Last wednesday we visited a sprawling archeological park in Granada known as the Alhambra. Literally ´the red one,´ the Alhambra refers to a collection of palaces, gardens, and defensive structures at the edge of the city of Granada which, due to the red brick used in most of its buildings, reflects a red hue when viewed from afar. The site was occupied throughout the Middle Ages by whomever happened to control Southern Spain at the time – and each occupier gradually expanded the Alhambra by adding structures that reflected his own architectural style. Today´s Alhmabra is the result of more than a thousand years of construction and renovation.
Many historians assume that some sort of Roman outpost existed at the site of the Alhambra (due to descriptions by later builders), but that is not entirely known. The first confirmed construction at the Alhambra was undertaken by Moors in the ninth century, and some Arabs took refuge inside the fortress around the turn of the tenth century; though contemporary accounts described the Alhambra as a small outpost incapable of defending against a significant invasion. The Alhambra then disappeared from written history for over hundred years.
In the eleventh century the Alhambra resurfaced in the unlikeliest of hands. Samuel Ibn Naghrela, more commonly known as Shmuel HaNagid, the famous Jewish vizier, renovated some ruins (by his own description) located at the site of the Alhambra. In his poetry he describes the Alhambra quite vividly, leading some historians to suspect that he even built himself a house inside the fortress. Once again, however, the scope of the construction was limited and the Alhambra was razed soon after.
Most of the ruins that have survived until today are from construction by Muslim rulers between the 13th and 15th centuries. The Alhambra first became a complex fortress under the Muslim king Ibn Nasr in the 13th century. At the turn of the 14th century, Muhammad III built the Partal Palace, the oldest surviving palace. Around three or four decades later, Muhammad V contructed the so-called Palace of the Lions, the architectural pinnacle of the Alhambra. During our visit last week, we spent a great deal of time admiring the beautiful fountains and pools and marveled at the complex water system which somehow gushed water out of the many fountains without using any pumping equipment. Unfortunately, the main fountain supported by matching stone lions (for which the palace is named) was under construction, so we did not have the oppurtunity to see it for ourselves. Instead, we explored the Generalife, a magnificient garden designed in the Moorish style.
In 1491, King Ferdinand of Castille conquered Granada and the Alhambra reverted to Christian control. The last major addition to the site was a palace in a Neo-Roman style begun by Charles V in 1526. Unlike the Alhambra´s previous owners, King Charles did not use the fortress as his center of operations, but as a kind of vacation home: the palace was one of nearly a dozen he built throughout his empire.
The construction of this particular palace has a rather uninspiring history. As I mentioned, contruction commenced in 1526, but by 1550 only most of the facades of the building had actually been completed. Beginning in 1568, Moorish rebellions stalled construction for around 15 years and work continued sluggishly under Charles´ successors. With most of the palace and courtyard completed, the entire project was abandoned in 163 with the roof unfinished. A year later, King Philip IV visited the Alhambra but did not reside at the palace because the roof was unfinished.
The entire complex (palaces, gardens, and fortresses) as seen today is the result of a massive reconstruction project which began in the 1920s. Personally, the knowledge that the standing structures are not original detracted from my experience: I flew over the Atlantic to get up close to real history, not tour a modern copy (this is part of a general quibble I have with the liberties Spain takes in restoring ancient sites in an attempt to attract tourists). Nevertheless, the reconstruction was undertaken with incredible attention to detail and respect for authenticity, and the Alhambra is a site to behold.
Mordecai Segall
Leave a comment