Alhambra Palaces & Alcazaba Fortress Granada Tourist Guide & Map

The Alhambra Introduction

Aerial View Bottom to Top left, Alcazaba, Alhambra, Generalife

The Alhambra is the most visited attraction in Spain & an 'Absolute Must Visit' if you are going to Andalusia or the Costa del Sol. Coach Day Trips are available from most Costa del Sol Resorts.

You are walking in the footsteps of both Moorish sultans, and Spanish kings and queens.

Main Areas of the Alhambra

The Alhambra is Split into Free to Visit Areas & Ticketed areas which are split into different areas

• The Nasrid Palaces.
• Generalife Palace & Gardens.
• Alcazaba Fortress.
• Combinations of the above.

Alhambra Tickets & Tours

All tickets have your name on them & a passport or recognised ID is required when you visit.

Various Tickets are available either

• For 1 or More of the Areas.
• Guided tour tickets which we recommend
• Entry Only Tickets
• or Entry Tickets with audio headphones.

• The only timed ticket is for the Nasrid Palaces. You must arrive in your 30 minute time slot. Late arrivals are refused entry.
  • It takes you 15 to 30 minutes walk from the main entrance
  • There may be long queues to enter, therefore arrange to arrive early. There are plenty of FREE sights to spend time in if you are early, located just before the Nasrid Palaces. Especially Charles V (Carlos V) Palace with its 2 museums
• Most ticketed areas can only be visited once.
• You need to carry your passport or ID Card with you because all tickets are personable

Main Entrance Location for The Alhambra & Generalife

• Alhambra is situated in Granada, Andalusia, Spain
• C. Real de la Alhambra, s/n, 18009 Granada, Spain

Alhambra Additional Entrances

The Alhambra has 2 additional entrances almost next to each other:

• Justice Gatehouse (Puerta de la Justicia). Very impressive massive Tower. Lots of stairs to walk up.
• Car Door (Puerta De Los Carros). Just a hole in the wall. Used by Taxis. The Taxi Rank is at the top of the slope of the road next to internal wall.

These 2 entrances are much quieter that the Main Entrance. No Queues

• These 2 entrances give access to the FREE areas of The Alhambra, therefore tickets are not required
• Ticket holders are able to go beyond the free area depending on the ticket type. Through ticket check points leading to the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, or the Alhambra gardens, which also leads toward the Generalife gardens & Palace

The Nasrid Palaces of the Alhambra

• The entrance to all the several Nasrid Palaces, is hidden away from sight.
• It is located on the North side of the Charles V palace (Carlos V ), walk around the Carlos V palace, in a clockwise direction passing the Machuca Garden on your left & at a lower level
• Just before you come to the dead end you will find the entrance on your left.
• Depending on queue length you may need to adjust the path to one further away from the Charles V palace.

Very Important

• Only 300 visitors per hour are allowed to enter the Nasrid Palaces per half hour slot.
• Your entry ticket for the Nasrid Palaces has the time for the start of your visit printed on the ticket.
• You can only visit the Nasrid palaces at the time stated on your ticket.
  This is to prevent overcrowding in the most visited section of the Alhambra.
• Bear in mind you may have to queue.
• The rest of the Alhambra is not timed. therefore arrange your visit to the rest of the sight with the entry time for the Nasrid Palaces in mind .
• Also bear in mind the distances involved. It is 800 metres (about 10-15 minutes) from to the entrance Pavilion to The Nasrid Palaces.
• Over double the distance & time from the Generalife Leisure Palace.

The Nasrid Palaces in order of a typical visit

Descriptions & Photographs of the Nasrid Palaces Alhambra

The Nasrid Palaces were built during the reign of the Nasrid dynasty (1238-1492), making them some of the oldest Arab buildings in Spain.

Mexuar Palace. Ismail I 1314-1325 & Muhammad V 1362-1391

• The oldest of the Palaces
• As you approach, the palace you will be amazed how plain the building looks. It almost looks like a farmhouse.
• This is very much in Arabic styling where houses are built with:
  • Plain Exteriors except some times the entrance is very ornate
  • Fabulous central courtyards usually with a water feature such as a fountain, pool or both & often plants and or trees

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Mexuar Palace & Machuca Garden

• 

  The Mexuar Palace Exterior is very unimpressive. The battlements of the Comares s Tower in the background

• 

  The Machuca Garden with grand topiary hedges. The main entrance path to the Mexuar Palace & the other Nasrid Palaces in to the right of the right foreground wall.

