The Alahambra at

Grenada, Spain
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• Alhambra, palace and fortress of
the Moorish monarchs of Granada, Spain.
• The name Alhambra, signifying in Arabic “the
red,” is probably derived from the reddish
colour of the tapia (rammed earth) of which
the outer walls were built.
• Is distinct among Medieval palaces for its
sophisticated planning, complex decorative
programs, and its many enchanting gardens
and fountains.
• Built by the Nasrid Dynasty (1232-1492)—the
last Muslims to rule in Spain. Muhammad ibn
Yusuf ibn Nasr (known as Muhammad
I) founded the Nasrid Dynasty and secured this
region in 1237.
• He began construction of his court complex,
the Alhambra, on Sabika hill the following year.
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• Sabika hill—a strategic vantage point that provides views of
the whole city of Granada and the plain (vega) of
Granada.
• The complex is irregular in shape and surrounded by
defensive walls. In all, the Alhambra spans nearly 26 acres,
with more than a mile of walls, 30 towers and numerous
smaller structures.
• At the base of the plateau is the Darro River, which runs
through a deep ravine to the north. The river separates
Sabika from the Albaicín, a Moorish residential district that,
along with the Alhambra, form the medieval part of
Granada.
• The Generalife Garden, on the other hand, is situated
nearby on the slopes of the Hill of the Sun.
• The Generalife contained residential buildings and land
used for grazing and cultivation, and it was designed as a
place of rest for the Muslim royalty living at the Alhambra.
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• The Alhambra had three main sections:
✓ The Alcazaba, a military base that housed guards and their families;
✓ the palatial zone, which contained several palaces for the sultan and his kin;
and
✓ the Medina, a quarter where court officials lived and worked.
• The Nasrid palaces were divided into three independent areas. These areas
included
✓ the Mexuar, a semipublic part of the palace (for justice administration and state
affairs);
✓ the Comares Palace, the official residence of the sultan that was comprised of
several rooms that surrounded the Court of the Myrtles (an outdoor area
containing a large central pond lined with myrtle bushes); and
✓ the Palace of the Lions, a private area of the palace for the king and his family
and mistresses.
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• The oldest part of the Alhambra is the Alcazaba, a fortress with multiple towers. Though
the Nasrid dynasty fortified the Alcazaba and used it as a military base for the royal
guard of the sultan, experts believe the structure was built before Muslims arrived to
Granada.
• The first historical records of the Alcazaba (and the greater Alhambra) date to the 9th
century. They refer to a man named Sawwar ben Hamdun who had sought refuge in
the Alcazaba fortress due to civil fights between Muslims and Muladies (people of
mixed Arab and European descent).
• Arab texts suggest Sawwar ben Hamdun and other Muslims may have then initiated
new constructions at the fortress.
• The Alhambra, however, was largely ignored until at least the 11th century, when the
Zirid Dynasty settled in the Alcazaba Cadima (Old Fortress) in Albaicín. To preserve an
important Jewish settlement located in the area, Vizier Samuel ibn Nahgralla
renovated and rebuilt the ruins on Sabika and built a palace there for emir Badis ben
Habus.
• In 1238, Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr (Mohammed I), the founder of the Nasrid
Dynasty, settled into the Alcazaba of Albaicín, but was attracted to the ruins on the
Sabika hill. He subsequently established a new royal residence of Alhambra and
began creating the palatine city known today
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• The Alhambra wasn’t the construction project of a single ruler, but rather the
work of successive rulers of the Nasrid dynasty.
• Mohammed I laid the foundations for Alhambra by fortifying the royal site. He
reinforced the Sabika Alcazaba by constructing three new towers: The Broken
Tower, the Keep, and the Watch Tower.
• He also canalized water from the Darro River, further allowing him to establish a
royal residence at the Alcazaba. Mohammed I built warehouses or halls for
soldiers and younger guards and began construction of the Alhambra palaces
and ramparts.
• Al-Hamar’s son and grandson, Mohammed II and Mohammed III, continued the
work of their predecessor regarding the palace and ramparts. The latter ruler
also constructed the Grand Mosque of the Alhambra and public baths.
• Most of the well-known structures of the Alhambra complex known today were
constructed by Yusuf I and Mohammed V. These include the Patio of the Lions,
the Justice Gate, the Baths, the Comares Room, and the Hall of the Boat.
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• The Alhambra complex contained
numerous other structures, perhaps
the most famous of which was the
Patio of the Lions (or Courtyard of the
Lions). This courtyard was so named for
the central fountain, which is
surrounded by twelve lions that
spewed jets of water.
• Other famous structures include the
Hall of the Abencerrajes, which has a
stalactite ceiling and is a legendary
site where a noble family was said to
have been murdered, and the Hall of
the Ambassadors, a chamber
where Islamic emirs (commanders)
would negotiate
with Christian emissaries.
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Comares Palace facade

