Alhambra

El Alhambra from hte Albaycin

I have seen a number of palaces and fortresses in my time, Windsor, Versailles, the great crusader castle Al Karak in Jordan, the Red Fort in Delhi and the great Rajastani walled cities, of which Jaipur is the biggest, but I am not sure that any compare with the Alhambra, which for me is up there with Petra.  Built by the Muslim sultans of Granada high over what is now the current city it is an impressive complex of palace, fortification and courtyards with lavish pleasure gardens, pools and water fountains.  The original walled city included a medina, where the city inhabitants lived, and large cultivated areas for food production.  It is massive, but it is not just its size that makes it so impressive, it is the sheer beauty.  The Moors certainly knew how to live - the gardens are perfectly hedged and planted with an abundance of flowering and scented plants, including roses to rival Flemington.

The gardens of Generalife in the Alhambra

This is the palace that Isabella and Ferdinand won from Sultan Boabdil and, unfortunately they immediately set about 'christianising' the place, with their grandson, Emperor Charles V, later building a travesty of a huge Baroque palace in the middle of the complex.  Fortunately the Moorish architecture and gardens still dominate and make this a very special place.  We had dinner last night (for my birthday, and thank you for the cards and messages) at a restaurant that overlooks the palace and it is even more beautiful lit up at night.  Tim and Alistair - you may recall a similar experience dining in Rajasthan overlooking the glorious Jaiselmir palace.

A pool in the main palace complex

Anyway, words will not do Alhambra justice, so I will let Tom take over with pictures.

Carving in  an Archway

Detail of a door

El Alhambra from the Peridor San Nicholas in the Albaycin at evening