Espania- Episode Granada 21-31 Mar: Places

After going to Granada- the city in the south of Spain in the province of Andalucia- home to Ana and Ivan and many other great people...there is nothing much objective you feel like saying. It just crawls up your soul and leaves you wordless. Which is why, many times I was telling Ana that she lives in heaven. For so many reasons. Which I will try to show you in pictures...and with some descriptions of the city and the history especially.

This fist post I will show you places mostly. Meet Ana- my great guide. Her stories really gave live to the place.

Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.

The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle", for the Roman fortress which once stood on the Albaicin Hill. When the Moors came here, the town was largely inhabited by Jews, for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud - Granada of the Jews. The Jews are said to have been one of the first peoples to settle in Spain, even before the Romans.

First of all...this is the cathedral..from the middle of the city.
As is the case of most Christian buildings in Granada, the Cathedral was built on the site of the former Mosque. The site of the former Mosque has since been replaced by four buildings: the Cathedral, the Royal Chapel, the Sagrario, and the Merchants' Exchange.The most striking fact about the cathedral is the incredibly long time it took to build. Work on the cathedral began on 15th March 1523 and it was not completed until 1704, 180 years later.


But what is great about this city are all the other churches that you can actually see that they were built in the places of old mosques. So that is why they have towers like this- they belong to the mosques.

Islamic influences can be felt everywhere: in the architecture and the horseshue arches which you'll see later...

..in the tiny streets with oriental souvenirs...where you can dress yourself head to toe in Morrocan or Egyptian like clothes, buy shishas and what not...

...in the tiny cobbled streets that give the city a sensation of cosy...almost like a village...

...in monuments...

...and private gardens of artists that have travelled the globe, but decided to stay in Granada because it felt like a homy heaven on earth.

And how can you not love it when you see houses like these everywhere...

And intimate squares like this one...

About the people in Granada I will tell you some other times. But everyone is laid back and relaxed- just enjoying the many cultural events outdoors you can find everywhere...

And the view is gorgeous everywhere you are!

Granada has a few famous neighborhoods, all spread out on hills. Some examples are:
- Sacromonte (or the gypsy neighbourhood- where gypsies sing their hearts out in the streets and some live in caves),
- Albaicin: a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens, known as "cármenes". The Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for its magnificent view of the Moorish palace. This is the great fortress called Alhambra.

But all about Alhambra in the next post...:)
If I could chose one of the next 7 wonders of the modern world...I would cast a vote for this place for sure!