he did not fully implement the idea). The mosque was destroyed, and the Church of Santa Maria and a monastery were erected in its place.
- In the XVIII century. King Philip V further defaced the architecture of the Alhambra in Granada by building a palace in the center of one of the Moorish buildings.
- Napoleon Bonaparte, losing the war, ordered the Alhambra castle to be blown up in 1812, but one of the perpetrators neutralized the explosives, as a result of which the French managed to destroy only one tower, while the palace complex itself survived.
- Nine years later, the Alhambra in Spain was severely destroyed during a major earthquake. Perhaps this was the impetus for the start of restoration work on the unique complex, which was started by the architect José Contreras in 1828, and after his death was continued by his son and completed by his grandson.
What is the Red Fortress?
The Spaniards say: whoever has been to Spain and not seen the Alhambra has not seen Spain. Many prominent Arabists claim that the Alhambra is the most beautiful of all surviving castles of the Moorish culture. The uniqueness of this complex lies in the fact that while other monuments of Arab architecture delight with their monumentality, the originality of the Red Fortress lies in the details, the extremely precise and painstaking work that was done by Moorish craftsmen when creating arches, vaults, columns, and patterned windows.
One cannot help but be surprised by the chaotic, but actually skillful arrangement of courtyards, passages, fountains, ponds, and gardens. This alternation of open and closed structures, as well as the constant repetition of architectural forms, combined with light penetrating through windows or between columns, creates rhythm, and great amount The variety of ornaments on the walls of the building is literally amazing.
When the palace was being built, the ancient masters paid a lot of attention to water, creating on the territory of the complex a huge number of fountains, ponds, reservoirs, along which gardens were located.
This is due to the fact that the real homeland of the Moors was a hot and arid desert, and therefore water was especially valuable. In this regard, when developing the project, Moorish architects tried to create a semblance of heaven on earth, which was described in the Koran as a lush garden replete with rivers, lakes, and streams.
Main buildings of the castle
Despite its internal beauty, from the outside the palace resembles a medieval castle-fortress, towering over one of the cities of Spain. Inside, the building is noticeably transformed and it becomes clear why the Mauritanians, when describing the palace, characterized it as “a pearl in emeralds,” focusing on the bright colors of the buildings against the background of the forest located at the foot of the castle and the gardens laid out in the castle.
The castle can be reached along the road that is located between the mountain and the wall. It was also possible to get here from the Alhambra Forest through the Gate of Justice, located in the tower of the same name, or through the eastern gate leading to the summer residence of the emirs Generalife. All palace buildings were located in the west of the complex.
Nasrid Palace
The Nasrid Palace was located in the northwest of the Alhambra. Like all other buildings, on the outside it looked extremely simple, but inside the wealth and splendor of this castle was amazing. The palace included buildings for audiences and courts (Meshuara), the official residence of the ruler (Palace of Comares) and private apartments (Palace of Lions), where the Emir, his wives, children and concubines lived, and when the castle was captured by the Spaniards, the chambers of the kings were located here .
Post-Moorish period
Many buildings in the southwestern part of the complex were erected after the Moors left Granada, among them the unfinished palace of Charles V, because of which he destroyed the Winter Palace. This castle has a square shape, two tiers instead of three, and instead indoor space with a dome on top - an open round courtyard. Near it is located the Church of St. Mary and the monastery.
Altkasaba
In the west is the Alhambra fortress - Altcazaba, separated from the rest palace complex a wide moat, as well as a double fortress wall, between which there is a narrow courtyard. Later, when the Spaniards came to power, a third wall was added on the northern and southern slopes of the mountain. The Citadel included nine watchtowers, from which the surrounding area and the weapons area were clearly visible.
The Alhambra is an impressive architectural and park ensemble that includes ancient palaces, a fortress and gardens of Muslim rulers and is considered the highest achievement of Moorish architects in Western Europe. Currently, the Alhambra is a museum of Islamic art and culture, which is visited annually by millions of tourists from all over the world.
The Alhambra is located on top of a rocky plateau in the eastern part of the city of Granada in southern Spain. Medieval poets described the structure as an "emerald pearl", noting the expressive structure against a backdrop of green forests, blue skies and mountain landscapes with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
The name "Alhambra" literally translates from Arabic as "red castle". Some attribute this to the color of the sun-dried clay from which the palaces are built, others believe that the name comes from the “red flames of the torches” that illuminated the castle during its many years of construction.
