Granada and the Al Hambra- A Journal

Moorish Architecture inside the Al Hambra

 A view of the Al Hambra from our room

Segway Tours in the Sacramento district

 The Al Hambra seen from our Balcony in the apartment- Terrace Al Hambra

Water Bodies inside the Palace
 

26th October 2013- Granada, Spain

Sanjiv, Archana, Bini and I reached Granada on a beautiful morning on an overnight train from Barcelona

 It was a bit of a mistake arriving early into a city. One cannot check into an accommodation until noon in most places and folks end up walking the streets unwashed in their overnight clothes. That is exactly what happened to us. However, we were in Granada for just 24 hours and we did not want to waste it waiting for our host to let us in. In any case we tried, and found ourselves waiting outside a small apartment on a street which was even smaller. Standing with our baggage on the street was itself a good reason to block all traffic on the road.

Granada is a smallish city in Andalucía. However its size belies the enormous historic significance of the place. It was a Moorish Islamic state from 711AD onwards. In fact the Granada we were visiting was an old Jewish settlement that was supplanted ( to use a mild term for massacred) and taken over by the Ummayed Dynasty. It was later transferred to the Berber Kingdom. In the 11^th century the Nassrid dynasty took over Granada and ruled it till the end of the 15^th century. In short it was ping ponged between several Muslim rulers generally referred to as the moors for almost 700 years. It was the Nassrid Kings who built the imposing Al Hambra as a palace, recreational home, harem and fortification for its rulers. Unfortunately, they did not enjoy the fruits of this architectural wonder- literally and figuratively perhaps.  In fact they planted several fruit trees including Pomogranates- the regional emblem of Granada (from granata for the fruit). Granada passed into the hands of the Catholic monarchs in 1492. The city itself is a quaint place that is a mixture of modern buildings, the medieval Al Hambra, the cave like dwellings of the gypsies in the hills and the gabled white and blue humble homes in the Sacramento region where we had booked our apartment. It has been made into a UNESCO heritage site- and for good reason.

After being told to return later to check in, we decided to have our breakfast and explore the city at our own pace. We chose to have a rather un-Islamic meal and for a change, an English breakfast of Bacon, eggs and sausages.

It was then that a young lady accosted us on a contraption that I had never seen before. It had two wheels and a single handle like a bicycle. The wheels were side by side unlike a bicycle. One stood on a little platform that lay over the axle connecting the two wheels. She invited us to stand on the platform and roll around. The vehicle/ contraption had a mind of its own. Getting on to it was quite a job. It would run away! Once mounted, it could go anywhere in the hands of  unacquainted riders- which we all were. On the promise that she would have us riding it with ease in ten minutes, the young lady Nadia convinced us to book a tour on the Segway (as it was called).

And thus we found ourselves riding away on the funny little thing on a tour of the Sacramento region of the town. It was the old Muslim and current gypsy quarter of town. The tour was an exciting adventure along narrow roads including the street on which we had booked our room (still unoccupied). There were steep hills and sharp turns with a moderate traffic of curious car drivers who had to be particularly careful to not run us down. As a precaution, we were given orange fluorescent vests and helmets- I suppose to indicate ‘dangerous amateurs’ ahead. Well! Exciting is an understatement. While three of us generally got the hang of it and rode it with reasonable control, trying to stay between the curb and the cars speeding on the narrow, winding streets, Bini was literally in tears- sometimes falling of the damn thing and sometimes allowing the contraption to take her wherever it wanted. Once we found her heading in the opposite direction and Nadia had to bring her back. One needs to ride the bloody thing to realize what I mean. I think it was a small prayer she had offered up to St Joseph at the Sangrida Familia ( the church in Barcelona) that saved her from being plastered like a Spanish omelet in distant Granada. It was an exciting tour otherwise and we saw some breath taking views from the top of the hills whenever we could take our eyes off the road- which was not too often.  At one stop we got a terrific look at the majestic Al Hambra, silhouetted in red against the azure blue sky. The trip also took us to the region where the gypsies lived in homes cut out of the mountains. This has apparently been their housing for decades. If you are thinking cave dwellers, let me assure you that they are modern dwellers with all the amenities. In fact the local supermarket is built into a mezzanine of caves. All of them have city housing licenses and live comfortably. I am not sure what they do for a living

