The Alhambra: Exploring History, Tourism, and its Major Attractions

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Alhambra, a historical citadel, fortress, and palace in Granada, Spain. It begins with a brief history, tracing its construction from AD 889 and its evolution under the Nasrid Dynasty. The report details the Alhambra's architectural features, including the medina, Alcazar, and Alcazaba, and its role as a royal palace and military bastion. It highlights the current condition of the Alhambra as a major tourist attraction, emphasizing its preservation efforts, UNESCO World Heritage status, and the various ways it encourages tourism through its historical significance, stunning views, and affordable prices. The report also lists the major attractions, such as the Alcazaba, Hall of Ambassadors, and the Generalife gardens, and includes insights from visitor experiences. The report concludes by emphasizing the Alhambra's continued importance as a historical site and its impact on the tourism industry.

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THE MIDDLE AGES AND MODERN WORLD-ALHAMBRA
Brief History
Alhambra is an old citadel, fortress and palace constructed initially as a small fortress in
AD 889 in Granada Spain. The building was however ignored until the 13th century when Nasrid
emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar rebuilt it . He renovated and built its present-day palace and
walls. Its construction, therefore, dates from 1232 to1492. The Alhambra was a City in its own
right made up of medina (a city), the Alcazar (a palace) and the Alcazaba which served as a
military, residential bastion (Sarah, 2019). It is believed that the main reason for the construction
of the Alhambra was the defence of the Nasrid Dynasty. The Alhambra was however not
constructed by a single ruler, but it was built successively by the leaders of the Nasrid Dynasty.
In 1333 Yusuf I, the sultan of Granada converted the Alhambra into a royal palace. It was later
transformed into the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. Notably, Christopher
Columbus was endorsed for his expedition at the Alhambra. The Alhambra got its name from the
reddish towers and walls that surrounded it. It is a historical object of the Nasrid Dynasty and the
only surviving royal territorial centre (History.com, 2019). Its construction at the top of Al-
Sabika hill was meant to give the inhabitants of the city within a city a perfect view of
approaching enemies.
The Alhambra is enclosed by 1730 meters walls and towers of different sizes.
Additionally, construction sitting on a 26-acre piece of land had its access limited to only four
main gates. Its structures served distinctive functions. For example one of the structures within
the Alhambra served as a residence to the ruler of the Nasrid Dynasty and his close family
members. Secondly, the other served as barracks for the elite guard, responsible for securing the

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complex. Finally, the third structure housed court officials. The court officials not only lived
there, but they also worked there (Mirmobiny, 2014).
Current Condition
The Alhambra is currently the only surviving palatine city.T he construction has stood the
test of time, and it is now one of the most visited tourist attraction sites in Europe and one of the
world's most popular tourist attractions. The building still stands adjacent to the city of Granada
just as the time of its construction. The construction has still maintained its many captivating
fountains, gardens, complex decorative programs and sophisticated planning. The intimate
spaces of the Alhambra are still elegant and inviting to the people who visit the prehistoric site.
Built-in as a small fortress in AD 889, the Alhambra was renovated and rebuilt for the
first time in the middle of the 13th century. There are always some occasional repairs and
renovations to the 700 years old monument. On the same note, much remedial work was done at
the Granada Alhambra some years back. However, because of its historical significance, the
construction gets regular renovations in different parts whenever deemed necessary. Therefore,
although the Alhambra has been renovated times, these renovations cannot be classified as major
renovations. Over time the area that was initially restricted has become open to members of the
public. Previously, it was a restricted area housing only the rulers, the army and the court
officials. It has also become a primary attraction site.Since no major changes have been
introduced into its original form, the building's authenticity remains. It's still a remarkable
historical monument providing visitors with a both theoretical and visual history of the ancient
Muslim Dynasty. The renovation work has only enhanced its durability as an important
prehistoric citadel.

