The Christian and the Andalusian legacies
- 1. The Alhambra. Declared World Heritage by UNESCO, it is the Spanish monument with more visitors: 3.3 million people visited the Alhambra in 2010. It is a palace-military building from the Nazari period. Built between the XI and the XV centuries, it was used as a royal palace, court and military castle. Inside the Alhambra, you can visit: La Alcazaba (the Arab fortress), El Patio de los Arrayanes (the Myrtle Patio), El Patio de los Leones (the Patio of the Lions), el Patio de Lindaraja, the towers that protect the building, its gardens, such as the Partal gardens, and the Palace of Carlos V, built in the XVI century, after the conquest of Granada by Isabel and Fernando (1492 AD).
- 2. The Cathedral of Granada. The Granada Cathedral of the Incarnation is one of the master pieces of the Spanish Renaissance. It was built between 1526 and 1561 under the direction of Enrique Egas and Diego de Siloé.
- 3. The Sacromonte district. It is the traditional district of the Grenadian gypsies, who have their own dialect: the so called “calé”, not usually spoken in our days, and original from India. Gypsies arrived at Spain from that country in the XV century, after wandering around Europe and Africa. Caves are the common houses in Sacromonte and most of their inhabitants are gypsies, artists or foreign people.
- 4. The Albaizyn. In the Albaicín you will find many monuments and monumental sets from different periods, mainly from the Renaissance and the Nazari period.
- 5. The Realejo. It is the district of the old Jewish quarter of the Muslim city, a very good place to have a beer and some typical tapas from Granada.
- 6. Plaza Nueva. In spite of its name, it is the oldest square in Granada. It is surrounded by a set of relevant buildings.
- 7. The Cartuja. This monastery was found by the Great Captain. It has a beautiful baroque church from the XVII century as well as a nice cloister.
- 8. The Arab baths “EL Bañuelo”. Impressive Arab baths that show us how refined were the Spanish Arabs one thousand years ago.
- 9. The Coal House. This old Arab inn from the XIV century is the oldest Arab monument of Granada.
- 10. Church of San Gil and Santa Ana. Small church in Mudejar style located next to the Carrera del Río Darro. Mariana de Pineda -a heroine from the XIX century, executed for embroidering a liberal flag- was married there.