History of the Alhambra
The development of the Alhambra is associated with the Muslim conquerors of the Iberian Peninsula, who came to southern Spain in the 8th century. During the reign of the Muslim Nasrid dynasty (1230-1492), Granada became the capital of the Moorish possessions in Spain - the Emirate of Granada.
The Moorish emirs wished to create a piece of earthly paradise on the conquered lands of sunny Spain - this is how the Alhambra arose among the shady gardens of Granada, which became the residence of the conquering emirs. In those days, the vast complex, enclosed within fortress walls with towers, included mosques, residential buildings, baths, gardens, warehouses, and a cemetery; the palaces of the Alhambra, dating mainly from the 14th century, have survived to this day.
The interior decoration of the complex can be described as harmoniously combined picturesque gardens of the Alhambra, courtyards and terraces with fountains, water cascades, canals and ponds with many graceful arches, vaults, slender columns or patterned carved windows. All this splendor is decorated with fancy Arabic scripts, floral patterns, colorful mosaics, ceramic tiles, carved patterns on wood and stone.
Water and light play an important role in the overall composition of the Alhambra. The water here sparkles with splashes of fountains, gurgles in canals and flows briskly in cascades, filling reservoirs. All this is on a vast territory surrounded by fragrant orange trees, cypress alleys and flowering flower beds.
Water coming from the mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada filled the canals and fountains of the Alhambra and was the element that the Moors valued most. Fountains, streams and waterfalls are no less a characteristic part of architecture for the Arabs than columns for the Greeks. It is no coincidence that the inscription on the fountain in the Lion Courtyard remains: “Look at the water and look at the pond, and you will not be able to decide whether the water is calm or marble flowing.”
The road to the Alhambra from Granada goes along the slope of the Cuesta de Gomeres through a park area extending from the Pomegranate Gate to the Gate of Justice, which was the main entrance to the Alhambra residence in Moorish times.
On the huge arches of the gate in the shape of a horseshoe there are inscriptions in Arabic script: “Praise be to God. There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. There is no other authority but God's."
Alhambra architecture
The Alhambra is a complex of courtyards, rooms, passages and towers, each of which had its original purpose and has its own characteristics. The very names of many of them are eloquent: “Myrtle courtyard”, decorated with evergreen myrtle trellises.
" The Hall of the Two Sisters gets its name from the two huge slabs of white marble built into the floor. The tiles and stucco decoration of the Hall of the Two Sisters are perhaps the most beautiful in the entire Alhambra. The honeycomb dome is the largest of the Arabian stalactite vaults, which is about 5000 cells.
The “Courtyard of Lions” is named after the fountain, around which statues of twelve predators are frozen.
The Chamber of Ambassadors was created for court celebrations and official ceremonies. The dome of this room is decorated with a star pattern that shimmers at a high altitude.
Of particular interest are the numerous towers of the Alhambra with decorated halls, swimming pools and beautiful views of the surrounding area from the top points of the towers. The easternmost part of the Alhambra Palace is occupied by the defensive tower Torre de las Damas, with an adjacent vaulted hall, a swimming pool and a small mosque.
In sharp contrast to the rest of the architecture of the ensemble is a later building - the Palace of Carlos V, built on the territory of the Alhambra in the 16th century by order of the Roman King Charles V. The square structure hides a circular courtyard with an Ionic colonnade on the upper floor and Tuscan columns on the lower floor. Currently, the palace is a concert venue for music and dance performances. The interior of the Palace of Carlos V houses the Archaeological Museum of the Alhambra and the Museum of Fine Arts of Granada.
Tickets to the Alhambra
Tickets to the Alhambra are sold for one of the periods: morning, afternoon or evening. You must arrive strictly within the specified period.
Alhambra opening hours:
from 8.30 to 14.00, from 14.00 to 18.00, from 20 to 21.30 hours at winter period– from October 15 to March 14;
from 8.30 to 14.00, from 14.00 to 20.00, from 22 to 23.30 in the summer.