• The Machuca Garden is located on the east side of the palace and before you enter the Mexuar Palace
• A small geometric pool
• A beautiful row of a very tall arched edge

Machuca Tower

• The garden & tower are named after Machuca, the architect who built the Charles V Palace, and who lived in the tower.
• The Machuca Tower was originally the entrance to the Alhambra from the Albaicin.
• It is located behind the Gallery of the Machuca Garden & before the entrance to the Mexuar Palace

Mexuar Hall

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Entrance to the Mexuar Palace & the other Nasrid Palaces

• 

  Mexuar Palace Hall

• 

  Mexuar Palace Hall Ceiling

• 

  Details Intricate Plaster work

• 

  Mexuar Palace Detail Carved wood Ceiling

• 

  Mexuar Palace Detail Carved Wood Ceiling

• This room was changed by the Christian Monarchs
  • Originally the room had no windows, Light entering through the open ceiling with a lantern.
  • The lantern was removed & windows installed to overlook the Machuca Garden

Oratory

Click Photo for larger Image

Mexuar Courtyard

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Entrance Mexuar Courtyard from Mexuar Hall

• 

  Low Level Marble Bowl Fountain

• 

  Low Level Marble Bowl Fountain

• The Mexuar Courtyard is small with a central low level marble basin fountain

Golden Room

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Golden Room Ceiling

• 

  Golden Room Walls

Comares Palace. Yusuf I 1333-13991 & Muhammad V 1362-1391

Courtyard of the Myrtles

South Gallery

North Gallery

Boat Room

Hall of The Ambassadors

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Tourist in Hall of Ambassadors

• 

  Hall of Ambassadors Ceiling

• 

  Hall of Ambassadors High Windows

Comares s Tower

Comares Room

Lions Palace Muhammad V 1362-1391

Courtyard of the Lions

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Lions Courtyard from Muqarna Hall

• 

  Fountain supported by 12 stubby Lions

• 

  Entrance to the Hall of the Kings

• The courtyard of the Lions is surrounded by 4 galleries supported on 124 slim marble columns.
• There are 4 channels of water, one from each surrounding buildings  running towards the central fountain
• The Caption on the fountain basin translates as: "If the Lions have no life, they cannot vent their fury."
• The fountain dating from the 11^th century was gifted to the king by a Jewish poet. The fountain represents the 12 tribes of Israel or the 12 lions of Judea. The basin is reproduction of the original.

Hall of the Abencerrajes - Interactive photo

Drag up to view the magnificent ceiling.

Muqarma Hall

Harem Courtyard

Hall of the Two Sisters

Lindarja Mirador

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Lindarja Mirador Windows

• Lindarja corrupted from the "Arabic Lin-dar-Aixa" meaning Sultana's Room and was the room of the Sultans favourite
• This room was named a mirador (viewpoint or lookout) because the room had a fantastic view over the Lindarja Courtyard  & the the River Daro valley to the opposite hillside where the city of Granada started, now the very Arabic Albaicín.
• This view was closed off after the building of the Emperors Rooms which occupied the other 3 sides of the Lindarja Courtyard.

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Lions Courtyard from Muqarna Hall

Overlooks the Lindarja Courtyard

Hall of the King

Christian Section within Nasrid Palaces

Emperors Rooms

Courtyard of the Cypresse Railings

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Courtyard of the Cypresses

Lindarja Courtyard

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Lindarja Courtyard fountain & Tall trees

Queens Boudoir

Overhead passageway

• On 2 levels
• Connects Hall of The Ambassadors & the Emperors Rooms

Partal Palace

• The Partal Palace was built during the reign of Muhammad II 1273–1302.

Partal Palace / Tower of the Ladies

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Partal Palace & Arab-Houses on the left

• 

Partal Pond

Arab Houses

Click Photo for larger Image

• 
• 

  Arab Houses Tower of the Ladies in the background

• 

  Arab Houses Tower of the Ladies in the background

Partal Oratory

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  Partal Oritory Exterior

• 

  Partal Oritory Interior

Partal Gardens

Click Photo for larger Image

Yusuf III Palace Remains

• Very little remains other than the layout of the palace that can be seen from the 2-3 feet high walls that have been capped on the top with concrete or stone slabs to make the top flat.

The Royal Baths

The Royal Baths consist of 4 areas: Rest Room,  Cold Room, Steam Room & Plunge Pool. Basically what we would call a Turkish bath in the UK

Rest Room (the apododiterium)

• The rest room, was where the king changed and rested after a bath session which could last a long time. I was also a place to chat with his guests or with the ladies of the harem. On the upper floor entertainment was provided by musicians & singers who were blind so they could not see the ladies.

Cold Room

• 
  Not really a cold room but a room with a raised temperature use to acclimatise before entering the steam room

Steam Room

• The star shaped skylights were fitted with coloured class to keep in the steam.
• The marble floor was heated via under floor channels of hot air.
• Water flowed through channels in the floor producing the steam.

Plunge Pool

This was a hot room with both a hot & cold baths.

Charles V (Carlos V) Palace

• Charles V was the grandson of the most famous monarchs Queen Isabella & Ferdinand,  who unified Spain and defeated the Moors in Andalusia, Granada being the ultimate final Arab stronghold in 1492
• As can be seen from it's very strong fortified hilltop position
• He began the construction of the Charles V Palace in Charles V (Carlos V) Palace 

Entrance to Charles V Palace

• Located on the West side facing the Alcazaba (fortress)
• Note: Entrance to the Nasrid Palaces, continue anti clockwise around the exterior of Charles V Palace. Entrance on your left just before the dead end.

