The most perfect building of the complex is the Hall of the Two Sisters. It has two slabs of snow-white marble built into the floor. The dome is created in the form of honeycombs, consisting of 5000 cells. According to legend, two Christian sisters lived here. Imprisoned in the hall, separated from their beloved, they died of anguish.

Opposite the Hall of the Two Sisters is the Hall of Abensekhav (the painting in this hall can be seen in the photo on the left). The father of Boabdil, the last ruler of Granada, summoned them to this hall in 1482 to remove his son's rivals who claimed the throne. The executioner, who was waiting in the hall, executed 37 people from the Abensserach family: the path to the throne was free. Rust spots in the central fountain are associated with this event. The honeycomb dome resembling a star stands out in particular.

In 1526, on the east side of Plaza los Algibes, the palace of Charles V was built. The construction was not completed due to a revolt of the Moriscos. Created in the Renaissance style by the architect Pedro Machuca, the palace stands out from the rest of the buildings. Construction was carried out right up to 1957, so elements of different eras. In the form of a square with a round courtyard, it has two floors.

The abundance of towers, halls, rooms for transition from one building to another, reservoirs, parks amazes with engineering innovations, architectural fantasy and beauty. It is impossible to describe what cannot be described. The miracle of miracles surprised and will surprise everyone who visited this complex and those who only heard or read about it.

Is it possible to see everything?

It is impossible to see all the halls of the Alhambra in one day, and the buildings are all sorts of variations of the same architectural solutions. Having wandered, always with a guide, through the halls, rooms, which were described above, admiring the panoramic view from the towers, visit the museums: the Museum of Fine Arts and the Alhambra Museum. They are located in the building of the palace of Charles V.

The Alhambra Museum is located on the ground floor; it impresses with unique exhibits of Spanish, Arab cultures, exhibits located in the palaces of the Alhambra. The famous acquisition of the museum is the "Vase of Gazelles", described in all books on art.

If you are a connoisseur of painting, then visiting the Museum of Fine Arts on the second floor will impress you. The museum presents a rich exhibition of works by Spanish artists, other famous painters, such as Pablo Picasso. You can visit the museum throughout the week, except Sunday.

What can overshadow the journey to the pinnacle of beauty? (advice for tourists)

When visiting such a voluminous monument of architecture, think over the small details that can become a big problem and ruin your vacation.

Buy tickets in advance, order the services of a guide. Do not be stingy, let your excursion cost more than expected, but you will see and hear a lot of things that you didn’t even know about;

Take a closer look at the GRANADA CARD, you can save a lot with it;

You will have to walk a lot, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Don't hesitate to take it with you more water. It is not allowed to drink from the reservoirs on the territory of the complex. And thirst will haunt and near the fountains. Don't forget about scorching sun overhead if traveling in the summer. A headdress will not be superfluous;

Going on a journey, remember the folk wisdom: "He who gets up early, God gives to him." By leaving early, save time contemplating the beauties of the fortress. The queues will have to stand rather big;

The main thing is to take with you patience, good mood, positive attitude towards other people's wealth.

Interesting excursions to the Alhambra, and read our interesting articles about holidays in Spain ( links below).

The architectural and park ensemble of the Alhambra includes a fortress, palaces and gardens of the Moorish rulers. This complex is recognized the highest achievement of Muslim architects in Western Europe. Millions of tourists from all over the world come here every year to visit the museum of Islamic art and culture.

The Alhambra is located in southern Spain on top of a rocky plateau in the eastern part of Granada. Poets of the Middle Ages called this building "emerald pearl", emphasizing the expressive buildings against the blue sky, green forest and white snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

From the Arabic name "Alhambra" literally translates as "red castle". According to one version, the castle got its name because of the red flame of the torches that illuminated the many years of construction. The second version associates the name with the color of clay dried by the sun.

History of the Alhambra

The construction of the Alhambra began during the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Muslims in the VIII century. During the reign of the Nasrid dynasty from 1230 to 1492, Granada was the capital of the Emirate of Granada.

