Granada - Alhambra

We visited Alhambra in 2007 and only drove through Granada on the way to the complex. Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex that was constructed as a fortress in 889 and was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Sultan Yusuf I of the Nasrid dynasty. The majority of the palace buildings are quadrangular in plan, with all the rooms opening on to a central court. The current structure reached its present size by the gradual addition of new quadrangles connected with each other by smaller rooms and passages. Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. The exterior was left plain and austere but the structure was designed to freely admit the sun and wind. The colors that were chiefly employed are blue, red, and a golden yellow, but are somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure. The Palace of Charles V was built by Charles V (Holy Roman Emperor) in 1527 in Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. The attached Generalife gardens or "Garden of the Architect" dates from the early 14th century and a wonderful walk. In a few word, Alhambra with the ornately engraved arches, walls, ceiling and windows is spectacularly beautiful and complex and worth visiting.