Price general ticket to visit the Alhambra – 14 euros
Children 12-15 years old - 8 euros
Children under 12 years old free
Adults over 65 years old and EU pensioners - 9 euros
Disabled people - 8 euros
The cost of an evening visit is 8 euros
Guided tour – 55 euros
Tickets can be purchased at the box office (cash) and terminals ( bank cards) at the entrance. Tickets are valid only on the day of purchase, so it is better to come with a reserve for tickets.
We recommend purchasing tickets in advance at the Tienda de la Alhambra store in Granada or by calling La Caixa bank: 902 88 80 01 for Spain or +34 958 926 031 for calls from abroad.
The average length of the route through the Alhambra complex is 3.5 km. To comfortably explore all the sights, you will need at least 3 hours.
If you are going to the south of Spain, be sure to visit the Alhambra - an invaluable heritage of the Moorish past. Contact the Center for Services for Business and Life in Spain “Spain in Russian”, and we will help you organize interesting individual or group excursions to the most unforgettable and unique places in the country.
Alhambra Palace- the most beautiful fortified palace chamber ever built. Its device retains the features of a classic medieval castle, in which the upper floors were occupied by aristocrats, military men and noble citizens, and the lower levels and the courtyard protected by walls were given to merchants and servants. In 1241, Ibn al-Ahmed founded the Nasrid dynasty in Granada, calling himself Mohammed I. The Nasrids ruled Granada until 1492. The Alhambra Citadel was built by order of Mohammed I.
At the beginning of 1492, the seven-hundred-year rule of the Moors came to an end. Spanish Christian kings expelled the rulers of the Nasrid dynasty from Granada, who for 250 years considered the city and its surroundings their possessions. The Nasrids fled from their palace, the incomparable Alhambra. This "red city" should in fact be viewed as an outstanding architectural ensemble, and not as a separate building.
The first part of the huge fortified complex, Alcazaba (Upper town) , was completed either at the end of the 13th or at the beginning of the 14th century.
Mehuar, or House of Justice, including the richly decorated Quarto Dorado (Golden room), were the official premises of the Sultan himself. Here he announced laws and decrees in the presence of officials. On the walls of the Golden Room there was an inscription: “Enter and do not be afraid to demand justice, you will receive it.”
The Comares Palace, which housed the residential apartments of the Sultan and his officials, is a real pearl of the Alhambra. According to the Koran, the vaults of the Ambassadorial Hall depict the seven heavens. They are made of cedar with elaborate ivory and mother-of-pearl inlays. Personal Guard of Sultan Mohammed V (1354-1391) occupied the Lion Court, an outstanding example of Arab architecture in Iberia and the Islamic style in general. The walls are lined with patterns of scarlet, green, gold and blue tiles. The courtyard with 124 marble columns gets its name from the fountain. His cup is held on the back of 12 marble lions.
The hall of the Two Sisters is considered the most luxurious room in the palace. (Sala de las Dos Hermanas). Its Moorish-style vaults are decorated with stalactites, so that the ceiling is divided into more than 4,000 sparkling cells. One wall is covered with poems written in gold glaze.
The sound of water can be heard in every corner of the Alhambra. There are many springs within the walls of the citadel. Sultan Mohammed I decided that there would be plenty of water in his fortress. And obedient architects made water a detail of the interior decoration. The filigree jets of the fountains combine perfectly with the shine of glazed bricks, marble floors and colorful tiles.
The Alhambra consists of four parts:
- Alcazaba military fortress (oldest part)
- The stunning Nasrid Palace (the last surge of Moorish architecture);
- Generalife Summer Palace;
- Renaissance palace of Charles V.
Between them lies a labyrinth of paradise gardens, which truly seem to be the embodiment of heavenly tabernacles. Captivate the gentle combinations of light, color, sounds and aromas created by murmuring fountains, mirror-like surfaces of ponds, tall hedges and an abundance of fragrant flowers.