Having conquered the sunny lands of Spain, the Mauritanian emirs decided to create piece of heaven on earth This is how the Alhambra arose, surrounded by the shady gardens of Granada. For many years it served as the residence of many emirs.

The vast complex at that time included warehouses, baths, residential buildings, mosques, gardens and cemeteries, surrounded by a fortress wall with towers. The palaces of the Alhambra that have survived to this day mainly date from the 14th century.

From the inside, the complex is a harmonious combination of numerous graceful arches over ponds and canals, terraces and courtyards with fountains, water cascades, carved patterned windows, vaults, slender columns and picturesque gardens of the Alhambra. All this wonderful splendor is decorated with carved patterns on wood and stone, colorful mosaics, intricate Arabic script, ceramic tiles and floral ornaments.

water and light play a major role in the overall composition of the Alhambra. The sun's rays are reflected in the channels, glare in the spray of fountains and cascades that fill the reservoirs. All this splendor is buried in the greenery of cypress alleys, orange trees and bright colors of various colors.

Water for the Moors was the most valuable resource, which is reflected in the inscription preserved on the fountain in the lion's courtyard: "Look at the water and look at the reservoir, and you will not be able to decide whether the water is calm or the marble is flowing." The reservoirs and canals of the Alhambra were filled with melt water from the mountains. .

Get to the Alhambra possible on the way , through the park area on the slope of Cuesta de Gomerez (Cuesta de Gomerez) between the Gates of Justice and the Pomegranate Gates. During the reign of the Moors, the Gate of Justice was the main entrance to the Alhambra Palace.

A huge horseshoe-shaped gate greets visitors with an inscription in Arabic: “Praise be to God. There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. There is no other authority but God's."

Alhambra architecture

The architectural complex of the Alhambra consists of many rooms, towers, courtyards and passages. Each item is unique and has its own purpose. Many names speak for themselves: "Courtyard of the Lions" so named because of the 12 lions that adorn the fountain.

"Hall of the Two Sisters" got its name from two huge white marble slabs built into the floor. The stucco decoration and tiles of the Hall of the Two Sisters are perhaps the most impressive sight throughout the Alhambra. The hall has the largest Arabic stalactite vault. It is made in the form of honeycombs with approximately 5000 cells.

"Myrtle Yard" decorated with evergreen myrtle trellises.

For palace celebrations and ceremonies, the "Chamber of Ambassadors" was built. The high dome of the chamber is decorated with a shimmering star pattern.

most eastern part The Alhambra Palace is occupied by a defensive tower (Torre de las Damas) with a small mosque, an adjoining vaulted hall and a pool. The rest of the towers also deserve special attention.

Stands out sharply from the general background Palace of Kalos V. This is due to the fact that the palace on the territory of the Alhambra was built at a later time. The order to build the palace was given by the Roman King Charles V in the 16th century. At the center of the square structure lies a circular courtyard surrounded by Tuscan columns on the lower floor and an Ionic colonnade on the upper. Today the palace hosts musical and dance performances. The interior of the palace of Carlos V given over to the museum fine arts Granada and Archaeological Museum Alhambra.

Tickets to the Alhambra

You can visit the Alhambra in one of three periods: in the morning (from 8.30 to 14.00), in the afternoon (from 14.00 to 18.00) or in the evening (from 22.00 to 23.30 in summer period from March 15 to October 14, in winter from 20.00 to 21.30). Tickets are sold for one of the visiting periods, and you need to come during this period.

Tickets can be buy at the entrance to the complex both for cash at the box office and by bank transfer at the terminals. Since tickets purchased here are valid only on the day of purchase, it is better to arrive early.

