Granada Photo Gallery - The Alhambra Part 4

The Alhambra is an amazing monument to Moorish Spain and includes the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife gardens, and Alcazaba. I chose a very early entry time for my pre-booked ticket at 9:30 anticipating a lot of crowds as the day progresses. Most of the Alhambra dates from the 13th and 14th centuries when the Muslim rulers transformed the site into a palace. When the Christians reconquered Spain, they demolished part of this palace for a Renaissance building and subsequent stewards had even tried to blow it up.

Gaining an entry was an adventure in itself. They run a strict quota system to limit the number of visitors to certain parts of the massive complex. Having heard stories of much time wasted in long lines, I opted to pay a little extra to get a pre-booked online ticket, guaranteeing my entry into the restricted sections. Luckily, as I visited on a weekday, the crowds were thin upon my arrival just before opening time. There was no line for the automatic ticketing machines where I retrieved my ticket with my credit card in seconds.

Past the Puerta del Vino, the Alcazaba is the military part of the Alhambra whose history dates back to the 13th century. Home to the royal guard that keeps the palace secure, there are various vantage points from the tops of defence walls and towers that offer the best views of the city.

The gate was the main entry point into the medina. For better protection, it was built in an L-shape with guards being able to control access in all directions.

The Torre de la Vela is the furthest edge of the Alcazaba that tourists can visit. Elevated above everything else, Granada shone against the brilliant sunshine.

The mosque's baths no longer showcase the glory of yesteryear. Today, it takes some imagination to recall what it may have looked like when it was still in use.

I didn't see many shops within the Alhambra itself. This is one of them, displaying their wares with respect to the site's history.

I then headed back towards the exit to end my very long visit. It is well after lunch and a visit to this place could easily take a whole day if I took more time exploring the museums.

The Puerta de la Justicia and Pilar de Carlos V are part of another entrance to the Alhambra, but it doesn't have ticket sale facilities. The Justicia gate was built in 1348 and is the largest of the Alhambra's 4 gates.

Heading back downhill, the Puerta de las Granadas marks the exit back to the city.

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