UNESCO has declared the Alhambra in Granada, located in the southeast of Spain, as a World Heritage Site. It is a fortress, a palace and a small city, all rolled into one. The word Alhambra comes from an Arabic word meaning ‘red or crimson’ castle, as the colour of the walls and the towers is gold in the sunlight and pearly white at night. Poets call it a ‘pearl set in emeralds’.

Red clay might have been used and it was whitewashed at one time but now it is reddish in colour. It has been in existence from the 9th century. Though started by a Muslim, Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 when Ferdinand and Isabella, Catholic monarchs conquered Granada. Later military garrisons and monasteries were added to Alhambra. In 1870 Alhambra was declared a national monument and tourists began to flock to see it. It is now protected, restored, cared for and even improved for the pleasure and admiration of all those who come here.

The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra and has solid towers from where the panorama extends towards unlimited horizons. There are lovely gardens at the entrance. La Casa Real is the palace which is made up of several palace groups with courts and structures. The Alhambra has three divisions usually found in Moslem palaces. The Chamber of Lions is a spectacular place which illustrates the most beautiful possibilities of Granada Moslem art. It is original and a harmonious combination of the east and the west. Twelve marble lions and twelve sided marble fountain, double columns and 124 palm trees have together formed a beautiful piece of art. There are many such beautiful places in the Alhambra which attracts tourists.

The terrace or plateau of the Alhambra measures about 740 meters (2430 feet) in length and 205 meters (674 feet) and covers a large area. It mixes natural elements with man-made ones and is a testament to the skill of Muslim craftsmen of those times. The basic theme was ‘Paradise on earth’ and all the Muslim and Christian rulers who added palaces and rooms to the Alhambra kept them in mind. Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. Blue, red and golden colours were also used.

The Hall of the Ambassadors is the largest in the Alhambra and is a square room. It was a grand reception room and the throne of the sultan is placed opposite the entrance. It was here that Christopher Columbus received Isabel and Ferdinand’s support to sail to the new world. The court of the Lions is an oblong court. There are many other halls like the Sala de los Abencerrajes, Sala de las dos Hermananas. Sala de la Justica, Peinador de la Reina and others.
There are elaborate bathrooms, bedrooms and summer rooms, whispering galleries and labyrinths.

The vase of Alhambra, a beautiful piece of Moorish art dating 1320, represents the original furniture of the palace. It is 1.3 meters in height and is coloured blue, white and gold.