The Alhambra

The Alhambra's strategic location atop a hill overlooking Granada, with the Sierra Nevada mountains to the north,  helped it hold back the reconquest of Spain by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella.  Although Cordoba fell in 1237 and Sevilla in 1248, Granda remained under Moorish control until 1492.  

 

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The Alhambra is Spain's top tourist attraction, with more visitors than Madrid's Prado museum.  Due to daily visitor limits to the Palacios Nazaries (Royal Palace) area, advance tickets are a must; we purchased ours online seven months before leaving for Spain.  This allowed us a morning entry to the Palacios, after which we could wander the rest of the grounds at our leisure.  The Alhambra is a city, and an entire day there was barely enough time to see it all. 

 

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Crossing dry moat entrance

Charles V Palace entrance
(son Philip II left it to build 
El Escorial outside Madrid)

Palace entrance detail
(note battle sculptures
on either side of door)

 

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Battle sculpture detail Battle sculpture detail Palace courtyard

 

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View from second floor A side view Detail

 

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Exterior Palace walls Wall detail Ye olde bathroom