The Alcazaba - Citadel, Fortress and Origin of the Alhambra

What is the Alcazaba? The Alcazaba is a "citadel", a central, fortified command and control point within the Alhambra fortress. The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra. In the middle of the 9th century, there were already mentions of it in the writings of Ibn al-Khatib.


The magnificent monumental complex that exists today was built by Muhammad I, nicknamed Ibn al-Ahmar, the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, who chose the Sabika hill as the official residence of the new kingdom of Granada. His son, Muhammad II, expanded upon his work.

Construction of the Alcazaba

It was constructed on the remnants of the ancient Sawwar Castle from the Umayyad period, which served as the residence for their governors.

The Alcazaba of the Alhambra stands as one of the best-preserved citadels in Spain.

Al-Ahmar surrounded it with defensive walls and towers, turning it into the imposing fortress that we contemplate today.

During this time, emblematic towers were erected such as tower Quebrada, tower Homenaje and the impressive Torre de la Vela. Vela means "Candle" tower. This tower is also known as Watch Tower or Bell Tower.

An external rampart or ravelin surrounds the entire complex, as was customary in the Almohad fortresses.

Despite the numerous reforms it has undergone later, the Alcazaba preserves its original structure, although it may be difficult to distinguish them.

Today you enter the Alcazaba through a door that you will find upon crossing the Plaza de los Aljibes.

Once the Nasrid Palaces were finished, the Alcazaba was limited simply to its military function. The seat of government and the royal family were moved to the new palaces.

Renovations of the Alcazaba

The Catholic Monarchs made improvements in some parts of the Alcazaba to prepare it for artillery attacks, a pioneering measure during that era.

Significant repairs were also undertaken on areas that had deteriorated.

Part of the northern wall was covered with masonry. In 1537, the walkways were fortified. In 1565, the front wall along the Plaza de los Aljibes was reconstructed.

In 1589, the Torre del Cubo was constructed in the location where the Tahona Tower stood, which was smaller and less resistant to artillery attacks. This tower, along with the gate bearing the same name, has completely disappeared.

In 1590, several towers were repaired, including Vela, which had been damaged after the explosion of a powder magazine near the Carrera del Darro.

Uses of the Alcazaba

The Alcazaba of Alhambra is part of the monumental complex of the Alhambra, which was built to serve as the seat of the royal family and as a defensive fortress.

This is how al-Ahmar and his son designed it, as it is believed that the the Tower of Homenage was a residence of the royal family. However, the Alcazaba was relegated to purely military use when the Palaces were constructed.

After the conquest of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs, the Alcazaba became subject to military authorities and served as a state prison. It also functioned as a prison during the French invasion.

Unfortunately, the interest that Alhambra aroused from the 19th century onwards did not extend to the Alcazaba, which remained forgotten until well into the 20th century.

It was in the middle of the 20th century when it began to be managed by cultural institutions rather than military ones.

The Garden of the Adarves

The Jardín de los Adarves (Garden of the Adarves) is named as such because it is situated on the lower walkway ('adarves'), which was reconstructed at the beginning of the 17th century, in the defensive section of the southern wall of the Alcazaba.

This walkway is a narrow path or corridor situated above the wall, enabling sentinels to patrol or move around the fortress.

The idea of creating a private garden here originated from Íñigo López de Mendoza, Count of Tendilla and Marquis of Mondéjar, who was appointed warden of the the Alhambra in 1634.

To accomplish this, the marquis had the ditch that was situated here, between the outer and inner walls, filled up to the height of the rampart's walkway.

This trend was spreading throughout Europe in the 17th century, transforming old walls into public parks.

The Renaissance pillars that adorn it date back to the same period.

The Garden of the Adarves is a charming place. It has a rectangular shape and measures approximately 50m x 8m.

Various types of flowers perfume the garden. Additionally, there are palm trees, a beautiful magnolia tree, and a lush vine that covers the wall.

A large part of the path is covered by an iron pergola adorned with a beautiful wisteria.

The spectacular views offered by the Garden of the Adarves complete the scene, making this one of the most beautiful corners of the Alhambra.

The great painter Mariano Fortuny spent many days painting here, like many other artists of the time.

His painting, titled El Jardín de los Poetas, which is sadly missing but remains as a photograph in the Prado Museum in Madrid, attests to this.

In the Garden of the Adarves, there is a small viewpoint attached to the Torre de la Pólvora (gunpowder tower), through which you can access the interior of the Alcazaba.

