Granada was first settled by native tribes in the
prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised
southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris.
The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its
current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to
the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile
and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture
is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the
Nazari Dynasty in the 14th C. This mighty compound of buildings
– including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains
and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range,
the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile
plain of Granada.
At the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive
Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance
architecture. Other major Christian monuments found in the city
are the Cathedral, including the Royal Chapel where Isabel and Ferdinand
lie buried, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches built
by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudéjar"
style. For information about visiting times, tickets etc click
here.
The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish
casbah or "medina", called the Albaicin, a fascinating
labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded
inner gardens, known as "cármenes". The Plaza de
San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for
its magnificent view of the Moorish palace.
The Sacromonte hill, which overlooks the city from
the North, is famous for its cave dwellings, once the home of Granada's
large gypsy community.
The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may
mean "great castle", for the Roman fortress which once
stood on the Albaicin Hill. When the Moors came here, the town was
largely inhabited by Jews, for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud
- Granada of the Jews. The Jews are said to have been one of the
first peoples to settle in Spain, even before the Romans. For more
interesting facts about Granada click
here.
Accommodation
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Cortijo
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Apartments Montes Claros
Our 7 apartments and caves provide a unique and alternative stay in the city. In the heart of historic part of Granada, 5 minutes from the centre our place has spectacular views of the Alhambra with patios, swimming pools, internet etc
Charming
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