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The Alhambra is a significant tourist centre not only for people in Europe but also other
parts of the world. The site is currently ranked among the most visited tourist centres in the
world. In 2014, the centre received 2.4 million tourists making it the most visited tourist centres
in Spain. It has continued to attract more people over the years sometimes recording a high of
about ten thousand visitors in a busy day and about two thousand visitors in the least busy days.
These statistics point at the significance of the Granada Alhambra as a tourist destination. One of
the reasons for the popularity of the tourist centre is the historical significance it holds as the
only important surviving remnant of the Islamic rule.
How the site encourages tourism
The site encourages tourism in multiple ways. First is the preservation of the historical
significance of the site. Much effort has been put in place to prevent the erosion of the rich
history of the Alhambra prehistoric site. Part of these efforts includes having the centre as a
UNESCO world heritage centre. The first attraction points its location at a hilltop setting.
Visitors at this site can enjoy a perfect view of the City of Granada, Sierra Nevada Mountains
and the abundance brought about by the water from Rio Genil. It is also a great romantic site
characterized by fragrant flowers, tall trees and dancing fountains. The Citadel's serene
courtyards and decorated rooms have a rich history of the global achievements of the Moorish
architecture and art. Apart from the breathtaking view of the city and other privileges enjoyed by
visitors, the site also offers abundant Generalife gardens and access to the magnificent Alcazaba
ruins. The site encourages tourism also through fair and affordable prices. The prices for
different categories of people differ. Adults are generally charged a fee of14.85 Euros. For
prisoners, the cost is much lower standing at 9.54 Euros. For the disabled and children aged 12-
15 years, the cost is 8.48 Euros. Free entry is provided for children aged below 12.

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Major attractions of Alhambra to tourists
Ranked as the most visited site, Alhambra receives over 2.3 million visitors annually. It is
the most popular tourist attraction site doe multiple reasons. The prehistoric site is located
magnificently on hill al-Sabika, towering above Granada city. Not only is it Muslim’s oldest
palace, but it is also the only existing European Moorish stronghold. Its rich historical
significance is, therefore, one of its major attractions
The Islamic monument consists of incredible tourist attractions such as the palace of
Charles V, imposing towers, Generalife, Alcazaba, beautiful Nasrid palaces, landscaped gardens
and a collection of beautiful Moorish palaces (Alexander, 2019). The Alcazaba is the oldest part of
the monument comprising the remains of the former fortress. From this point, visitors can have a
spectacular view of the city and the Sierra Nevada. On the same note, the hall of the ambassadors
has a rich history behind it. This is one of the most beautiful rooms with features such as a
plethora of ornamentation in over 150 unique and striking patterns including geometric themes,
floral details and Koran verses. The room was used by Granada rulers to receive envoys. Its
many long windows long make it a fascinating site for visitors.
Additionally, the hall of kings houses some of the most wonderful ceiling paintings of the
15th century. Notably, it has three exceptional paintings on leather and rulers portraits. The hall is
made up of seven sections characterized by towering stalactitic domes. The Royal Nasrid Palaces
are the most popular attractions because of their spectacular architecture. Other spectacular sites
include the court of the lions and the hall of the two sisters (Alexander, 2019).
The gardens of Generalife are the places where kinks used to spend their summer. The
gardens are characterized by multiple Moorish styles decorative courtyards, soaring fountains,
beautiful flowers and pools. The beautiful water stairway, quaint soultana’s court and the court

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of the main canal are also some of the most attractive sites of the Alhambra. This is also true of
the Palace of Charles V, a newer addition to the complex intended to serve as the royal residence
of Charles V. the- renaissance two-level structure also houses two museums (Corneanu, 2017).
The experience of actual visitors
Most of the people who have visited seem to share my opinions. Based on their practical
assessment of the tourist attraction site, they believe that it is not comparable to any other in the
country. Majority attach its significance to its striking features and the fact that it is the oldest
and only remaining Muslim palace.

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References
Alexander, L. (2019). Visiting the Alhambra: 12 Top Attractions, Tips & Tours | PlanetWare. Retrieved
from https://www.planetware.com/granada/alhambra-hill-e-and-ah.htm
Corneanu, M. (2017). Alhambra - The One Attraction You Must Visit in Granada. Retrieved from
https://spainattractions.es/alhambra-granada/
History.com. (2019). Alhambra. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/landmarks/alhambra
Sarah, s. (2019). What was the purpose of the Alhambra?. Retrieved from
https://granadablog.net/why-was-the-purpose-of-the-alhambra/
Mirmobiny, S. (2014). The Alhambra. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-
history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/ap-art-islamic-world-medieval/a/the-alhambra