Tickets can be order by phone can of La Caixa: +34958926031 , if calling from abroad, or 902888001 to call from Spain. Through the Internet tickets can be ordered on the official website www.alhambra-tickets.es

Ticket prices for the Alhambra

General admission ticket - 14 €

Children's ticket (from 12 to -15 years old) - 8 €

Children up to 12 years old - the entrance is free

Adults over 65 and EU pensioners - 9 €

Persons with disabilities - 8 €

Evening visit - 8 €

You can also book a guided tour 55 €. A tour of the Alhambra complex lasts about 3 hours. The average length of the route is 3.5 kilometers.

Lion Yard. Through the arcade you can see a beautiful courtyard built in the reign of Muhammad (1354-1391)

Alhambra- a palace complex on the eastern outskirts of Granada, an Andalusian city located about 80 km from the coast mediterranean sea. Granada was the last Moorish kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, and the Alhambra is the only Arab palace in Spain that has been almost completely preserved to this day. Built during the Reconquista, this formidable harsh fortress (it was said that it had 1100 towers) hid a real earthly paradise behind its walls. Poets called it the home of pleasure.

View of the Alhambra from the Generalife
(High garden) - summer palace of the Nasrid royal family, at that time connected to the fortress by a road.

The history of the palace, which grew out of the gorge dividing the city in two, begins in the 9th century. from the Alcazaba. In the XIII century. under Sultan Muhammad ibn Yusuf (Ibn al-Ahmar), the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, Granada became a military headquarters and the emir's residence. At that time, palace chambers, courtyards, baths and a mosque were built, water supply through canals was organized, and a whole city grew around the fortress. Ruins old fortress and now rise on one of the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, above the steep cliff of the Darro River, as a majestic frame of the Alhambra.
In the hole of its highest prosperity, in the XIV century. under Muhammad V, the Emirate of Granada was the richest region, and the Alhambra was a bustling city with numerous artisan workshops. Famous silk fabrics were made here, richly decorated with ornaments on a dark background, embroidered with gold, forged weapons, and made jewelry.

In 711, the troops of the Moors from North Africa occupied Spain, founding the first arab emirate(later caliphate) with its capital in Cordoba. For several centuries, these two cultures existed side by side. In 1236, during the Reconquista, the Moors were expelled from Cordoba, and Granada remained the stronghold of the Arabs.

In 1492, the Alhambra was surrendered to the troops of Ferdinand of Castile and Isabella of Aragon.

Palace colonnade. The contrast technique is used in the arcade - thin, fragile columns support a superbly decorated vault.

Granada was also considered the center of literature, music and medicine. With the fall of the emirate Arabic books by the will of the Toledo Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros, they were set on fire, sparing only hired tracts. However, the fortress was preserved, and it still remained royal palace, only now the Christian rulers of Castile.

NIGHT OF POWER

The Muslim month of Ramadan is reserved for fasting and special prayers. But why? On the night of the 26th to the 27th day of the month of Ramadan, a significant event took place: the Prophet Muhammad received the Divine Revelation - the Koran. The great night is called the Night of Power (Laylat al-qadr), the Night of the sending down of the Koran, the Night of Predestination: it is at this time that Allah decides on the fate of people. Laylat al-qadr is held in prayer vigil.

Now it is difficult to specify the exact date when the revelation of the Qur'an to Muhammad began. In order not to be mistaken, it is customary to devote all the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan to piety. Here is what the Qur'an says about the Night of Power: “Indeed, We sent him down on the Night of Power! And what will let you know what the night of power is? A night of power is better than a thousand months. Angels and the spirit descend into it with the permission of their Lord for all sorts of commands. She is the world for the dawn!” (Sura 97, verses 1-5).