Right here begins the wall that extends to Bermejas Towers. In 1957, the famous verses of the Mexican poet Francisco de Icaza dedicated to Granada were placed here, and they have since traveled the entire world.

"...there is nothing sadder in life than being blind in Granada".

The Towers of the Alcazaba

Once inside the Alcazaba, we find ourselves in an almost triangular esplanade surrounded by the wall, within which numerous towers rise.


To the north, stands the Torre de las Armas (Tower of Arms) and Puerta de Armas (Gate of Arms) or Bib Sila, which was connected to the city by the Cadí Bridge.

A floor was added to this tower in Christian times to connect it to the Alcazaba. Today, on its terrace, we can enjoy beautiful views of the Darro Valley and the Albaicín.

To the south, there were three others, of which only one remains, extensively renovated, in the Garden of the Adarves.

To the west, we can see the Torre de la Vela (Watch Tower or the Candle Tower), the Torre de los Hidalgos (Tower of the Nobles) and the Torre de la Pólvora (Powder Tower).

To the east the Torre del Adarguero (Tower of Shieldmakers), Torre Quebrada (Broken Tower), and Torre del Homenaje (Tower of Tribute).

The Tower of Homenaje or Tower of Tribute

The Torre del Homenaje controlled the main entrance to the Alcazaba known as the Great Tower over the Territory (Bury al-Azim ala-I-balad) in the Nasrid period.

Inside, we find a basement used for dungeons or silos, and five floors covered with groin or bay vaults.

The upper floors were used for housing. It is believed that the first emir of Granada, al-Ahmar, lived there, specifically on the top floor. At some point, the warden of the Alcazaba also resided there with his family.

The Torre del Homenaje has a height of 20 meters and a floor plan of 12.12 x 10.45 meters. At the foot of this tower, you can see remains of the ancient Sawwar Castle, which al-Ahmar took advantage of to build the Alcazaba.

The Torre del Homenaje, along with the Torre de la Vela, are the two largest ancient towers in the the Alhambra.

Torre de la Vela or Watch Tower

The main tower of the Alcazaba and probably of the Alhambra, with the exception of the Torre de Comares, is the Torre de la Vela.

Known as the Torre Mayor (al-Bury al-Azam, main tower) in the Nasrid era, this tower is so emblematic in Granada that it appears on its official coat of arms, granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1843.

The Torre de la Vela measures 26.80 meters in height, a little more than the Torre del Homenaje, and its base is solid.

Inside, we find four floors with galleries covered by various types of vaults, as well as a basement with a dungeon.

Today, access to the tower is at the level of the second floor, and the staircase used corresponds to some remodeling works that were done to convert the tower into a home.

On the third floor, there was a house that occupied the entire floor, known as "la velera". The person in charge of ringing the tower's bell and their family lived there.

Climbing its many steps is not suitable for everyone, but the reward is worth the effort.

From the top, you will contemplate one of the best panoramic views of Granada: all of Granada at your feet and La Vega (Valley), Sierra Nevada, the Darro River Valley, the Albaicín, the Sacromonte and even some nearby towns.

Battlements adorned the Torre de la Vela until they disappeared in the 16th century.

The bell was placed there during Christian times, and because of it, this tower also began to be called the Tower of the Sun or Bell Tower.

The ringing of the bell of the Torre de la Vela has marked the rhythm of Granada for centuries.

It served to regulate the irrigation of the Vega de Granada (valley) like a night clock. It was also the alarm that warned the people of Granada of danger.

Currently, the bell of the Torre de la Vela rings on some special dates, such as January 2 when the Catholic Monarchs took of Granada.

The Plaza de Armas or the Arms Square

The original entrance to the Alcazaba was located here.

In the Plaza de Armas we find the foundations of several Arab houses, where the civilian population of the Alcazaba lived.

In fact, remains of an armory workshop and a bakery with a double low-fire oven have been found.

This area is known as the military neighborhood and has the typical structure of any Hispanic-Muslim population. Here, the elite guard lived, monitoring and controlling the palatine city of the Alhambra.

A narrow street divided the neighborhood into two areas. In the part where the rooms are larger, it is believed that there were warehouses or where troops lived.

There was also a bath or hammam, a well, and several dungeons and silos.

These underground dungeons were the safest in the Alcazaba. The chambers were dug underground, and prisoners climbed up and down using a rope through the only opening available.

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