Granada has been occupied since prehistoric times. The Jews were probably the first inhabitants even before the Romans. Then came the Moors. Granada means ‘great castle’. Known earlier as Ilbyr and later as Illibris (by the Romans when they colonized Southern Spain), Granada has been home to the Arabs and Muslims as well. It was in the eighth century that this place was given the name of Granada by the Arabs. It fell into Christian hands in 1492.

Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada in the autonomous region of Andalausia in Spain. It lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the confluence of three rivers, Beiro, Darro and Genil at a height of 738 meters above sea level. The most famous and brilliant jewel of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th century. It is a famous item of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian historical legacy which makes it a great tourist attraction. It stands at the foot of Spain’s highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada and overlooks the fertile plains of Granada. At the center is the massive palace of Charles V, which is an outstanding example of Renaissance architecture. About eight thousand people visit the Alhambra every day.

Albaicin is an old Moorish casbah which faces the Alhambra. It is a labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens. Granada had a large gypsy population. They came about 600 years ago and congregated in the caves of Sacromonte. Arabic was the mother tongue of the majority of the population at one time. The capture of Muslim Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella’s forces is a very significant event in Granada’s history. Under the term of the Treaty of surrender the Muslim inhabitants could continue unmolested in their faith and customs.

In 1501, however, the Castilian Crown revoked the Treaty and demanded that Granada’s Muslims convert or emigrate. The majority of the city’s Muslims converted to Christianity (and were called Moriscos, Catholics of Moorish descent) while many immigrated to North Africa. More people from other parts came to Granada and the city’s mosques were converted for Christian uses. Cathedrals were constructed and the character of Granada became Christian. Spain’s Jewish population was also expelled. The fall of Granada ended the eight hundred year long Islamic rule. Spain then unified under Queen Isabella and started on its expansion round the globe. Christopher Columbus discovered America leading to the creation of the Spanish empire, one of the largest empires of the world at that time.

Granada has high mountains and also beaches, hence it is possible to go skiing as well as sunbathe on the beach in a single day. Granada is a student city as there are large numbers of students coming here to study. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Granada. There is little rainfall here. The image of a typical Spaniard in Granada is a dark haired fiery gypsy woman dancing flamenco with a red rose between her teeth with some bull fighting in the background.