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Hall of the Ambassadors, Alhambra

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• In 1492, King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile conquered
Granada, unifying Spain under a Catholic monarchy and ending centuries of
Islamic rule (they exiled the last Nasrid ruler, Muhammad XII, known as Boabdil to
Spanish historians).
• The Alhambra soon underwent many changes.
• Charles V, who ruled Spain as Charles I, ordered the destruction of part of the
complex to build a Renaissance-style palace for himself, called the Charles V
Palace. He built other structures as well, including the Emperor’s Chambers, the
Queen’s Dressing Room, and a church to replace Alhambra’s mosque.
• The Alhambra was abandoned starting in the 18th century.
• In 1812, some of the complex’s towers were blown up by the French during the
Peninsular War.
• The Alhambra underwent a series of repairing and restoration efforts in the 19th
century, beginning in 1828 by architect José Contreras (under an endowment
from then-King of Spain Ferdinand VII) and continued by his son and grandson.
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• Floors combined terracotta tiles with small glazed pieces known as
olambrillas.
• Floors also featured almatrayas, a series of glazed ceramic pieces which
generally formed a rectangle before the main door to a house or other
rooms therein.
• However, the Alhambra, as a royal seat and centre of power, had a
flooring that is rarely found elsewhere, due to its cost and the techniques
involved, such as the ceramic tiles.
• Dadoes and column bases also feature glazed ceramics, giving the
impression that some parts of the Alhambra were covered in bright
colourful glass carpets.
• On the walls, the glazed ceramic mosaics appear in the dadoes, the often
decorated bottom third of the walls, with a wide range of techniques and
designs used.
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From the outset, there are Painted
records of repairs, dadoes from
retouching and other the Nasrid
interventions on the period from
glazed ceramics, especially the western
the alicatados, as in the side of the
case of this dado in the latrine in the
Mexuar, which features Hall of the
the Plus Ultra symbol from Boat in the
the times of Charles V Comares
Palace.
Reconstructed
almatraya from
the Nasrid period
with missing Columns faced with
glazed ceramic alicatado pieces, cut in a
pieces from one curve. Comares Palace,
of the houses 14th century
alongside the
Gate of the Seven
Floors
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Remains of
various
skylights from
the Nasrid
baths in the
Alhambra, now
in the
Alhambra
Museum.

