Embrujo de la Alhambra

The magic of the Alhambra

Note: this is also the name of a delicious tea they sell here.

Yesterday for our visita de arte y arquitectura, we went to the Alhambra. More specifically, we went to the part of the Alhambra that is not open to tourists. The Alhambra is a 1000-year-old Islamic fortress, perfectly situated. It was never taken by force (the Muslims surrendered to Isabel and Ferdinand) because it was so ideally located and reinforced. However, much of it was destroyed by French bombs. It was rebuilt in the 1920s or so in what the architects of the time thought was the ultimate Islamic palace. It's romanticized and basically made-up. It's not old, it's not accurate, it's just not real. (It is, however, beautiful). BUT. The French didn't destroy everything. Some of the original building remains, but it's not open to the public.

I took about a hundred pictures, but close to zero notes because I spent the whole three hours gazing around with my mouth open. Some highlights:

This is the Alcazar, the old military compound. The right side had houses for generals and higher-ups, the left was storehouses and armories.

This is the oldest part of the Alhambra. It's over 1000 years old. It was the entrance to a palace that stood here before the Alhambra was built (though the original palace was also named Alhambra, which means Red Castle).

The original main path up the mountain. It was patrolled at all times. This door was for civilians and visitors; soldiers used a door in the back, which is still used. This one is being excavated. When it was occupied, the mountain was stripped of trees and bushes so no one could hide there.

Islamic ideas of paradise feel pretty similar to my own.

Some of the last remaining original Islamic paintings. In its prime the whole building was painted (cheaper than 3D decorations. Still gaudy, but less durable). Anyway in this teeny tiny tower on the lower floor are the only original wall paintings that have survived. And on the floor above...

...is my favorite room. The walls were covered in 17th century Christian paintings, mostly depicting the Battle of Tunis. There were also birds and flowers and putti and every beautiful thing. They haven't been restored or fussed with, so the paint's a bit faded and there's graffiti scratched in everywhere. But I didn't really mind, because the dates were years like 1908, 1843, 1786, 1708!! I tried to take lots of pictures but the room was too small for the amount of people in there (my class of 15 or so) and we couldn't use flash. This panel was my favorite because of the boats, of course, and the blue blue blue, but I also loved the birds and flowers. Ah! I never wanted to leave.

Alas, I had to, and now the sun is out and the weekend is here, and I'm on to other beautiful things.