There is no system or symmetry in the arrangement of the rooms and buildings of the palace. but there are dominants and links connecting them - this is the system of gardens, palace premises, courtyards and passages. One space is replaced by another, more reminiscent of ancient palaces (such as Knossos) than the European buildings familiar to us. II, at the same time, the layout of the Alhambra is not chaotic: the alternation of open and closed volumes sets the rhythm, it is also echoed by the light penetrating through the windows and between the columns of the arcades. Countless repetitions of architectural forms, arabesques, motifs, cascading over each other, create a feeling of dizziness. The walls are literally woven with endless ornaments (colored tiles, carved from stukka, alabaster, stone), but this saturation does not overwhelm, there is no heaviness in it. Various geometric forms used in the decoration, when combined, turn into a kind of living structure - a plant or a garden, a Garden of Eden. And just as the growth of leaves can be described by the mathematical sequence of the Fibonacci series, so the arrangement of elements in decorative compositions. The Alhambra obeys an internal logic. For example, a wall is always decorated according to the following formula: at the bottom there are multi-colored tiles, above - panels, pilasters, archivolts of arches, covered with a complex ornamental stucco relief. Then - the ceiling, window bars, cornices - all made of carved wood. If you peer into the complex, eye-catching spaces of the domes, the number of stalactites (mukarnaks) seems to be endless. Meanwhile, this variety is based on only seven combinations of elements, and they, in turn, are built on a combination of three simple geometric shapes - a square, a circle and a triangle. The masters of the Alhambra skillfully operated with this "alphabet", adding up words and entire ornamental poems.

Hall of the Abenserrachs.
14th century Architectural forms created from stone turn into a kind of naked crystal lattice of minerals, as if the inner nature of the stone comes to the surface and becomes a work of art.

Alhambra (“al-hamra”) means “red” in Arabic. Why the Alhambra got its name is not known for sure - maybe because of the walls shimmering with pink or because bonfires were lit during the construction of the fortress, as the historian Ibn al-Khatib wrote.

The Koran forbids depicting living beings and deities, so calligraphy is widely used in the decoration of Muslim palaces. Most of the Alhambra - quotes from the Koran and inscriptions glorifying the Sultan.

“Contemplate my beauty, and you will be imbued with understanding,” is written on the walls of the fortress on behalf of the fortress itself (Zumruk’s poem).

There are also poetic stanzas - qasidas (examples of Granada poetry that have come down to us), located on the walls at the level of the viewer's eyes. They draw attention to the beauty of architecture and reveal its meaning.
In the atmosphere of the Alhambra, in fact, there is more rationality and clear restraint than unbridled sensuality and dark secrets, as the romantics wanted to believe. But even after understanding some of the rules of the ornamental and spatial game, one never ceases to be amazed at “how it was invented” and “how perfectly made”, just like any other living creature of nature.

In 1832, Washington Irving's History of the Alhambra, published in 1832, was extremely popular with the reading public. Alhambra with its horseshoe arches, geometric ornaments, bright colors seemed to come to life pages of fairy tales "Thousand and one nights". Serious research, as well as the restoration of the ensemble, began only in 1870, when the Alhambra received the status of a national monument. Until that time, “the palaces of the nobles stood silent and boarded up, and the Alhambra, like an abandoned beauty, mourned alone among the dead gardens,” as Washington Irving wrote.

Gardens of the Alhambra. The gardens embrace the residential part of the palace and are located inside the courtyards. What we see today is the result of the work of the 19th century, but the main meaning has remained unchanged: these are beautiful paintings, the points of view of which were carefully calculated. Walking in the garden was possible only along stone-paved paths, since the plantations were about half a meter below their level.
The garden was created according to the Persian planning scheme, chakhar bag - a symmetrical four-part garden.
The gardens of the Alhambra were considered paradise incarnate.

One of the most famous places Alhambra - located next to the palace of Comares, which was part of the personal chambers of the Sultan Lion Court. The plan of the courtyard is strictly symmetrical: in the center is a fountain, around which there are 12 statues of lions (sculptures of the 11th century). Water noisily erupts from the lotus-shaped bowl and runs into four pools, often compared to the four rivers of paradise. From the east and west, the courtyard passes into the Hall of Kings (decorated with paintings depicting Nasrids) and the Hall of Stalactites. On the north and south sides of it are the Hall of the Two Sisters and the Hall of the Abenserrachs (it was named after the noble family of Granada, torn to pieces here at the end of the 15th century). These buildings received their names after the fall of the emirate. The hall of the two sisters was named after two identical huge marble slabs set into the floor.