Alhambra Museum

• Located on the Ground Floor of the Charles V
• Occupies all of the rooms on the far wall opposite the Entrance, plus the first adjacent rooms on both sides

Fine Arts Museum

• Second Floor

Chapel

Introductory Room

Alcazaba Fortress

• Originally the Alhambra started as a fortress called The Alcazaba
• An old roman fortress was built upon & the defences improved by the Moors in the 9th century
• It was located on the highest section of a steep sided rocky hill that had difficult access on the banks of the river Doro.
• The central area the Barracks building are all in ruins. The foundations & remaining walls only a few feet high. A central walkway run between the Officers & Lower Ranks Quarters
• The Outer walls & Towers are extremely impressive and impregnable.
• When the Christian armies of Queen Isabella and King Alphonso laid siege to Granada, They never captured Alhambra by attack.
  • The Moors King knew that all the Harbours were in the hands of the Christians and he could not expect reinforcements from Africa. He also had few friends left because of previous power struggles with them
  • He therefore knew he would loose in the long run.
  • After negotiating surrender terms, the Christians were very lenient with the terms
  • So the on January 2, 1492, Muhammad XII of Granada (King Boabdil) surrendered the Emirate of Granada, the city of Granada, and the Alhambra palace to the Castilian forces.
  • In later years The Christians went back on there agreement and expelled the Arabs from Spain.
  • A similar treatment was also given to the Jews.

The following spaces can be visited in The Alcazaba:

• Terrace of the Torre del Cubo,
• Adarve de la Muralla Norte,
• Barrio Castrense,
• Terrace of the Arms Gate,
• Candle Tower
• Adarves Garden.

Alcazaba Towers

Click Photo for larger Image

• 

  The Machuca Garden & the Alcazaba fortress in the background

Watch Tower (Torre de la Vela)

• The Alcazaba Watch Towers is the highest in the Alhambra at 27m tall 89 feet tall. That's 8 to 9 stories tall.
• Fantastic panoramic views from the Battlements of the Watch Tower visited by many
• The bell was added by the Christians.
• It was used as an alarm for Attack, Fire, Earthquakes & as a timer for field irrigation

Tower of Weapons (Torre de las Armas)

• Houses the Gate of Weapons ( Peuta de las Aramas).
• Tower of Weapons was the main entrance.
• Town folk & Visitors had to leave there weapons at this tower before entering the Alcazaba fortress

Tickets, Guided Tours,

The Alhambra is divided into sections

• Which are Nasrid Palace & Gardens, Alcazaba Fortress, & General Life
• Tickets can be purchased for Individual sections or Multiple sections

Types of Tickets

• Simple Entry Ticket.
• Ticket with Audio Guide. Bring your own headphones & connection adaptors.
• Group Guided Tour, usually given in more than 1 language
• Small Group Guided Tour, sometimes only in a single language.

Buy Your Ticket

• The links below provide details of obtaining tickets and tours
• IMPORTANT: Tickets for the Alhambra especially the Nasrid Palaces are often sold out sometimes months in advance. We highly recommend you book online in advance

To secure a ticket click 'Find things to do' below.

Alhambra Free to Visit Areas

A Ticket is not required for the following

Entry only via: Gate of Justice (Puerto de la Justicia) or Carros Gate (Puerta De Los Carros)

They are also a good entrances if you already have an Nasrid Palace, Alcazaba, or Nasrid Palace + Generalife, ticket in your possession.
This avoids queues at the Main Entrance.

Walk from Granada, longish, uphill & steepish. Bus or Taxi.

• The Calle Real
• Carlos V Palace & its Alhambra Museum & Fine Arts Museum
• Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra
• Puerta del Vino
• Puerta de la Justicia & Puerta De Los Carros
• Carros Gate (Puerta De Los Carros). Not worth viewing just 2 modern gaps in the wall to allow taxis & pedestrians access.
• Gate of Justice (Puerta de la Justicia). A very imposing defensive gate house tower. Lots of internal steps to ascend if using this entrance. Large Murder Hole over the Entrance
• Charles the V Pillar Fountain. Just outside the Alhambra wall near the

More Granada Pages

Granada Top Tourist Attractions And Great Things To Do

Granada Alhambra & Alcazaba Spains Top #1 Attraction Palaces & Castle

Granada Generalife Palace & Gardens Granada's Top #2 Attraction

Granada Cathedral Granada's Top #3 Attraction

Granada Albaicin District Granada's Old Town built by the Moors. #4 Attraction

Granada Sacromonte District Gypsies living in Cave Houses Quarter

Granada Top Flamenco Shows Granada is the Home of Flamenco

Granada Sightseeing Train The Easy way to visit most attractions

Granada General Information Travel, Shopping,