Cuerda seca
Detail of alicatados in the Comares Baths,
ceramics on
built in the 14th century, although
the spandrels
featuring some ceramic pieces from the
at the Wine
16th century which are clearly visible in
Gate
the arista tiles from this period bearing the
initials of Plus Ultra.
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• In 1829, American author Washington
Irving took up residence at the
Alhambra. He wrote and
published Tales of the Alhambra, a
collection of essays and stories about
the palatial city. In 2009, on the 150th
anniversary of Irving’s death,
managers of the Alhambra erected a
statue of the writer in a park outside of
the palace to commemorate his role
in introducing Western audiences to
the historical site and Spain’s Islamic
history.
• The Alhambra remains one of the most
beautiful historical sites in Spain and is
visited each year by thousands of
tourists from around the world.
King Hassan II
Mosque,
Casablanca
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• The historical context of the
mosque began with the
death of King Mohammed V
in 1961.
• King Hassan II had requested
for the best of the country's
artisans to come forward and
submit plans for a mausoleum
to honor the departed king; it
should "reflect the fervor and
veneration with which this
illustrious man was regarded".
• In 1980, during his birthday
celebrations, Hassan II had
made his ambitions very clear
for creating a single landmark
monument in Casablanca.
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• SECOND LARGEST MOSQUE IN THE WORLD
• COMMISSIONED BY, KING HASSAN II, TO PROVIDE CASABLANCA WITH A SINGLE
LANDMARK MONUMENT
• DESIGNED BY MICHEL PINSEAU, A FRENCH ARCHITECT
• BEGAN IN JULY 1986 AND ENDED ON AUGUST 30, 1993
• ESTIMATED TO HAVE COST AS MUCH AS $800 MILLION
• NEARLY ALL THE MATERIALS OF THE HASSAN II MOSQUE ARE FROM MOROCCO,
WITH THE SOLE EXCEPTIONS OF THE IMPORTED WHITE GRANITE COLUMNS AND
GLASS CHANDELIERS
• OVER 6,000 MOROCCAN MASTER CRAFTSMEN AND ARTISANS WERE EMPLOYED
TO WORK THESE LOCAL MATERIALS INTO THE INTRICATE DECORATIONS THAT
EMBELLISH THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE.
• SITING OF THE MOSQUE WAS INSPIRED BY THE QURANIC VERSE ON THE WORLD’S
CREATION “AND HIS THRONE WAS OVER THE WATERS”
• THE HASSAN II MOSQUE DIFFERS IN THAT WAY, ALLOWING VISITORS OF ALL FAITHS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND VIEW THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING
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• THE COMPLEX IS COMPRISED OF FIVE MAIN ELEMENTS.

• THE MOSQUE ITSELF CONSISTS OF

• A PRAYER HALL (20,000 Sq M) WHICH CAN
ACCOMMODATE 25,000 WORSHIPPERS,
• AREAS FOR ABLUTIONS,
• THERMAL BATHS,
• MEETING AND VIP ROOMS,
• PRESS FACILITIES AND OTHER ANCILLARY SPACES,
AND
• THE TALL MINARET.

• THE MADRASA IS A SEMICIRCULAR PROTRUSION

CONTAINING
• A QURANIC SCHOOL,
• A LIBRARY SPECIALIZING IN ISLAMIC SCIENCES, AND
• CONFERENCE AND AUDIO-VISUAL SPACES.
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• THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MUSEUM,
COMPOSED OF
• 2 SYMMETRICALLY ARRANGED
BUILDINGS ALONG THE MAIN PLAZA
• THE ESPLANADE; A HUGE OPEN
SPACE COVERING SOME 30,000 SQUARE
METERS AND SURROUNDED BY
COLUMNS, IS AN AREA THAT CAN BE
USED AS AN EXTENSION OF THE PRAYER
HALL TO ACCOMMODATE OVER 80,000
PEOPLE

