Alhambra from Near and Far

By Cyrus Seyrafi

“Having rejoined his family, Boabdil set forth with a heavy heart for his allotted residence in the valley of Purchena. At two leagues’ distance the cavalcade, winding into the skirts of the Alpuxarras, ascended an eminence commanding the last view of Granada. As they arrived at this spot the Moors paused involuntarily to take a farewell gaze at their beloved city, which a few steps more would shut from their sight for ever. Never had it appeared so lovely in their eyes. The sunshine, so bright in that transparent climate, lit up each tower and minaret, and rested gloriously upon the crowning battlements of the Alhambra, while the Vega spread its enameled bosom of verdure below, glistening with the silver windings of the Xenil. The Moorish cavaliers gazed with a silent agony of tenderness and grief upon that delicious abode, the scene of their loves and pleasures. While they yet looked a light cloud of smoke burst forth from the citadel, and presently a peal of artillery, faintly heard, told that the city was taken possession of, and the throne of the Moslem kings was lost for ever. The heart of Boabdil, softened by misfortunes and overcharged with grief, could no longer contain itself. “Allah Akbar! God is great!” said he but the words of resignation died upon his lips and he burst into tears.”

Washington Irving, Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

Five hundred years have passed since the collapse of al-Andalus and the final conquest of los Reyes Católicos in Granada, but the grand palace of the Nazrids—now one of the most famous in the world—still stands, and today becomes the next addition to our group’s adventure.

We set out for the Alhambra around 7:45am today, earlier than usual, after a fantastic breakfast at the Hotel Occidental in Figares. In very fortunate contrast to my personal visit last year, we took our bus up Albaicín Hill, so we were all alert and energized when we reached the summit and began our three-hour tour of the palace.

We began with the Palacio de Carlos V, a Christian structure built just outside the fortress but within its walls as an (unused) residence for Holy Roman Emperor and King Charles I von Habsburg, grandson of Isabel and Fernando. The interior is relatively empty—there’s a large, circular theater where we took the following 360 degree picture, but not much more the public has access to. The outside was decorated with elaborate reliefs depicting the order and chaos of the Empire with and without Charles however, and that was quite interesting. 

Once we entered the Alhambra itself, we were presented with room after room of incredibly intricate Islamic architecture and art from the High to Late Middle Ages. While many of the original colors the Nazrids used to decorate had faded, there were areas where we could still see the lapis lazuli blues they imported from Afghanistan, and the colored tiles they used to ornament the walls. There was also Arabic calligraphy everywhere, some of poetry and some of quotes from the Qur’an, seamlessly mixed in with the designs. 

My favorite room was the Patio de los Arrayanes, which featured a large reflecting pool that looked almost like a mirror. The designs were not as ornate as some other rooms, though there were mock stalactites on the ceilings in some areas to allude to Muhammad’s experience in the cave, but that didn’t detract from the space at all. It was very private and peaceful amid the exuberance of the palace, and it was easy to imagine it as a potential retreat for the Granadan sultans.

Once we left the Palace, we went on a tour of the gardens where we saw row after row of flowers, orange trees, and Cypress, decorated in perfect rows. We took more pictures, but in my opinion, they didn’t compare to the ones we took at the Mirador de San Nicolás, which we visited next. There is a tower there inside the Iglesia de San Nicolás, which costs only €3 to enter, and I got to take the following picture of the Alhambra amid the city—a wonderful day and a wonderful view. If you have a good eye, you might be able to catch some of the other students in the crowd at the Mirador at the bottom.

We also saw a naked man on the way down the hill, but that story is best told by word of mouth…