The center of the residence of the rulers of the palace of Comares is the Myrtle Court with a rectangular reservoir in the center (its Spanish name "alberca" means "pool"). Nothing breaks the surface of the water, which reflects the thin columns of the arcades. Along the longitudinal undecorated walls are geometrically trimmed myrtle bushes. Previously, through the arches, a view of the neighboring apartments opened - two oblong halls (now only one remains - the Hall de la Barca on the north side). And above it rises the massif of the Comares tower, which got its name from the colored stained-glass windows in the windows (“kamariya”). The brightly lit courtyard borders on the twilight of the depths of the arcade, fine carvings adjoin the rough masonry of the tower wall. Shadow - light, open - closed, water - stone, peace - movement. It is the play of contrasts that creates the

Muslims believe that on the night of the 26th to the 27th day of the month of Rajab, the prophet, who was sleeping at the Kaaba, was awakened by the call: “Wake up, sleeping!”. Muhammad opened his eyes. In front of him, in a dazzling white robe, stood the angel Jabrail with an amazing animal - a white horse with a human face and luminous wings. On this mount, called al-Burak ("shine", "lightning"), Muhammad was instantly transported to Sinai, and then to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and heaven.

This is an architectural composition, which is outstanding achievement Moorish architects throughout Western Europe. It is located on a rocky plateau in the southeastern part of Granada and includes beautiful palaces, paradise gardens and ancient fortress. Every year, millions of tourists come to the south of Spain to see this miracle of Moorish architecture with their own eyes.

The name Alhambra is translated from Arabic as "red castle". Some associate the origin of the name with sun-dried clay from which palaces are made, others believe that the name comes from red torches that illuminated the territory during the construction of palaces.

History of the Alhambra

The development of the Alhambra began during the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Muslims who settled in southern Spain in the 8th century. During the reign of the Nasrid dynasty (1230-1492), Granada received the status of the capital of the Emir of Granada - Moorish possessions in Spain.

Mauritanian emirs wished to create paradise in places far from home - this is how the Alhambra arose among the gardens of Granada, which became the residence of the conquering emirs. At that time, the complex, surrounded by high walls with towers, included residential buildings, mosques, gardens, baths, warehouses and a cemetery. Only palaces built in the 14th century have survived to this day.

The interior decoration of the Alhambra complex harmoniously combines picturesque gardens and courtyards, decorated with fountains, ponds and canals with many exquisite arches, columns and carved windows. All this is decorated with traditional Arabic ligatures, colorful ceramic mosaics, floral ornaments and carved patterns on stone and wood.

The most important role in the composition of the Alhambra is given to water and light. Surrounded by fragrant vegetation, water overflows in many fountains and murmurs merrily in canals and cascades.

Water supplied to fountains and canals from mountain peaks The Sierra Nevada was highly prized by the Moors. And in general, streams, fountains and waterfalls are no less feature for the Arabs than for the Greeks columns.

The Alhambra consists of a complex of courtyards, rooms, towers and passages, each of which had its own purpose. The names speak for themselves:

• "Myrtle Yard" is decorated with evergreen myrtle trellises.
• The "Hall of the Two Sisters" is named after two large slabs of white marble built into the floor.
• The Courtyard of the Lions got its name from the fountain placed on the backs of 12 lions.

The Chamber of Ambassadors was created for official ceremonies and celebrations. The dome of the room is decorated with a shimmering star pattern.

Separately, it is worth noting the numerous towers of the Alhambra with beautifully decorated halls, pools and stunning views from their peaks.

Against the backdrop of all the buildings, the latest building stands out sharply - the palace of Carlos V. It was built in the 16th century and is a square building with a circular courtyard with Tuscan columns on the lower floor and an Ionic colonnade on the upper one. Currently, various concerts are held in the palace. Also, in indoor areas are the Museum of Fine Arts of Granada and the archaeological museum of the Alhambra.

