Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens History
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The Alhambra: A Royal City and Palace Complex
The Alhambra was not just a royal palace; within its walls, many houses were located, conceived in the manner of a small town that forms an asymmetric plane.
Historical Analysis of Construction
A brief historical analysis attributes the start of the work to Mohamed I, building upon an old structure erected on a Taifa site. Emphasis is placed on the citadel area, dedicated to the proliferation of towers.
Palace Development Stages
The palace itself was mostly built during two main stages, corresponding to:
- The Doors of Justice, Weapons, and Seven Soils.
- The Mechouar, most of the Comares room, the oratory, the Partal royal baths, and construction around the playground.
Key Architectural Areas
Parts of the original structure remain, featuring stilted semicircular arcades decorated with acanthus leaves.
The Comares Area
This nucleus comprises:
- The Courtyard of the Myrtles.
- The Board of the Boat.
- The Comares Room.
The Court of the Lions
The other main axis is the Area of the Lions, organized around a courtyard featuring a central fountain supported by lions. The surrounding rooms include those of the Kings, Abencerrajes, and Two Sisters. At the end of the Two Sisters room opens one of the most beautiful corners: the Daraxa balcony enclosure.
The Royal Baths and Gardens
The complete set includes royal baths and gardens. The most famous is the Generalife.
Generalife: A Place of Rest
The Generalife is the villa with gardens used by the Muslim kings of Granada as a resting place, situated in the Andalusian city of Granada, Spain. It was conceived as a rural village where ornamental gardens, orchards, and architecture were integrated near the Alhambra.
Garden Structure
The complex is formed by a group of buildings, courtyards, and gardens, making it one of the city's greatest attractions and, together with the Alhambra, one of the most remarkable architectural complexes of Muslim civil architecture.
External View
From the outside, one observes two pavilions located north and south, connected by a courtyard featuring a water course. These two sections have been significantly reformed.