Hello fellow travelers. Granada is a city in southern Spain. It doesn’t seem to be very popular with the mainstream. These days, it’s all about Barcelona. However, this beautiful city is a must-see if you’re going to the south of Spain.
About Granada:
Granada sits on the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Do not confuse this with the mountain range in the western United States. Its name means “pomegranate” in Spanish, and the fruit is the heraldic symbol of the city. The city has a heavy Arabic influence, with the most prominent example being its Alhambra fortress.
Alhambra
The Alhambra is a Moorish fortress in Granada, and is the most well-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world. In addition, the palace also contains examples of stunning Renaissance architecture. Albaicín, which is a neighborhood in the city, is considered an extension of the fortress.
The exterior of the fortress.
Cannons on the exterior of the fortress
A view of Albaicín
There were plenty of cats on the propetty- here’s one taking a little nap
Some of the Moorish tiles
One of the many courtyards dotting the property.
A Moorish carving on the wall.
A fountain featuring lions
Two beautiful paintings
A view of the Sieera Nevada foothills
One of the many towers at the fortress
Another view of the foothills- featuring one of the four palaces scattered throughout the fortress complex.
A view of the fortress walls and one of the towers with Albaicín in the background.
Another view of Albaicín
This is one of my favorite photos taken at the Alhambra. You can see the walls of the fortress complex with Albaicín and the foothills in the background.
One of the many fountains dotting the fortress.
This is one of the many examples of symmetry in Moorish architecture. If you split this ceiling piece down the middle, each half is going to be identical.
A rainbow stained glass window in one of the sultan’s rooms.
The city
The city of Granada is not far from Alhambra. It is only 15 minutes away. Like the fortress complex, there is a lot of Arabic influence.
The Queen Isabel theater
One of the examples of Moorish architecture in the city- a mihrab. You’ll have seen a prime example of a mihrab in my Cordoba post . This is a much smaller mihrab as it is one shared by neighbors.
A small clock tower
Granada Cathedral
The Granada Cathedral (Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Incarnation) is the city’s main cathedral. Like many other cathedrals in Andalusia, it was built on top of the city’s main mosque. This occurred after the Reconquisition of Spain from the Moors. The cathedral is unique because it does not stand alone like other cathedrals in Spain. Instead, it stands alongside a neighborhood.
The exterior of the front of the cathedral
A closer look at the facade
A carving that says “Ave Maria”- a prayer dedicated to the Virgin Mary
One of the many carvings on the cathedral facade. It features angels.
A plaque dedicated to Diego de Siloé. Siloe was a famous Renaissance sculptor and architect. He helped construct and design the Granada Cathedral. When translated, the plaque reads:
The Honorable Council of the City of Granada opened and built this passage dedicated to the architect Diego de Siloe in 1982
The Monument to Isabella the Catholic.
Food
We went to two places to have tapas, in order to experience true Spanish life. The first restaurant we went to was called Los Manueles
I had several items at Los Manueles. They were a potato croquette, Russian potato salad, an Iberian ham sandwich, and some fried cabbage. I also had some lemon and orange Fanta.
The second restaurant was called La Picateria, a small restaurant inside Granada’s San Agustin Market.
The dishes we had at La Picateria were delicious. We enjoyed crispy pork with string fries. We also had eggplants in sweet soy sauce. Lastly, we savored piononos, a small Spanish pastry.
Conclusion
Granada is a nice little stop for a day or two if you’re traveling through southern Spain. The culture there is unlike any other, and the Alhambra is definitely worth a visit if you can get in.
Have you been to Granada before?
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