Where is the Alhambra

The Alhambra Palace is located at Calle Real de la Alhambra, s/n, 18009 Granada, Spain

Phone:+34 958 02 79 71

- This is a fortress-castle of the times of the Moorish domination in Spain. Delightful architectural complex after restoration in the XIX-XX centuries, it was transformed into one of the most famous Spanish sights.

(Alhambra) is a masterpiece of Moorish architecture and is of interest to tourists from all over the world. Annually oldest castle Granada is visited by more than two million travelers.

History of the Alhambra in Granada

On the hill where the Alhambra in Granada is now located, there was an ancient dilapidated fortress. In the annals, it was mentioned for the first time in 889. Only in the XI century the citadel was attached to the medina - a quarter that was able to exist separately from the city during the blockade.

In 1238, Muhammad ibn Nasr, Caliph of Granada, chose the Alhambra as his residence. He ordered that the palace be fortified. This is how the towers of Ommazha and Observation Tower appeared. His successors, Muhammad II and Muhammad III, continued what had been started. During the reign of the Muslim emirs, the river direction around the hill underwent a change. And in the vacated territory, warehouses and bathhouses appeared, with the help of which it was possible to wait out a long blockade.

A real palace and rich royal residence the Alhambra fortress became in the XIV century under Emir Yusuf I, and then his successor, Muhammad V. During their reign, Granada was built Palace of Lions, new gates and baths, and the walls were decorated with carved ornaments on plaster.

After the reconquista in 1492, Granada and the Iberian Peninsula were liberated from Moorish rule. And the Alhambra was already transformed by representatives of the Spanish monarchy. In the 16th century, Charles V became the owner of a personal palace built on its territory - for which some original buildings demolished. Damage was also caused to the Alhambra ensemble itself, as many decorative elements were lost or deliberately destroyed.

The desire to exterminate Islam in the guise of a palace led to the fact that even decorative plaster was painted over. And one of the buildings was rebuilt into a palace with Italian features. The restoration of the Alhambra left to collapse began in the 19th century. But the result was not very successful.

In the next 60 years, the dynasty of architects J. Osorio took up a peculiar reconstruction of the Alhambra Palace in Granada. But much for the image of the castle was simply invented. Therefore, in the 20th century, the architect-restorer Leopoldo Balbas needed to correct the mistakes of his predecessors based on a thorough study of historical documents.

What to see in the Alhambra

Today's Alhambra in Granada is an architectural and park complex with a fortress, palaces (they house museums) and gardens. The Alhambra is divided into several spaces corresponding to the stages of its transformation.

The oldest part of the Alhambra - Alcazaba (name in Arabic of the ruler's reinforced city residence) at first it was the residence of the first caliphs from the Nasrid clan. Then it served as a military citadel of the complex, and the caliphs settled in the newly built palace.

In the Alcazaba, the towers remained intact:

• Destroyed and Honorary towers that stand in front of the entrance to the fort.
• The broken tower, so named because of the crack that cut it from top to bottom. In the middle niche of the structure lie the cores.
• Ommazha - a 26 m high tower partially served as a prison and a food warehouse.
• The four-story Watch Tower, whose height is 26.8 m. It is decorated with arches mounted on pylons. The bell on its western façade was restored after being struck by lightning in 1882.
• Cubic and Semicircular, on which observation platforms are located.

The Armory of the Alcazaba contains the foundations of the barracks for the military, the remains of a water tank and the entrance to the underground prison.

The Nasrid Palace consists of three large complexes.