The color of the walls, a mixture of red clay and stone, gives the Alhambra its name, derived from the Arabic word for "red". These walls once surrounded small town with four gates, 23 towers, seven palaces, servants' quarters, workshops, baths, educational institutions (madrassah) and mosques. Many of them have long disappeared, but those that remain continue to fascinate with their magic, as happened with Charles V: having built an imperial palace here, the monarch used it only for ceremonies, and he himself preferred to live with his family in a more pleasant Moorish palace. Due to the Alhambra's enormous popularity, you may find yourself in heavy crowds with many tour groups during high season. Therefore, it is better to plan a second visit, and come again in the evening, when those architectural elements that you might have missed during the day are softly illuminated. As for the Nasrid Palace, you need to book a tour there and wait for half an hour (try to come after 12.00 when the crowd has died down). But in any case, you can soak up the sensual atmosphere of the Alhambra for as long as you want.
Alcazaba
You can start your exploration from this fortress. Climb to the roof of Torre de la Vela for fantastic panoramic views of Granada, the Sierra Nevada and the endless plain (Vega) west. The Alcazaba, built in the 9th century, was the first major Moorish structure in Granada, although its two front towers did not appear until 400 years later.
Palacios Nasaries (Nasrid Palace)
The French poet Théophile Gautier called this palace, built for Yusuf I and Muhammad V in 1300, an earthly paradise. Its two patios, exquisite carved ceiling moldings, friezes, capitals and arches, geometric mosaics, fountains and a sense of endless vista epitomized the heyday of the Moorish style in Spain. From the wonderful tiles of Mehuara (Council Hall) head to the Patio del Cuarto Dorado and then to the stunning Salon de los Embajadores (Hall of Ambassadors) in the Comares Tower. This structure is topped with a domed vault, which allegedly used more than 8 thousand tiles cedar wood. Pay attention to the masterful stucco of the walls, beautiful mucarcas (lattice stucco ceiling, arches and domes), and then admire the wonderful view from the windows. In Patio de los Arrayanes (Myrtle Courtyard) one of the best perspectives of the Alhambra is presented, which is emphasized by the myrtle bushes on the sides of the reservoir.
From here there is a passage to the Hall of the Mozarabs, which is preceded by the famous Court of the Lions. This rhythmically organized space, surrounded by a colonnade, is divided into four parts in the traditional Islamic spirit, dominated by a fountain and water channels - symbols of the four streams of life. The pool, whose rim is covered with poetic stanzas glorifying the beauty of the courtyard, garden and the play of waters, is guarded by 12 stone lions. The author of these and many other inscriptions in the Alhambra was the chief minister of Muhammad V ibn Samrak.
Around the patio there are three rooms of exceptional beauty. The most impressive is the Sala de las Dos Hermanas (Hall of the Two Sisters, on the left as you enter the patio) with an octagonal domed ceiling decorated with wonderful muqarnas, reminiscent of stalactites. They are flooded with natural light pouring in through the windows below.
On the opposite side, this hall is connected by a water canal to the Hall of the Abencerrachs. It has a high domed ceiling and stalactite vaults. Third room, Sala de los Reyes (Hall of Kings), is located behind a cluster of arches. Its ceiling was painted by Christian artists hired by Mohammed V. To the north, another hall leads into the Mirador de Daraja above a beautiful courtyard garden.
From the main palace you can walk to the Palacio del Partal, which was probably the first part of the structure. An arched gallery leads to Torre de las Damas (I'll give it to the tower), which is reflected in the mirror purity of the large pool. Located at a distance on different levels the gardens create a bridge leading to the Generalife.
Generalife
The Generalife building, erected above the level of the Alhambra, was summer palace. Its main attraction is the oblong pool surrounded by fountains in the Patio de la Acequia; in addition, there are terraced gardens, gazebos and cypress groves that provide healing coolness even in the summer heat.
There's not much to see in the former royal apartments other than wonderful views, so visit observation deck Mirador de la Sultana at the very top.
At the end of June, music and dance performances are held in the Generalife gardens.
Palace of Charles V
The Palace of Charles V was built according to the design of Pedro Machuca, a student of Michelangelo. The vast circular courtyard represents the World Empire (i.e. globe) and is completely different from all other buildings of the Alhambra. Inside are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Alhambra Museum. The latter presents examples of Spanish-Muslim art. Upstairs, in the fine arts section, works by Granadan masters are stored (Diego de Siloe, Alonso Cano, Pedro de Mena, Diego and José de Mora).
