The Alhambra and the Generalife. Official guide

Frontispiece
Introduction
The Alhambra and the Generalife Monumental Complex
New Official Guide to the Alhambra
Index
1. Granada and the Alhambra
	Geographical environment
	Surrounding areas
2. How to reach the Alhambra
	Public transport
	Access roads for vehicles and parking
	Historic routes to the Alhambra
	Cuesta de Gomérez
	Puerta de las Granadas
	Cuesta del Realejo
	Cuesta del Rey Chico
	The Alhambra Woods
	Torres Bermejas
	Peñapartida
	Pilar de Carlos V
	Puerta de Bibrambla
	Ángel Ganivet Monument
	Washington Irving Monument
3. The Alhambra
	The Alhambra Palace-City
	The organisation of the complex
		The towers
		The streets
		The gates
			Puerta de los Siete Suelos
			Puerta de los Carros
			Puerta de la Justicia
			Puerta de las Armas
			Puerta del Arrabal
			Puerta de Hierro
	Visiting the Alhambra compound
	The itinerary presented in this guide
	The Alhambra Atrium
	Entrance via the Puerta de la Justicia
	Entrance via the Atrium
4. Access to the walled compound
	Las placetas
	Map of the access to the walled compound
	Puerta del Vino
	Plaza de los Aljibes
5. Palacio de Carlos V
	Map of the Palacio de Carlos V
	The façades
	The portals
	The courtyard
	Cultural uses
		Alhambra Museum
		Fine Arts Museum of Granada
6. The Alcazaba: the Kasbah
	Structure of the Alcazaba
	Map of the Alcazaba
	Visiting the Alcazaba
	Torre del Homenaje and Torre del Cubo
	Military district
	Puerta de las Armas
	Torre de la Vela
	Torre de la Pólvora
	Jardín de los Adarves
7. The Nasrid Palaces
	The Alhambra Palace or Dar al-Sultán
	The Royal Palace
	Map of the Nasrid Palaces
	7.1. The Mexuar
		Patio de la Mezquita
		Map of the Mexuar
		Patio de Machuca
		Sala del Mexuar
		Court and Portico of the Cuarto Dorado
	7.2. Palacio de Comares
		The façade of the Palacio de Comares
		Map of the Palacio de Comares
		Patio de los Arrayanes or Patio de Comares
		Sala de la Barca
		Salón del Trono
		Southern Pavilion
		The Hammam or Baths of the Palacio de Comares
	7.3. Palacio de los Leones
		Map of the Palacio de los Leones
		Sala de los Mocárabes
		Patio de los Leones
		Sala de los Abencejjare
		Complementary spaces: Patio del Harén and Puerta de la Rauda
		Sala de los Reyes
		Sala de Dos Hermanas
		Sala de los Ajimeces
		Mirador de Lindaraja
	7.4. The palace converted into the Christian Royal Palace
		Map of the palace converted into the Christian Royal Palace
		Despacho del Emperador
		Habitaciones imperiales
		Salas de las Frutas
		Peinador de la Reina
		Patio de la Reja
		Patio de Lindaraja
		Sala de los Secretos
	7.5. The Partal
		Map of the Partal
		Moorish houses
		Palacio del Pórtico
		The Oratory
		The Paratas
		Puerta de la Rauda
		Jardines del Partal
		Two options: the Torres and the Medina
		The Rauda, cemetery of the sultans
	7.6. Other Alhambra palaces
		Palacio de los Abencerrajes
		Map of the other Alhambra palaces
		Palacio de los Infantes (Convento de San Francisco, Parador Nacional)
		Palacio de Yusuf III
8. Paseo de las Torres
	Map of the Paseo de las Torres
	Torre de los Picos
	Torre del Qadí
	Torre de la Cautiva
	Torre de las Infantas
	Torre del Cabo de la Carrera
	Torre del Agua
	The Acequia Real or Acequia del Sultán
9. The Medina
	Calle Real Alta
	Map of the Medina
	The Upper Medina
	Secano
	Tannery
	Two Nasrid houses
	Alhambra Mosque
	Iglesia de Santa María de la Alhambra
	Baths of the Mosque
	The Ángel Barrios Museum
	House next to the baths
	Archaeological map of the Nasrid Alhambra
10. The Generalife
	Legal dispute over property ownership
	Map of the Generalife
	Jardines Nuevos
	Las Huertas
	Access
	Palacio del Generalife
	Patio de la Acequia
	Salón Regio
	Pabellón Sur
	Patio del Ciprés de la Sultana
	Jardines Altos
	Escalera del Agua
	Casa de los Amigos
	Paseo de las Adelfas
11. The Acequia del Sultán and the lost palaces
	Acequia Real or del Sultán
	Hydraulic innovations. Los Albercones
	The Dehesa Generalife and Cerro del Sol Archaeological Site
		The hydraulic innovation of the Pozos Altos
		Aljibe de la Lluvia
		Albercón del Negro
		Palacio de los Alijares
		Palacio de Dar al-Arusa
		La Silla del Moro
12. Some keys to understanding the Alhambra
	The Diwán al-Insáʿ
	The proportional system
	Spatial multifunctionality
	Façades and entrances
	The partitioning of space
	Dungeons
	Taqas
	Latticework shutters
	Patios, porticoes and general atmosphere
	Decoration
		Geometry
		Epigraphic decoration
		Plant-based decoration
	Stalactite ceilings
	Water
	Water tanks
	Water basin and fountains
	Gardens
	Construction materials and methods used in the Alhambra
		Rammed earth
		Lime-based concrete
		Brick
		Plaster
		Lime
		Stone
		Wood
		The “Alhambra formation”
	The Alhambra’s plasterwork
	Restoration in the Alhambra
	The Alhambra Manifesto
13. The Alhambra’s historical stages
	The Alhambra before the Alhambra
	The Banu Nasr or Nasrids
	The Alhambra as a royal palace
	A separate chapter in the story: the Tendilla-Mondéjar, governors of the Alhambra
	The governors’ Alhambra (the saddest century in its history)
	Napoleon’s troops and their occupation of the Alhambra
	Orientalism and romanticism: Alhambrism
	Architect-led management
	A council for the Alhambra
	Sultans of the Nasrid dynasty
	Historical events during the Nasrid reign
	Genealogical chart of the Nasrid dynasty
	Comparative table of the rulers of Granada, Castile, Aragon and the Maghreb Al-Aqsa (Marrakech and Fez)
	Islamic dynasties
14. Appendices