Creative, carefully placed details always make me fall in love with a place. Nowhere is that more true than the restored palace grounds of the Alhambra in Granada.
Even today, when it’s completely empty and unoccupied, it exudes a regal almost magical energy. You can just imagine what it must have been like when it was new, with its sky high bejeweled ceilings, long columned hallways and vast chambers covered in mosaics and carvings bustling with royal activity. The sound of gurgling fountains audible just outside in the fragrant gardens.
Intricate carvings and mosaics in rich earth and gem tones decorate the walls and ceilings of Alhambra and many buildings around Andalusia.
The patterns are endless and mesmerizing. A feat of geometry, this is the first time in history we see tessellating tiles of many different shapes and sizes fitted together with such exactness.
Staring at them, it’s hard to imagine how many incredibly skilled and educated artists it took to even make each tile by hand and then place them perfectly together, sometimes even on curved ceilings hundreds of years ago.
If you look closely, embedded in the mosaic work there are frequent flourishes of ornate calligraphy quoting the Quran adorning the palace walls. Geometric patterns and calligraphy are popular styles of decoration for Muslim artists and patrons because the depiction of people is against the religion, strictly speaking.
However, signs of the Nasrid Dynasty’s religious moderacy are visible in the Alhambra, where there are a few precious frescoes depicting hunting and scenes from palace life. You can also find many a Nasrid family crest or mention of their conquests amongst the swirling decor.
When constructing the Alhambra, the rulers strived to create heaven on earth. The design has stood the test of time due to innovative details during construction. For example, there was a layer of lead added where the columns meet the ceiling, allowing flexibility against energy waves during earthquakes.
Outside they created lush gardens of fruit trees and flowers. Inside, they created glittering starry night skies and stylized stalactite shapes carved into the great domed ceilings.
From the Alhambra, you can spot the cave homes of the remote hilltop neighborhood called Sacromonte.
Sacromonte is an enchanting hilltop neighborhood where the Romani people of Granada built their homes and still live today. When you make it up the hill, the area has a nice mix of local people living there and tourists exploring so it feels more authentic and less contrived.
Wandering around, we stumbled upon this beautiful outdoor altar space, whose eerie central figure is of Mary in a Spanish polka dot flamenco dress, reflecting the cultural beliefs and traditional dress of the locals. Notice the offering plate with a glass orb on it and the colorful birds pinned to her head.
Sacromonte was once a place of refuge from the persecution the Romani faced in the city below. Today it is the center of the flamenco culture of Granada and is full of great restaurants and bars.
Some of the original cave homes are open to the public and host passionate flamenco performances over local tapas and wine. The walls are covered in portraits and flamenco scenes and the ceilings are covered with copper cookware.
Or if you’re not prepared for a late night, it’s also lovely place to sit at an outdoor cafe with a glass of wine and some tapas while you take in the sunset view of Granada below. Any time of day, take the time to enjoy Sacromonte. It’s worth the hike.
