Alhambra

My group went on a tour today (Saturday) to the Alhambra. It is an ancient palace used by the Muslim kings before they were pushed out of Spain in 1492. The Alhambra is separated into 3 different parts, the palace, the Alcabaza (the military fortress), and General Life (the summer palace and the conjoining gardens).

We started in the main palace, entering through the largest of the 4 gates to the palace. This gate was used for the kings' personal use whenever he decided to leave the palace.  Set in stone at the top of the gate is a symbol of Fatima's hand, a symbol of luck and a representation of the five pillars of Islam (1. Profession of faith, 2. Praying 5 times daily, 3. Observing Ramadan, 4. Pilgrimage to Mecca, 5. Giving to charity).

In the main palace we saw the king's quarters, the royal children's quarters, the main courtyard used by courtiers, and the room used for political matters. All of the walls in those rooms are ornately decorated with ceramic tiles and carved stone; they are so beautiful to look at. Next we walked through the Alcabaza, saw the homes where the soldiers lived, viewed the hole to the dungeons, and saw the wall used by firing squads. Finally we visited the General Life, where we walked through the gardens. We ended the tour by eating the sandwiches we brought.

Side note: the Alhambra is the most visited monument in Europe. The number of people who visit each year surpasses the number of people that visit the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.