When I considered going down to Spain, the first thing everyone said was that, yes, we had to go because we couldn't miss the Alhambra. The Alhambra was the last hold out for the Moors in Spain. It was completed in the 14th century as a refuge and palace for the Moors, but in 1492, the Moors surrendered to Ferdinand and Isabella here after eight centuries of fighting. In the Salon de los Ambajadores, the largest room of the Alhambra, Christopher Columbus made his pitch to Ferdinand and Isabella to support his expedition to what turned out to be America. Not only is the Alhambra historically significant, it is also stunning in an intriguing way. The original fortress is Moorish with Islamic architecture, but the buildings added later, including the palace of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, were Renaissance. And one of the most beautiful characteristics of the Alhambra is the dark wood brought from England by the Duke of Wellington while fighting against the French in Spain in the 1800's. The complex is surrounded by gardens with singing nightingales and sits at the top of the hill in Granada. No wonder it is the most popular tourist attraction in Spain.
I was surprised by how much my children loved our time at Alhambra. Some of the kids were intrigued by the fact that they were standing in the same room where Columbus met with Ferdinand and Isabella and others were struck by the building's beauty. They found the Arabic cursive, chiseled on the walls, with stanzas from Islamic poems and verses from the Koran fascinating. The little ones loved the maze of hedges in the gardens, Sophia and Annelise had fun searching for the hidden staircase of water and Mia was thrilled by each fountain she passed.
Jonathan remarked over and over how much he loved the Alhambra, which made everything that it took to get to this spot worth it!
4 comments:
Your pictures of the Alhambra are incredible! That reminds me of the architecture I saw when I was in Morocco (also of Moorish influence).
Did you know that you're related to the prime minister to Charles V? I had no idea we had personal ties to the Alhambra... I, too, love your photos, especially the one of the city of Granada framed in an Arabic arch. And, of course, the photos of the adorable children. The shot of one-half of Ezra's face reminds me of the photo you took of him turning his back on the camera! And, of course, that sweetheart, Jono...
I echo what everybody else has said about your pictures - they are awesome. Jenny and I have never been to the Alhambra, so we appreciate you sharing it. Also, it looks like someone forgot to tell Mia that it was the "serious picture".
So glad you made it to Alhambra. I just can't imagin you doing it with all the kids but that is the old man in me talking.
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