Adelaide's Travel Notes - Spain

Spain
Granada

Alhambra is certainly the highlight of any visit to Granada. It is composed by a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th century. This is the Court of Myrtles.
	Decorated arches bring you from courtyards with fountains to spacious rooms. The delicate carved ornaments are a feast to the eyes. Some resemble lace.


The Court of Lions is maybe the most photographed section of the Alhambra, whose name means "the red one", in a reference to the colour of the mountain on which it is built.
	The Generalife, with its beautiful gardens, used to be a summer retreat for the sultans.
A mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles is found at the Cathedral.	Like in many Spanish churches, there is a lot of gold brought from the New World, as seen here on the beautiful organ.
Granada was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband King Fernando of Aragon. On the right, a statue of Columbus with Queen Isabel.
	The Albaicín, on the other side of the river from the hill of Alhambra, is a well preserved Moorish quarter of narrow cobblestone streets and whitewashed houses.
Built in the 16th century and enlarged later, the Monastery of La Cartuja is a fine example of Baroque architecture. There are many beautiful paintings on the walls.

Links
Andalucia.Com
Granada, The Moorish Jewel, by All About Spain
The historic city of Granada , by Tuspain
Granada en la Red: Information about Granada
The Alhambra, by Tuspain
Self-Guided Tour of the Alhambra, by Rick Steves