Alhambra is an ancient palace, fortress located in Granada, Spain. The red walls and towers surrounding the ancient fortress of the eighth century were named: Al-Qawal al-Hamra in Arabic means Red Fort or Palace. It is the only surviving Palatine city (royal territorial center) of the Islamic Golden Age, and part of the Nasrid dynasty, the last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe. In 1984, Alhambra has declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Alhambra is located on the summit of Mount Sabika, west of the city of Granada. This is a strategic environment that offers views of the entire city of Granada and the Grenada Plains (Viga). This is an intricate and irregular shape, surrounded by defensive walls. Alhambra, with more than a mile of walls, 30 towers, and numerous small structures, covers nearly 26 acres.
Mount Sabika and its Palatine city are still surrounded by mountains, and Arab writers once likened Granada and Alhambra to a crown and a diamond, respectively. At the foot of the plateau is the Darro River, which runs north through a deep valley. The river is separated from the Sabica by the Albaicin, a residential district of the Moorish, and the medieval part of Granada with the Alhambra.
Tenerife Park, on the other hand, is located on the slopes of Mount Sun. Tenerife contained residential buildings and land used for grass and cultivation and was designed as a resting place for Muslim royalty living in Alhambra.
Alhambra Complex
In the early days of Alhambra, there were three main sections: the Al Qaeda, the military base of the guards and their families, the palace area containing several palaces for the Sultan and his relatives, and the Medina, the area where court officials lived and worked.
Nasrid Palace was divided into three independent areas. These areas included Mexar (for the administration of justice and public affairs), which is part of the palace’s quasi-state. The palace of the Sultan, the official residence of the Sultan, (an outdoor area with a large central pond with myrtle bushes) with several rooms around the Maltese courtyard belonged to the king and his family and concubine. There was also a Lions Palace, a private area of the palace. The Alhambra complex contained a number of other structures, perhaps the most prominent being the Lions ‘Palace (or Lions’ Courtyard). The courtyard is named for the central fountain, which is surrounded by twelve lions.
Among the other famous structures is a hall with a ceiling, which is a legend that a noble family was murdered. There is also a hall of ambassadors, a chamber where the Islamic emir (commanders) discuss with the Christians. The oldest part of Alhambra is the Alcazaba. Although the Nasrid dynasty used the fortress of Alcazaba as a military base for the royal guards of the Sultan, experts believe that this structure was built before the Muslims arrived in Granada. The first historical records of Al-Qasabah (and the Greater Alhambra) date back to the 9th century. They refer to a man named Sawar ben Hamdun, who sought refuge in the Alcazaba Fortress due to civil wars between Muslims and Muladis (of mixed Arab and European descent). Arabic texts state that Sawwar ben Hamdun and other Muslims began new construction on the fort.
However, Alhambra was largely ignored until at least the 11th century, when the Zirid dynasty settled in Alcazaba Cadima (old fortress) in Albaicín. In order to protect an important Jewish settlement in the area, Vizier Samuel ibn Nahgralla restored and rebuilt the ruins of Sabica and built a palace for emir Badis ben Habus.
In 1238, Mohammed Ben al-Hamar (Mohammed I), the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, settled in Alcazaba, Albaikan, but was attracted to the ruins of Mount Sabika. He later established a new royal residence in Alhambra, and today began to create the city of Palatine.
