precious-postcards

Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada

Rising above the modern lower town, the Alhambra and the Albaycín, situated on two adjacent hills, form the medieval part of Granada. To the east of the Alhambra fortress and residence are the magnificent gardens of the Generalife, the former rural residence of the emirs who ruled this part of Spain in the 13th and 14th centuries. The residential district of the Albaycín is a rich repository of Moorish vernacular architecture, into which the traditional Andalusian architecture blends harmoniously.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/314

The Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín in Granada are exceptional reminders of Moorish Spain. In the 8th century the Islamic Moors of Northern Africa had conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula. Several centuries of struggle between Moors and Christians (striving for the Reconquista) followed. The Nasrid dynasty was the last Muslim dynasty in Spain, before all were finally expelled in 1492.

The Alhambra ("the red fortress") is a palace and fortress complex built by the Moorish monarchs of Granada. Its existence was first mentioned in the 9th century. During the reign of the Nasrid Dynasty, the Alhambra was transformed into a palatine city complete with an irrigation system for the lush and beautiful gardens of the Generalife located outside the fortress. 

The Palacio de Generalife, to the east of the Alhambra, was the summer palace and country estate. It was built during the early 14th century by the Nasrid sultans. 

The Albayzin is an old residential neighborhood in Granada, opposite from the Alhambra. It has both Moorish and Andalusian influences. The Albayzin was a later (1994) addition to this World Heritage Site. 

http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/granada.html