Granada

Buenos Dias to all my followers,
Again the rain did not slow us down but it certainly made for less than ideal conditions in Granada today.  We spent 3 hours at the Alhambra.  It is an amazing complex made more interesting by our local guide.  Elena was knowledgeable and very funny.

The Alhambra ( Red Castle ) is a 25 acre site that is a stunning example of the splendor of the Moorish rule over Southern Spain from 711 to 1492 ( that was a very big year in Spain....).  The Alambra was built from approx1200-1300.  It is a fortress that contains a palace, aqueducts and incredible gardens.  The artistic work on the wall and ceilings is detailed and intricate.  Breathtaking beauty.   The ceilings are decorated so richly because much of the muslem furniture at the time was thick carpets - silk in the summer and wool in the winter- so therefore, the royals and nobles often looked up.  Ceiling decorations were very important.

The Spainish finally drove the Moors out of Granada in 1492 and took over the Alhambra and the Southern kingdom. This was the last Moorish stronghold from the Spainish Reconquista that united all of the peninsula and turned Spain into a European  power.  The last piece of the Reconquista also gave Isabel and Ferdinand leeway to fund Christopher Columbus's trip to find a new route to India.  Also in 1492.  We were in the actual room where permission was given.

Isabel and Ferinand made some Christian changes to the Alhambra but it and Granada eventually lost their influence as the various kingdoms were untied and the capital of Spain was established in Madrid in 1581.  The Fotress then went through a series of uses including abandonment and occupation by both Gypsies and Napoleon's troops.  Both contributed to the demise of the Alhambra.  Fortunately, in the 20th century the Spainish government recognized the significance of the Fortress and has had it restored.  It now attracts 8,000 visitors a day.  It is spectacular.

We spent the rest of the day in Granada.  Shopping and enjoying an incredible Morracan lunch.