Out and About from Fuengirola – Part III: THE ALHAMBRA

Tuesday 4 February

We hired a car and set out in thick fog to head inland again.  Local sea fog, known as taró, is a type of sea advection fog and has been recorded since Phoenician times.  It is not uncommon at this time of year, when a warmer South-easterly wind evaporates the much colder surface of the sea to create high humidity.  The local English language newspaper reported flights diverted from Málaga airport, a fact we found ironic as we had been told that it is not uncommon for flights to Gibraltar to be redirected to Málaga, when the Rock is shrouded in its own private weather system.

Anyway, we took on the challenge of driving a left-hand drive car, on the right-hand side of the road, with unfamiliar road signs, and the unknown quantity of local driving habits, through thick fog.  Where we came out of the murk onto higher ground, we had the eerie experience reminiscent of looking out of an aeroplane at 30,000 feet, a view down onto a cotton wool blanket.  How unfair did it seem, then, to be caught speeding by a traffic camera – probably as Mate was driving the only vehicle slow enough to be photographed…

Eventually the road climbed high towards the snow-dusted peaks of the Sierra Nevada, and far enough inland, for the taró to be replaced by a dirty grey smog as we left behind the pretty trees of almond blossom and approached the city of Granada, home of the world-famous Alhambra Palace.  On Mate’s ‘must see’ list of all time, this greatest surviving monument to Islamic architecture and art did not disappoint, in spite of a few ill-mannered tourists and the gardens in their Winter baldness.  We were glad to have taken a packed lunch, which we ate in the car before entering the site to avoid carrying it; there is no café anywhere within the walls: refreshments are available only from vending machines.

Admission tickets must be booked in advance, and give a timed entrance to the inner sanctum of the Nasrid Palaces, so visitors need to organise their tour around this point.  We began by strolling up the cypress-lined path into the Generalife, the terraced gardens on the opposite side of the valley from the Alhambra itself.  These are formally laid out following the principles of Moorish garden design, and feature an open-air concert arena, paved walks between pools, fountains and geometric beds for planting.  Lower terraces accommodate orchards and vegetable gardens.  A series of interlinking courtyards, each centred around a water feature, lead upwards to the beginning of the irrigation system that sustains this essential element of Islamic architecture.  Even in February, warm sunshine and fewer visitors allowed us to appreciate the elegance of structure and the peaceful harmony of tinkling water.

Having completed the loop, we found ourselves back at the bridge across the Cuesta de los Chinos, one of the tracks that lead from the city of Granada.  Entering the Eastern boundary of the Upper Alhambra, we first came across archaeological remains of the Secano, the ancient Medina.  The only building still standing is the Palace and Friary of San Francisco, now a state-run Parador hotel (which has a restaurant with a terrace looking towards the Generalife).  This borders an area leading past a bath house adjacent to the church of St Mary of the Alhambra, which was itself built on top of the mosque.  Next is the square palace of Carlos (Charles) V, built around a circular courtyard but never actually finished during that Emperor’s reign.  It now accommodates the Alhambra Museum and Fine Arts Museum.

Beyond the palace to the West is the Alcazaba, the Old Citadel, the original part of the Alhambra that dates from the Ninth Century.  To the Northwest are the Nasrid Palaces, a series of three interlinking royal residences built for three sultans of the Nasrid dynasty, which ruled between 1314 and 1391.  The tour route follows the chronological order of their construction, and for independent visitors there is no time limit imposed, apart from closing time of the whole site. 

No words I can find can begin to do justice to this incredible place, and I was so glad I bought a good guide to read and learn so much more after our visit.  Having explored Marrakech in Morocco some years ago, I thought I knew what to expect of Muslim art and architecture, but the Alhambra is on a whole different level.  Even keeping in mind that the lavish and intricate decoration of all surfaces was designed to reflect the mighty power of the sultan, I found myself musing on how often he actually looked at any of it, and if so whether it rendered him cross-eyed.  Much of the detail is incredibly well preserved, beautiful in an eye-boggling way and an undeniably magnificent feat of engineering and craftsmanship of its time.

I was fascinated by the sophistication of aspects of the architecture: some windows were unglazed (because it rarely rains, and any breeze needs to be able to pass into the buildings), some have stained glass, which ‘paints’ the internal floor when the sun shines through it, and some have a decorative fretwork to retain the privacy of the (female) inhabitants while they can observe the happenings of the court.  Courtyards are surrounded by arches on slim pillars, a little like cloisters, which allow the low winter sun to warm the walkways beneath, but give shade from the intense heat of the high summer sun.  The abundance of water, a symbol of hospitality, is cooling and soothing, while the wide range of tiled designs offer a wealth of patchworking inspiration.

Postcard from the Alhambra