• Meshuar is a building for receptions and courts.
• The Palace of Comares is the government residence of the caliph. The walls of the building are lined with tiles. Together with filigree wall carvings, a wonderful atmosphere is created here. In the Myrtle Courtyard in the Nasrid Palace, a reservoir is equipped, bordered by a hedge of myrtle.
• The Palace of Lions with a lion courtyard was the chambers of Caliph Mohammed V. The style of the building shows features of Christian art. The courtyard with a fountain, surrounded by 12 sculptures of the kings of the forests, is surrounded by arches with 124 pylons. The entrance hall to the Palace of Lions, the Hall of Stalactites and the luxurious texture of the castle walls with inscriptions from the Koran preserve the Moorish style of architecture. Hall of the Boat in the Palace of the Lions - with walls decorated with stucco decorations depicting the emblem of the Nasrids. Mozarab bowls and muqarnas (cellular vaults) also serve as decor. At the entrance to the Hall of the Abenserrachs there are two arches with a transition between them. The hall walls are decorated with arches and tiles in the Renaissance style, and the pylons are made of blue beams. Painted ceilings and cellular vaulting add beauty to the space.

The building in the style of the Italian Renaissance took a long time to build and got its current look in the 20th century. The first floor houses the Alhambra Museum, which exhibits artifacts found by archaeologists during excavations. The second floor of the castle is equipped as the Museum of Fine Arts of Granada. The Temple of Santa Maria has been located near the Palace of Charles V since 1618, when its construction was completed on the site of the previous mosque. The castle has a Round Court, its diameter is 30 meters.

Upper Alhambra in Granada

This part of the attraction mainly consists of gardens planted where the city block once was. It is worth mentioning the gardens of Adarve, Partal and Generalife (the latter - with the same official country residence kings).

Useful information about the Alhambra

6 interesting features of the attraction

1. Alhambra means "red castle" in Arabic. According to some reports, this name was inspired by the similarity with the tonality of building clay, dried under the sun. According to another version, the “red flames of torches” that illuminated the castle during the periods of construction gave this name to the attraction.
2. Filled with eloquence and the names of the buildings of the Alhambra. So, the Hall of the Two Sisters got its name due to the 2-dimensional slabs of white marble built into the floor.
3. The poets of the Middle Ages presented the Alhambra in their works as an "emerald pearl", emphasizing its beauty in the conditions of the greenery of forest plants, the blueness of the sky and the snow-covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada.
4. In the church of Santa Maria, the first liturgy was held after the deliverance of the city from the Moors.
5. The Hall of the Abenserrachs in the Palace of the Lions in the middle has a marble shell with rust-like stains. According to legend, they arose shortly after the guillotining of all the rulers from the Abenserrach dynasty.
6. The Comares Tower behind the Myrtle Courtyard is the tallest of its kind in the Alhambra. It reaches a height of 45 m.

The price includes a visit Alcazaba, Nasrid Palace and Upper Alhambra. Entry to the Palace of Charles V, the Alhambra Museum and the Muslim Bath is free for all.

Tickets to the Alhambra better to buy in advance. AT tourist season Tickets for the current and upcoming dates may not be available. The average time to visit the Alhambra is 3 hours.

When buying tickets, you must select the date and time of your visit. If you do not arrive at the appointed time, then the tickets will be lost, while cost is non-refundable. You can buy tickets online or check their availability on the official website: https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es/

Other ticket options for the Alhambra:

• Visiting the Alhambra without the Nasrid Palace: 7 euros
• Night visit to the Nasrid Palaces: 8 euros
• Night visit to the Gardens and Generalife: 5 euros
• Alhambra visit without Nasrid Palace + Night visit to Nasrid Palace: 14 euros (for two consecutive days)
• Alhambra visit + Rodriguez Acosta Foundation: 17 euros

How to get to the Alhambra:

• Walking distance from Plaza Nueva along the historical beautiful streets (about 1150 m to the entrance to the Alhambra)
• Walking from the slope Cuesta del Rey Chico between the walls of the citadel and beautiful panoramas
  (about 860 m to the entrance to the Alhambra)
• By bus: line C30, C32, C35
• By car: Via Ronda Sur (A-395) of the city, as private vehicles are not allowed to access the Alhambra from the city center