Our 2nd day in Granada we visited the Alhambra palace/fortress. It sits on a hill above the city and offers spectacular views for miles in all directions. For 700 years the Moors ruled in Spain, and the Alhambra is one of their most spectacular creations.
The Moors were a group of Muslims who arrive in Spain in 711. They were focused on enhancing their knowledge, and rescued the texts of ancient Greece and Rome. They understood geometry and the Alahambra palace reflects their knowledge. Every aspect of the palace was designed on a single set of ratios so each room flows cohesively. The architecture is decidedly Eastern; a far cry form the styles of Europe at the time.
In 1492, the Catholic monarchs of Spain, Isabel and Ferdinand, waged a campaign to expel the Moors from their last stronghold. They succeeded in driving out the Moors, in taking over their palace, and in starting the Inquisition.Much of the Alhambra is original, somehow it survived the genocidal tendencies of the Catholic Monarchs. I have to wonder if they didn’t know they were surrounded by Koran teachings. All of the beautiful carvings that decorate almost every inch of the palace are Arab script. There are excerpts from the Koran and poetry from the official court scribes of the Muslim kings.
In addition to poetry as decorative art, the Moors also understood how infusing a space with light and water can elicit different emotions. There are fountains and small waterways throughout the palace, contributing the sound of moving water to the ambiance. There are also sufficient windows and plazas allowing sunlight to stream in, quite a contrast from the contemporary thick walled Romanesque structures in Europe.
When we checked into our hotel, the lady at the front desk was adamant about seeing sunset over the Alhambra. So after our visit, we climbed a neighboring hill and sat in the gardens of the mosque to watch the sunset. It was a beautiful end to the day.
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