Granada ..steeped in history
Granada.
Puerto Banus
is fun if a bit plastic. You do need a bit of culture now and then! So.. The only draw
back to a bus tour is the pick up ritual – and we were first pick-up at 7am.
They were still ‘picking up’ two hours later! Granada can reach 40+ degrees in the summer and then drop below zero in the winter. Sounds like Canada. It is sub-tropical region so they grow lots of fruit. The “Pomegranate” the most popular crop here, a, it is their National symbol and b, Granada actually means pomegranate. The fog disappeared and sun was shone as soon as we left the coast behind. The tour was
well arranged. The city of Granada is a modern mix of old and new buildings and shops. It has all the hustle and bustle of a big city similar to Toronto. Mopeds and scooters are abundant making it a great way and means of transport around the tiny streets. The Granada
Cathedral was first on our list of ‘must see’ monuments. This was the first
Renaissance church built in Spain. The stone work and inside were as impressive
and beautiful as all Catholic churches are. The Royal chapel is the burial place
of the Catholic Monarchs again very impressive no money spared here! We then
only had time to wonder the tiny streets. For all our Canadian friends.. yep! I kept reading ‘Granada’ signs as ‘CANADA’ signs! (See photo)
We had lunch in a four-star hotel buffet style, surprisingly with wine included. We met and enjoyed a pleasant lunch with a couple from Norway. Not forgetting the five Spanish dressed singers who serenaded us with Vive el Espania and Quanta Lamira We decided against their CD! ..but they did lunch an atmosphere? The journey to
‘Alhambra’ from the city of Granada took us to the top of the ‘Hill of the
Assabica’. The vista was wonderful
and you could see the whole city below – no the Emirs of the day decided to
choose to build their palaces here. The Moorish
Palace was worth the wait to see. It was built as early as the 11th
century. It is the only one in
existence because normally when a new Emir took power, they destroyed everything
from the previous Emir and replaced with their own monuments! The plumbing and the use of water through the palaces is quite amazing. The palaces are actually built on Roman remains so naturally they use the Roman techniques for running water systems. They also make use of the roman techniques for cooling rooms in the summer and heating them in the winter. From the palace grounds you can see the valley and the city in a stunning view but perhaps the most interesting part is that many of the original cave homes that were first occupied when the palace was built are still inhabited! It’s just that these days they have running water, electricity and the internet! The gardens between 11th and the 14th century
were tiered and had the effect of the Gardens of Babylon. The Moorish were Muslims from North
Africa where water was a scarcity. Here it was abundant and a conduit 8km long
was connected with the Darro from the monastery of Jesus del Vale above Granada.
The summer palace was built for Charles V, Holy Emperor of Rome and his wife around 1527 – sort of like their summer cottage in Muskoka! The religion
of Charles and his wife required the architecture to be tasteful but not too
flamboyant on the exterior. It is basically a square stone building with
bueatiful carvings and a huge wooden door entrance. Once inside you then enter a
great circular area with a massive gallery landing and marble floors.
The
main glory of the Alhambra is the Moorish palace though.
At first sight (and typical of Muslim religion) the outside is plain, austere even. The sun and wind are freely admitted by cleverly placed windows and doors. Only those invited can ever see the splendor inside. It’s just like the Muslim tradition where the women are to be covered and only seen by those invited few. The
majority of the buildings are quadrangular in plan with all the rooms opening
onto a central court. The Alhambra was extended by the different Muslim rulers
who lived in the complex. It
was extremely important to the current Emir in power to intimidate visitors
so the beautiful marble work and
carvings in his palace were not only for as aesthetics but also to strike fear
into those who arrived there – having viewed the emirs immense wealth. Visitors
were always left waiting to see the Emir who could make them stand and wait for
many many hours amongst this splendor but never quite allowing them to get close
to him. The Emir might only have been just a meter or two away behind a curtain.
(hmmm.. these tactics are a little like those used by one or two of the buyers
I’ve come across over the years!)
It
must have been pretty tough being a top dog in those days. It was quite common
for the 22 Emirs in residence to bump off one or two of the other Emirs that
didn’t quite suit them at the time. It was very common for fathers, uncles and
brothers to come to untimely deaths if they were not too careful of their
ambitious and dear relatives. One of the tactics used by some Emirs so they
could sleep easier in their beds at night was send huge quantities of wine down
to the garrison each evening.
Blue, red and yellow - all somewhat faded now through the lapse of time and exposure to the elements were used in the decoration of all the walls. The Muslim tradition of square geometrical patterns of foliage design on paneling are seen everywhere, the walls are also full Arabic inscriptions. The ceilings are rich, carved cedar wood from Lebanon, and are still in excellent condition all these centuries later. Cedar is such a clever wood. The
personal rooms for the Emir are just stunning. Arabesque ceilings of intricate
design, marble columns, marble floors, running water and a magnificent white
“Fountain of Lions”. This was given as a gift to the Emir by a prominent Jew of
the time. He could not refuse it (war if he had! ) but animal depiction is not
allowed in Muslim faith. The answer
was to place the fountain in his private quarters so only a few ever saw it. The
fountain has an alabaster basin supported twelve lions as symbols of strength,
power and sovereignty. On eachhour one lion would produce water from it’s mouth.
Overall, Granada is not a place to miss. Our
Spanish tour guide and driver. Hmmm… any chance of leaving port tomorrow morning have
been instantly quashed! |