If in general the works of Arab architecture amaze with their monumentality, then the highlight of the Alhambra, on the contrary, lies in the details. This is not just a palace, as many call it - it is a monumental architectural complex, striking in its beauty and splendor
This greatest monument to Arab building art in Andalusia appeared here thanks to the Muslim Moors, under whose dominance and influence Spain was for several centuries. At the end of their power, the Moorish decided to create a small paradise on the land of conquered Granada - the Alhambra palace-fortress
Translated from Arabic, “Alhambra” means “red” - perhaps it came from the color of the bricks from which the castle wall was laid, but there is a more interesting version of the origin of the name of the Moorish architectural complex - Arab historians believe that construction was carried out at night, by torchlight, and such lighting gave the walls a reddish tint - this is where the name “Alhambra” supposedly came from
The Alhambra is located at the top of the Assabica Valley, on the southeastern border of Granada. As in other Moorish palaces, in the Alhambra all the treasures are hidden inside, behind unremarkable, one might even say unsightly, walls - after all, the facades of its buildings are not decorated with anything
The Alhambra is a vast complex of courtyards with gardens, where fountains gurgle and fish splash in pools. Each courtyard is surrounded by an arcade, behind which are hidden richly decorated interior spaces- bedrooms, halls for feasts and reception of ambassadors. The names of the courtyards speak for themselves, for example, if you enter a courtyard decorated with evergreen lint-free carpets, paintings, myrtle trellises, you can guess that this is the “Myrtle courtyard”; a courtyard with a fountain around which 12 stone lions stand frozen - logically it is called “Lions’ Courtyard” or “Lion’s Courtyard”; another courtyard, with two huge slabs of white marble in the floor, is called the “Hall of the Two Sisters”
Architectural ensemble The Alhambra is essentially a city within the territory of Granada. At the foot of the high fortress walls, gardens were laid out and pavilions, a mosque, palace ensemble, alcazaba (fortress), and also a small medina (city)
For official ceremonies and court celebrations, a special “Chamber of Ambassadors” was created here, the high dome of which is decorated with a star pattern.
The architectural ensemble of the Alhambra is unique in the sense that it was built from short-lived materials - simple clay and alabaster! But the Arab architects of the 14th century managed to create a real miracle even from such materials, while subtly feeling the harmony and proportions of each element, playing with light and space
Feature Alhambra, as well as other Moorish palaces, is a carving on plaster, in which Arab craftsmen carved an openwork ornament in the form of an endlessly repeating Arabic patterned script
Also striking in their luxury are the arches, located absolutely symmetrically and somewhat reminiscent of giant stalactites.
A few more examples of Moorish plaster carvings in the Alhambra arches
Water plays a very important role in the layout of the Alhambra, which was a great luxury for the Moors - residents of the hot and arid desert. In the Alhambra, the water was supposed to create coolness and delight the ears with its murmur. That is why the water in the Alhambra shimmers in the spray of fountains, foams in cascades and quickly runs through canals, filling ponds and reservoirs, while cypresses and oranges grow around, flower beds bloom - and all this against the backdrop of snowy mountain peaks Sierra Nevada and soft blue sky. Rectangular ponds, reflecting the bright blue of the Spanish sky, also expand the space and create a feeling of spaciousness. Moorish masters tried to make a kind of heaven on earth, because in the Koran paradise is described in detail as a lush garden, abundant water streams
Once upon a time, at the foot of the Alhambra, a green forest flourished, against the background of which the architectural complex stood out with its bright colors, for which Moorish poets in their works called it “a pearl in emeralds.” Time could not have such a negative impact on the complex that it ceased to be one of the best atypical examples of Mauritanian architecture in Europe
After several centuries in a state of neglect, in the 19th century the complex was re-discovered by European scientists and travelers who undertook its reconstruction. Since 1984, the Alhambra has been part of World Heritage UNESCO
Thanks to the very precise and miniature work of Moorish craftsmen in decorating the wooden and stone elements of the Alhambra, such as arches, vaults, carved patterned windows, graceful columns and slender columns, as well as the skillful arrangement of courtyards and passages between them, fountains, cascades, ponds and fanciful floral ornaments - thanks to the synthesis of all of the above, many today consider the Alhambra to be the highest achievement of Moorish art in Western Europe
Today the Alhambra is a museum of Islamic architecture and one of the most visited historical buildings Spain