Granada, one of the pearls of
Spain, most visited by tourists from all the world, is the capital of the
province with the same name, and is located just at the point where
the Sierra Nevada mountains meet the fertile plain of the vega, in
the south of Spain. The Moors crossed the strait of Gibraltar in 711 and
settled in what was then a small Visigoth town perched atop the Alhambra
hill. Here they settled, erected walls and laid the foundation for the
prosperous civilization that would follow. It was in the 9th century when
Granada rose to importance after the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba. Its
splendor was reached in 1238, when Mohammed ben Nasar founded the Nasrid
dynasty, and the kingdom of Granada stretched from Gibraltar to Murcia.
This dynasty bore twenty kings until King Boabdil was forced to surrender to the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, in
1492. During three centuries, a magnificent and rich Islamic culture
flourished, leaving Granada with architectural marvels of the caliber of
the Alhambra, declared a World Heritage Site, along with the Generalife
and the Albaicín.
The Alhambra which is considered by some to be one of the 10
wonders of the world, is a massive castle constructed over many centuries.
It consists of gardens, fortifications and sumptuous palaces. It was the
home of many of the Arabic Sultans who ruled the whole province.
The Albaicín is the old Arabic quarter located on the hill opposite
the Alhambra. It is characterised by cobble stoned streets with white
washed houses. Despite several centuries of neglect and architectural
barbarities allowed by the town council it still retains a a strong Arabic
feeling. There are many squares with terazas and places to laze about and
have a bite to eat. The Albaicín is an oil painter's paradise and almost
at every turn of the head there is an attractive view.
The Cathedral is located in the centre of the Muslim area and dates
back to 1523. It has a nave and four aisles, a crossing and circular apse.
Alonso Cano built the main façade with sculptures by Duque Cornejo,
Risueño and Verdiguier while the only tower of the two planned ended up
half finished. On the northern side, there is La Puerta del Perdón, a
magnificent work of Diego de Siloé who also built La Puerta de San
Jerónimo. The chancel is not only stunning, but includes skilful
architectural solutions provided by Siloé. Its circular plan and great
height contain semi-circular arches upon which a double series of
balconies rest.