• TRANSPORT FACILITIES, WITH AN

UNDERGROUND ROAD AND PARKING
SPACES FOR 1,100 VEHICLES AND 40
LARGE COACHES.
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• LOCATED ON A PLATFORM OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN; BUILT PARTIALLY ON
LAND AND PARTIALLY OVER THE OCEAN
• FREE OF NOISE AND POLLUTION AND RECEIVES A FRESH BREEZE FROM SEA
• 41 FOUNTAINS IN THE COURTYARD
• PART OF THE MOSQUE'S FLOOR IS MADE OF GLASS; AUTOMATED SLIDING
ROOF OPENS (ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS) TO THE HEAVENS
• TALLEST STRUCTURE IN MOROCCO AND TALLEST MINARET IN THE WORLD
• AT NIGHT, LASERS SHINE A BEAM FROM THE TOP OF THE MINARET
TOWARD MECCA FOR 30 KM, "TO POINT THE WAY TO GOD.“
• THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND EARTHQUAKES AND HAS A HEATED
FLOOR AND ELECTRIC DOORS
• DISPLAYS STRONG MOORISH INFLUENCES, BRINGING TO MIND THE ALHAMBRA
AND MEZQUITA IN SPAIN
• HORSESHOE ARCHES PREVAIL BOTH IN AND OUT, AND THE WALLS AND
COLUMNS OF THE INTERIOR ARE DELICATELY CARVED IN A VARIETY OF
INTRICATE PATTERNS
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• THERE IS A HUGE WOMEN'S GALLERY ON THE RIGHT AS YOU FACE THE PRAYER
AREA, WHICH IS BEAUTIFULLY CARVED OF DARK WOOD, WHICH CAN HOLD 5000
PEOPLE
• THE PRAYER AREA IN THE BACK IS SPACIOUS AND CARPETED IN RED
• DOWNSTAIRS ARE TURKISH-STYLE BATHS AND FOUNTAINS FOR WASHING
• THE DOORS OPENING FROM THE SEA ARE MADE WITH ENGRAVED BRASS AND
TITANIUM FROM RUSSIA AND WEIGH 10 TONS AND ARE RESISTANT TO SALT
CORROSION
• THERE IS A THRONE FOR THE KING IN THE MAIN WORSHIP AREA
• THE ABLUTION HALL IN THE BASEMENT HAS 41 FOUNTAINS AND BOTH A MALE
AND FEMALE HAMMAM
• BLENDS ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE AND MOROCCAN ELEMENTS, AND REFLECTS
MOORISH INFLUENCES
• LAYOUT IS KNOWN AS THE BASILICAN PLAN
• THE QIBLA WALL IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE NAVES WHICH IS SAID TO BE AN
UNCONVENTIONAL LAYOUT
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WORLD’S TALLEST RISING TO 210 METERS; 60 STORIED; TOPPED BY A LASER BEAM; SQUARE PLAN; BASE TO THE TOP
WIDTH RATIO OF 1 TO 8; GREEN TILES DECORATE THE MINARET FOR ONE THIRD OF THE HEIGHT FROM THE TOP, AND
THEN TURQUOISE BLUE
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THE PRAYER HALL IS BUILT TO A RECTANGULAR PLAN OF 200 M (660 FT) LENGTH AND 1,000 M (3,300 FT) WIDTH
THREE NAVES, PERPENDICULAR TO THE QIBLA WALL
CENTRAL NAVE OF THE HALL IS 40 M(130 FT) AND LARGER THAN THE SIDE NAVES WHICH ARE 27 M (89 FT) HIGH
UNDULATING WITH A SUCCESSION OF NUMEROUS DOMES FROM WHICH GLASS CHANDELIERS ARE HUNG
ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HALL, THERE ARE MEZZANINE FLOORS, RESERVED FOR LADIES
THE PILLARS OF 13 METERS (43 FT) HEIGHT ARE SQUARE IN SHAPE
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THE ROOF IS RETRACTABLE, ILLUMINATING THE HALL WITH DAYTIME SUNLIGHT AND ALLOWING WORSHIPPERS TO
PRAY UNDER THE STARS ON CLEAR NIGHTS.
IT WEIGHS 1100 TONS AND CAN BE OPENED IN FIVE MINUTES
IT MEASURES 60 METERS (200 FT) HIGH, WITH AN AREA OF 3,400 SQUARE METERS (37,000 SQ FT).
THE ROOF IS COVERED WITH CAST- ALUMINIUM TILES, STRONGER AND MORE RELIABLE THAN TRADITIONAL CERAMIC
TILES, AND ABOUT 35 PERCENT LIGHTER.
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THE ARCADE