GRANADA

Where is Granada?  Andalusia Which Mountains are beside Granada?  Granada is situated at the bottom of the Sierra Nevada mountains Is it beside the coast?  It takes one hour to get to the coast from Granada.  (The Mediterranean)

Population  The city of Granada has an estimated population of 237,000  The whole urban area of Granada has an estimated population of 472,700  It is the 13 th largest city in Spain (Murcia is the 7 th )

History of Granada What type of City is Granada and why?  Granada is a very historic city because of its Islamic influence. Who are the Moors and what influence did they have in Spain?  The Moors were people of Arab and Berber origins that invaded Spain in 711 AD. Where in Spain did the Moorish people impact?  The Moorish people named the land they owned Al-Andalus and it was integrated with North Africa. They conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula however they had more power in certain parts. (Modern day Andalucia)

Christians take over the Iberian Peninsula  They started to lose power because of the Christians invading in the North. The Christian crusaders eventually won power over all of the Iberian Peninsula.  By 1248 the Muslims only had power in Granada  At this time Granada was a lot bigger than it is today.  Muslim refugees from the other parts of Spain came to Grenada and there was a strong Muslim influence until 1492.

Famous Landmarks in Granada What is the most famous place in Granada?  The Alhambra What is the Alhambra?  It is a Moorish sanctuary and palace The whole area of Andalusia is famous for its rich Islamic history. The Alhambra is the most famous ancient Islamic building which makes Granada a very popular tourist destination.

The Alhambra  The total design of The Alhambra that we can visit today was not planned at the same time.  It is not organized. Some of the buildings seem in strange places.  This is because the Alhambra has been changed many times over the years.  The buildings of the Alhambra today are reddish however originally they were white.

The use of the Alhambra  It was completed in the 13 th century towards the end of Muslim rule of Spain  The Alhambra reflects the culture of the last centuries of the Moorish rule of Al Andalus  It is a place where artists and intellectuals had taken refuge as the Reconquest by Spanish Christians won back Al Andalus  it was then used as Muslim palaces through the 14th century  Finally it was then used in the 16th century as Charles's V’s palace.

Main Parts of the Alhambra  The Alcazaba or citadel is the oldest part  It has a watchtower, which is 25 m high  A tower containing a large bell was added in the 18th century  Beyond the Alcazaba is the palace of the Moorish rulers (The Alhambra)  In addition there is the Alhambra Alta (Upper Alhambra) where officials lived

Royal complex  The Royal Complex consists of three main parts:  Mexuar is the most modest part, it is the functional area used for business and administration. The ceilings and floors are made of dark wood and have white walls.  Serallo This part was built during the 14th century this contains the Court of the Myrtles. It has a brightly coloured interiors and extremely decorative ceilings (Artesonado)  Harem  Harem The Harem is also richly decorated and contains the living quarters for the wives and mistresses of the Berber monarchs. This area contains a bathroom with running water (cold and hot), baths, and pressurized water for showering. The bathrooms were open to the elements in order to allow in light and air.

Court of the Myrtles  You enter the Moorish palace by a small door and there is a corridor which connects you to the court of the Myrtles also called the Court of the Pond  The Birka (the pool) helped to cool the palace and was a symbol of power because water was difficult to get at this  This court is very big with a large pond full of goldfish, and with myrtles (a type of pland) growing along its sides.

Hall of the Ambassadors  The Hall of the Ambassadors is the largest in the Alhambra  It is a square room and the roof is 75m high.  This was the grand reception room, and the throne of the sultan (Muslim Ruler) was placed opposite the entrance.  There are nine windows and the ceiling is decorated with white, blue and gold circles, crowns and stars.  The walls are covered with lots of artworks.

Court of the Lions and the Fabulous Fountain

Hall of the Abencerrajes  The Hall of the Abencerrages gets its name from a legend that says that the last sultan’s father invited the chiefs of that line to a banquet and massacred them here.  This room is a perfect square, the roof is decorated in blue, brown, red and gold.

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