The Alhambra of Granada

The palatine city of the nasrid kingdom

RETURN

About the book the Alhambra of Granada

Devised as a centre of political and military power for the Nasrid kingdom, the Alhambra of Granada is the only Islamic palatine city that has remained practically intact up to the present day. Owing to its important historical and artistic vlaue, this landmark in Hispanic-Muslim architecture was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1984.

From the 13th century to the 15th century, the Alhambra was the official residence of the Nasrid Sultans who promoted the construction of numerous gardens and palaces, which include the Mexuar, the Comares and the Palace of the Lions. The site also boasted mosques, schools, prisons and workshops, which meant that it could function as a completely autonomous city. Towards the end of the 15th century, the Alhambra came under Christian rule, who introduced new buildings adapted to their preferences and necessities.

This book published by Dosde covers the origins and the evolution of the Alhambra, exhaustively showing the different spaces that make up this unique monumental arrangement, providing an exceptional artistic and architectonic wealth that is admired throughout the world.

Deluxe Edition

The Alhambra of Granada

  • It includes exclusive digital content
  • "Premio Clap" Best Design category
  • Official licensed product
  • Made with environmentally friendly paper

About the book the Alhambra of Granada

Devised as a centre of political and military power for the Nasrid kingdom, the Alhambra of Granada is the only Islamic palatine city that has remained practically intact up to the present day. Owing to its important historical and artistic vlaue, this landmark in Hispanic-Muslim architecture was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1984.

From the 13th century to the 15th century, the Alhambra was the official residence of the Nasrid Sultans who promoted the construction of numerous gardens and palaces, which include the Mexuar, the Comares and the Palace of the Lions. The site also boasted mosques, schools, prisons and workshops, which meant that it could function as a completely autonomous city. Towards the end of the 15th century, the Alhambra came under Christian rule, who introduced new buildings adapted to their preferences and necessities.

This book published by Dosde covers the origins and the evolution of the Alhambra, exhaustively showing the different spaces that make up this unique monumental arrangement, providing an exceptional artistic and architectonic wealth that is admired throughout the world.

Videos The Alhambra of Granada

Readers opinions
(2)

RETURN

Reviews
(2)

Keith Houghton (UK)
Keith Houghton (UK)
The illustrations and infographics are very good, I loved the book. Well done!
David Perham (UK)
David Perham (UK)
Although I thought the book was excellent, perhaps a floor plan/ site plan in detail would be a good idea. The location map in the front of the book is very dark and lacks detail.

Readers opinions
(2)

Keith Houghton (UK)
Keith Houghton (UK)
The illustrations and infographics are very good, I loved the book. Well done!
David Perham (UK)
David Perham (UK)
Although I thought the book was excellent, perhaps a floor plan/ site plan in detail would be a good idea. The location map in the front of the book is very dark and lacks detail.

Additional Information

  • Additional Information
  • Subtitle: The palatine city of the nasrid kingdom
  • Weight (g): 1095
  • Binding: Hard cover
  • Size (cm): 26,5 x 26,5
  • Author: Dosde
  • Pages: 0
  • Edition: Deluxe Edition
  • language
  • Spanish
  • English
  • French
  • Italian
  • German
  • Chinese
  • isbn
  • 978-84-9103-050-8
  • 978-84-9103-051-5
  • 978-84-9103-227-4
  • 978-84-9103-053-9
  • 978-84-9103-054-6
  • 978-84-9103-055-3
  • sku
  • 25-011-00
  • 25-013-01
  • 25-013-02
  • 25-011-03
  • 25-011-04
  • 25-011-07

The history of the Alhambra of Granada

During the thirteenth century Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula declined sharply due to rivalries between the different families that wanted to rule the territory and the effectiveness of the expansionist policy undertaken by the Christian monarchs.

The last bastion of Islamic power was the Nasrid kingdom, who managed to retain its independence by means of one-off smart policy alliances with the Spanish Royal Crown and North African leaders. In 1238 the Sultan established the headquarters of his court in Granada, on some ancient fortifications that existed on Sabika Hill.

This was the origin of the Alhambra –“the red” in Arabic–, a large fortified enclosure which, thanks to the refurbishments carried out by successive Nasrid sultans, steadily expanded until it formed a complex urban network, becoming one of the most imposing palatine cities of the time.

From the fifteenth century, the Nasrid kingdom of Granada entered a phase of internal instability and progressively lost territories. Finally, after a hard siege, in the year 1492 Sultan Boabdil handed the keys of the city over to the Catholic Monarchs, who retained the Alhambra as a symbol of their victory, thereby perpetuating the importance of a monumental arrangement that is unique in the world.

Visit the Alhambra of Granada

Located on the top of Sabika Hill, the Alhambra has become the emblematic landmark of Granada. It is a unique Islamic palatine city that has remained practically intact until the present day, whose construction included luxurious palaces, numerous administrative offices, mosques, schools, barracks, landscaped gardens, orchards, baths and workshops.

The different parts of the Alhambra are a true reflection of the successive architectonic modifications that were carried out throughout history. In the Alhambra, Nasrid art reached its finest expression, perfecting many of the resources that were characteristic of Hispano-Muslim tradition. In the Nasrid Palaces, made up of the Mexuar, the Comares and the Palace of the Lions, craftsmen took Nasrid architecture to its maximum splendour.

The Christian period of the Alhambra arrived in 1492, when the Catholic Monarchs conquered the city of Granada. As a sign of their appreciation of the Nasrid architectonic legacy and eager to provide lasting evidence of their military victory, the Castilian-Aragonesemonarchs financed a series of architectonic refurbishments that were designed to guarantee the conservation of the Alhambra.

The grandson of the Catholic Monarchs, Emperor Charles V, even though he was more ambitious than his predecessors by planning the construction of a new palace to become the headquarters of his court. The new chambers converted into a reflection of the dynamism of the Alhambra, a site accustomed to adapting to the passage of time.