spain series │ episode three
hey there & welcome back to my spain series! travel with me to spain through seven posts, launching on tuesdays. i hope you can experience a bit of the beauty of spain & the wonder of travel as i go day-by-day through my trip. more pictures than words (click on the pictures to expand), i’m really excited to honor this opportunity as i share my adventure through my eyes, and of course, all my thoughts <3
i'm so excited because this is my favorite place we went: the alhambra! this was the one thing i researched before the trip (because school assignments yippee). and it did not disappoint. it was incredible & the gardens were the most dreamy thing i've ever seen. just admire the pictures, and if you want to learn something, read part of my research paper :)) enjoy!
(don't forget to click through the slideshow of pics above)
if you look up the alhambra, you'll find that it's a palace and fortress complex located in granada, a city in the andalusia region of spain. one of the most famous and best-preserved monuments of islamic architecture, the palace has such a cool history. so, let's cut to my research paper :)
the rise and fall of empires has left itson the mark spanish city of granada, apparent by the beautiful fusion of culture. the name of the city, possibly stemming from the spanish word for “pomegranate,” or the moorish name, “karnattah” (gharnāṭ), meaning “hill of strangers.”
as represented by the islamic architecture, granada became the moorish center in spain until falling to the conquest of the catholic rule of ferdinand II and isabella I in 1492. during catholic control, muslims and jews were forced out of the city, fleeing to albaicín, a town north of the alhambra. to summarize, the influence of culture and heritage from north africa, including islam (also known as the moors), the roman empire, and catholicism were all important parts of the history and shaping of granada. granada includes remnants of “renaissance, baroque, and neoclassical churches, convents, monasteries, hospitals, palaces, and mansions." modern history has also influenced granada, as it was home to federico garcía lorca, a famous spanish poet who was assassinated at the beginning of the spanish civil war.
the alhambra was constructed in the 1200s by a muslim king who ruled during the nasrid dynasty, and is now a unesco world heritage site. the outer walls of the alhambra were molded with tapia, or rammed earth, which has a red color. the palace was named after this color: alhambra means “the red castle” in arabic. during different periods of the day, however, the color of the exterior is affected by the sun, ranging from a deep red to a light pink. the Islamic architecture of the alhambra is stunning–intricate geometrical patterns in the interior, as well as in the gardens. courtyards with fountains, fruit trees, and tiled floors are just a few highlights. (fr)
other stunning architecture in granada includes the gothic cathedral santa maría de la encarnación. this church holds the royal chapel (in spanish, capilla real) with the tomb of ferdinand and isabella. the legendary monarchs chose granada as their resting place because they considered the defeat of the moors their most impressive accomplishment. the catedral de granada is also an important landmark. built of a mosque on top after the catholics took the city from the moors, the cathedral showcases the renaissance style of architecture, as well as the powershift of imperial control.
colorful, textured, and rich in history, granada’s collage of cultures and empires is extremely special. learning the history, architecture, and culture of the city can help you appreciate its grandeur. does your home have as many cultural influences as granada?
~ end paper ~ i hope that was interesting :) if you want to read the whole thing, go ahead.
i should've put that all in my granada post, but i didn't think of it.
at the alhambra, it was almost too much beauty to take in :) the intricacy of the patterns and carvings on the walls, the arches, the gardens, the views... insane. we also saw some flamenco dancers warming up on a big stage by the gardens. since wix is weird with videos, go to my insta if you want to see that (all my videos are in my spain reel). it was so dreamy & i wish i was a princess so i could live in beautiful gardens like that. <33
definitely add the alhambra to your bucket list bc you won't regret it :))
see you next tuesday in almería! xo, kate
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