Having thus escaped unscathed or almost (Bini had a couple of bruises to show off for her troubles), we set out to explore the Al Hambra. This time it was on foot. The climb to the Al Hambra can be a little steep and demanding. Sanjiv and Archana marched away in healthful zest while Bini and I trudged up the steep hill. Bini, after her morning adventures on the Segway, was beginning to look rather despondent and was convinced that we had chosen Granada as her final resting place.

Having reached the hill top and the entrance she perked up and we did an elaborate tour of the magnificent structure built in the 15th century as a fort, palace and military installation. It would easily take 4-5 hours to see the whole complex. Al Hambra was started as a small fortress in the 9 th century AD, we were told on a commentary available with a phone like listening device. The forts were renovated and structures were added on by subsequent Kings and Sultans in small increments. The walls around the fortress were completed in the 11^th century. The grand palaces, gardens, water bodies and intricate inscriptions were essentially 14^th century additions by King Yusuf 1 and Mohammed V the Nassrid Sultans of Granada, who made it their residence and palace from mid 14^th century (circa 1333) to the end of the 15^th century. The Moorish influence is evident in the architecture, and the elaborate gardens and the housing for the large harems of the reigning monarchs and their nobility. The structure takes into account every need from temperature control to entertainment to, of course, defense. It is an imposing facade of red stone on an elevated landscape that contrasts significantly with the surrounding. The tour of the Al Hambra takes us through the numerous palaces and gardens built to allow fresh air and light at all times. An enduring feature of the palaces is the numerous fountains and water bodies that give it a natural ambience.

It is unfortunate, at least for the Islamic kingdom, that the structure was completed at a time when Christianity was ready to take over. The ‘reconquista’ by the Catholic Monarchs (Reyes Catholicos) happened in 1492 when the Castilian and Aragon forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabelle took over the emirate of Granada- Al Hambra and all. To the credit of the conquerors who defeated the last of the moors, they refrained from wanton destruction of the art and architecture of the vanquished. There was some vandalism. Mostly it was indifference and neglect that left the grand palaces in ruins for the next two centuries. King Charles V built a large Cathedral on the premises. Cleverly, they converted some of the rooms into their own palace to house their armies and their families. Surprisingly, for me, the Islamic architecture survived the inquisition that was to characterize the next couple of centuries in an effort to re-Christianize the whole of the region- sometimes rather cruelly. The whole complex was restored only in the 19^th century through the efforts of European interests and efforts. The Al Hambra became famous also through the writing of Washington Irving who stayed and wrote a book called the Tales of the Al Hambra- mostly fiction. In fact I first heard of the Al Hambra in reference to Irwing’s famous book. His statue stands in the premises as a testimony to the publicity that the palace got. Today it is the most visited site in Spain. The Al Hambra and for that matter almost the whole city survives as an UNESCO heritage site. It certainly is a place to see in Spain- a cultural pot pouri of old Islamic grandeur, Christian conquests and Gypsy traditions

 The long walk back from the Al Hambra was easy on the lungs but a bit of a strain on the knees. We were finally admitted into our rooms at ‘the terrace Al Hambra’ as our rented facility was called. It was a small but cozy little place with an amazing view of the Al Hambra, as promised . That evening the four of us sat on the balcony watching the amazing structure lit up at night. Mellowed by the whiskey, Sanjiv and I agreed that it was a day well spent- thanks to Archana for pushing us through a packed itinerary without a break for lunch. We unpacked for the night, only to repack again the next morning. We were set to head off to Seville, another Andalucían city steeped in its own history!