Long-long time ago in Al-Andalus the remains of a Roman fortification were found. More than half a millennium before that a Berber commander led a force to what we now call ‘Europe’. It landed at the Gibraltar at the beginning of the 8th century. The Alhambra is a historical palace in Spain.
The Muslim occupation began. It invaded the territories of modern Spain, Portugal and southern France, at one point. Muslim Spain. Islamic Iberia. It was so until 1492, when the last Muslim bas-tion fell. Its name was Granada.
Not many people know these Spanish historical pages. Nevertheless, it was nearly a thousand year long story.
After the ancient Roman fortification had been discovered by the Muslims, it was turned into a pal-ace. After the Christian Reconquista The Alhambra became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isa-bella. This was the place where Christopher Columbus got the Queen’s permission to start his ex-pedition. The story of the Alhambra is impressive. It was later associated with numerous royalties, Napoleon and Northern Romanists. Its history is still being written.
A UNESCO’s World Heritage Site
Nowadays, it is Spain’s most famous monument of Islamic architecture. As well as later Christian building. No surprise that the Alhambra is a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. Each year it attracts millions of tourists and never fails to inspire writers, artists and simple romantics.
But it is not only the palace that can be admired. The park around it deserves just as much time and attention. You can find different wildflowers, roses, oranges and myrtles there. Fountains, cas-cades, nightingales – these are the peaceful sounds of the wonderful garden. The Alhambra was extended throughout time by different rulers, but one thing remained untouched. The theme of the whole palace. ‘Paradise on earth’.
The Alhambra Location
It is located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. Its name can be translated from Arabic as ‘the Red Castle’. It is a huge architectural ensemble that surely is worth visiting. The Alhambra is located on top of a hill. The experts highly recommend you to walk to the palace in order to enjoy the spec-tacular views. But you can always take a bus right to the ticket office or get there by car.
Tickets
It is important to note that the number of daily tickets is limited. That is why it is better to book a ticket in advance and online. The final entrance is one hour before the closing time. There are three types of tickets: morning, afternoon and night. The morning ticket is usually from 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the evening – from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
You can also pay a night visit to the Nasrid Palaces or the Gardens and Palace of the Generalife, but it will last only for one and a half hours. If you have a morning ticket, you can not visit the pal-ace in the afternoon. And the other way round. So check all of the timing and remember that the opening hours differ in various seasons. Entrance to the Nasrid Palace has a strict time that is in-dicated on the ticket. Be sure to consult that. And, maybe, even manage your visit around that time. There is also a separate ticket only for a visit to the gardens.
The prices vary from 5 to 14 euros. Children get either a discount or a free admission. As well as senior citizens and pensioners from the European Union.
Some Useful Tourists Information
There is a parking, gift and bookshop, audio guides and plenty of information points. At the entrance you will be able to find a map with the itinerary of the visit. You might also like to have a look at the Alhambra Museum. It is dedicated to the Hispano-Muslim culture and art. Bare in mind that it is closed on Monday. But there are a few other museums worth visiting that you will find on the ter-ritory. Most of the admissions are free, some are only 1.50 euros.
