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Granada

Make the most of your time in Granada, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links to plan your visit.


With a long and turbulent history and featuring one of Spain’s top tourist attractions Granada is nestled in the south eastern corner of Spain in the autonomous community of Andalucia and is symbolised by the pomegranate. Its history is traceable back to the period before Christ and it was in fact the last city to fall from the control of the Moors as their empire sank and the Spanish reconquest reached its heights. Some religious architecture is still evident from the time, most notably the phenomenal 14th century Alhambra palaces and gardens. The city is situated on a fertile plain at the foot of Spain’s largest mountain range, the Sierra Navada, and sees three rivers come together – namely the rivers Beiro, Genil and Darro. Granada’s population is approximately 237,000 while in its wider urban area there are around 475,000 people, which is the 13th largest in Spain. It has a particularly prestigious university which adds to the vibrancy of the already buzzing nightlife.

Granada began life as an Ibero-Celtic settlement before coming under the control of the Greeks in the fifth century BC when it became known as Elibyrge. The Romans then colonised it and renamed it Illibris before the Moors took it from the Romans in 711, only to change its name again, but this time to Granada. The city is famous for being the last Moorish city to fall in 1492 but this was not until it had undergone phases of other Arab rule. Civil conflicts in 1010 saw the city destroyed but it was subsequently reconstructed as the Zirid dynasty arrived in 1013. During this time Granada grew in size and even enjoyed some years of independence. From 1228 Ibn al-Ahmar brought about the Nasrid dynasty which oversaw the building of much of La Alhambra palaces and gardens.

Granada was also used as a trade link proving an excellent stop off on the routes to the North African Maghreb. However, in the years leading up to the last days of the Moorish empire Granada shrank into a mere small coastal region. The treaty that ensured the handover of Granada to the Spanish gave Muslims the right to stay in the city and worship freely. However, this only lasted until 1499 when a period of forced baptisms was embarked upon by the Catholics provoking an armed revolt. In 1501 the Spanish leaders demanded that Muslims either convert or leave the country; a number did convert but some also left for North Africa.
Throughout the 16th century Granada became influenced by Catholicism and its Castilian rulers and in doing so its Moorish links were wiped away and eventually the Catholics managed to remove most Muslims from the area. Their presence was symbolically replaced by cathedrals, churches and other religious buildings as the wealth gained from the expanding empire was put to effect. Despite the seeming growth, Granada in fact kept a relatively low profile and even developed less than it might have done. In more recent years it has developed no end particularly due to its tourism advances which are largely down to its various attractions and its positioning in the popular Andalucian division.

Much attention must be given to Alhambra which presents a combined Christian, Islam and Jewish legacy in the nature and purpose of its buildings. It is situated on the nearby hills and features palaces, gardens and a fortress. Another of Granada’s must see places is Albaicin – the former Moorish part of the city with stunning views across at the Alhambra on the other side of the hill. The 16th century cathedral is another of the city’s impressive sights which of course comes with much of its own history. Sacromonte hill is the location of a former gypsy district of town and features a number of cave houses and an abbey ruin. Granada includes various other impressive pieces of architecture, for example the Cartuja Monastery, the San Jeronomi Monastery and the Royal Chapel which is part of the cathedral. There is also a house museum set up to bring attention to the life of Grenadian writer and poet Federico Garcia Lorca.  

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