Granada

History of Granada

The city of Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the confluence of the Darro and Genil rivers. Its unique history has bestowed it with an artistic grandeur embracing Moorish palaces and Christian Renaissance treasures. As the last Moorish capital on the Iberian peninsula, it also holds great symbolic value. 

The city of Granada has been shaped by the hills, where the old districts in the Albaicin and the Alhambra were founded, brimming with steep, narrow streets, beautiful nooks and corners, and marvelous landscapes. The new part of the city is situated on the plain, crisscrossed by the large arteries of Gran Via and Colon and Calle de los Reyes Catolicos, and where the busy streets around the Cathedral are found.

The Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 and settled in what was then a small Visigoth town perched atop the Alhambra hill. Here they settled, erected walls and laid the foundation for the prosperous civilization that would follow. It was in the 9th century when Granada rose to importance after the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba. Its splendor was reached in 1238, when Mohammed ben Nasar founded the Nasrid dynasty, and the kingdom of Granada stretched from Gibraltar to Murcia. This dynasty bore 20 kings and until King Boabdil was forced to surrender Granada to the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, in 1492. During 3 centuries, a magnificent and rich Islamic culture flourished, leaving Granada with architectural marvels of the caliber of the Alhambra, declared a World Heritage Site, along with the Generalife and the Albaicin.

Granada, a student town set in the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is the capital of the province with the same name situated in the eastern part of the region of Andalusia. Geographical and scenic diversity characterized the land. There is the coastal with its warm climate; the extensive, fertile Genil plain; and the mountainous region with a colder climate, where we find the 3,481 meter Mulhacen, the highest peak on the peninsula. The city of Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the confluence of the Darro and Genil rivers. Its unique history has bestowed it with an artistic grandeur embracing Moorish palaces and Christian Renaissance treasures. As the last Moorish capital on the Iberian peninsula, it also holds great symbolic value. 

The city of Granada has been shaped by the hills, where the old districts in the Albaicin and the Alhambra were founded, brimming with steep, narrow streets, beautiful nooks and corners, and marvelous landscapes. The new part of the city is situated on the plain, crisscrossed by the large arteries of Gran Via and Colon and Calle de los Reyes Catolicos, and where the busy streets around the Cathedral are found.

The Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 and settled in what was then a small Visigoth town perched atop the Alhambra hill. Here they settled, erected walls and laid the foundation for the prosperous civilization that would follow. It was in the 9th century when Granada rose to importance after the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba. Its splendor was reached in 1238, when Mohammed ben Nasar founded the Nasrid dynasty, and the kingdom of Granada stretched from Gibraltar to Murcia. This dynasty bore 20 kings and until King Boabdil was forced to surrender Granada to the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella,(who are buried in the Cathedral of Granada) in 1492. During 3 centuries, a magnificent and rich Islamic culture flourished, leaving Granada with architectural marvels of the caliber of the Alhambra, declared a World Heritage Site, along with the Generalife and the Albaicin.

The main attraction is the “Alhambra Palace”. The mighty yet graceful citadel was planned by the 13th. century ruler, Al Ahamar. The American writer Washington Irving lived in and wrote his “Tales of the Alhambra” there. A fantasy of “lace in stone” the shallow pools reflecting the sky and trees is pure joy to walk through and is perhaps one of the best example of ancient Arab architecture in western Europe. Surrounded by arabesque gardens and fountains, it affords superb views of the old quarter and Sacromonte, a mountain occupied by gypsy cave dwellers. It was here that the relics of the patron saint of the city were found. One can also amble through the magnificent Water Gardens of the Generalife, the royal summer residence. 

For those interested in Jewish history, as in other parts of Spain, Jews played an important role in the history of Granada. The eminent 10th century Arabic historian, Ahmad ar-Razi wrote that the Moors call this city Charnatat-Al-Yahud, Granada of the Jews. Another Arab chronicler comments that “who ever has not seen the splendor of the Jews in Granada, their good fortune and their glory, has never seen true glory-for they were great with wisdom and piety. Among the Jews of Granada was Samuel ha-Nagid (the Prince). There are few remains of the old Jewish quarter which was located in the lower part of the city. The old synagogue, Beeth Jaacob, however is part of Granada’s history. 

Granada, apart from the city, which is a shoppers delight, has many other places of interest, such as the Sierra Nevada. Here one can ski on the southern slopes. Also one can visit the “Alpujarra” region and go to Lanjaron, site of the most famous spa in Spain. Other towns of interest are, Montefrio, Loja, Santa Fe and Guadix, one of the oldest settlements in Spain. The landscape is marked by cave dwellings carved out of the hills. Then there is Granada’s lovely coast, with coastal towns like Alumuñar, Salobreña and Motril.

Further away from Granada are two towns, Bailen and Ubeda, in the province of Jaen.

Bailen: a typical Andalucian town, in other words, white houses, squares and animated streets.

Ubeda, this town has an important selection of monuments, a fact which has led it to be declared of historic and artistic interest. It is the great center of Andalucian Renaissance architecture, and most of this is concentrated around the Plaza de Vazquez de la Molina where one can also see the Church of La Sacra Capilla del Salvador. Throughout the town there is an abundance of churches, palaces and delightful corners.