The Gardens of the Alhambra

Here is the rest of the pictures from the Alhambra. They are the gardens located throughout the entire complex.

The next few pictures are of a designed swail that takes the water from this fountain located in a wall to a giant pond at the bottom. You will see how it all connects.

This is a view of a small pond that flows from the fountain. I literally turned around a took a picture and this is the view you would see.

If you were to look through the opening in the shrub as seen above, looking down the stairwell/ water path.

Looking back up to the starting position of the fountain on the wall. Hopefully you can see the connection from the first picture to the rest of them.

The terminating point of that designed swail, a giant reflecting pool with a building at the opposite end.

An overview of the building shown above, with all the gardens that surround it.

An overview of the gardens. The building to the right is more of the Alhambra complex that is located on the opposite side of the mountain that we were on.

Yet another setion of the garden complex. Cool fountains

All of the buildings that you can see are part of the Alhambra complex. Its truly massive.

If you were to take the picture above anf look to the left, you will see how the complex continues even further.

Looking left even further from the above picture, you can see, again, even more of the Alhambra. (yeah, the complex is so big you can't fit it into one picture, or even two for that part. Also, im pretty sure this third picture dosen't even tell the story of the entire complex.)

Another "distrcit" of the gardens where a simialr pond like the one shown above, only difference there is one element that makes it better....me!

At a lookout point, with a view of the city of Granada

A stone pattern on the walway. It must have been the family crest of the royal family that reigned within the palace.

Another cool water garden within the complex. I love the square shaped yews

Another view of the city. This is more or less the outskirts of the area. You can also see the old security walls that used to protect the city.

A cool stairwell made entirely from stone that has two small streams that run through the handrails.

A view of the stairwell looking down it from the first landing

A view of the entire stairwell from the top landing

Walking down the other side of the water stairway. Crazy windy path, and decnently steep

Cool pathway that is completely covered by natural vegetation

Labyrinth type remains that were most likely used for a market or something along those lines were locals can come in. They also might have been areas for workers for the royal family.

Granada part 2...Alhambra

This is one of the beautiful tile artworks that are littered all over the Alhambra. Becuase displaying people, animals, etc is not permitted to be used in artwork umong the Muslim religion, they have to use geometry and Coran verses. You will see more of this in upcoming photos.

A view of Granada looking through a minneret.

A horseshoe archway with some of the intricate Islamic detailing.

A close up of some of the mosaic tile work in the Alhambra. My Arabic is horrible so all I can make out is "Allah". An extreme rough translation of the script is something about how "without god there is nothing, or there is no other god but Allah" something along those lines.

An awesome picture of one of the multiple courtyards with a reflecting pool in the Alhambra

Another courtyard within the complex.

The detailing within another horseshoe archway. Notice the arabic script above it.

One of the really ornate ceilings. Keep in mind that all the ceilings, walls, archways. etc are entirely made of stone.

Another Coran verse carved within the walls. Whats really amazing is that the building is made mainly with stone, so how they were able to make all the detail work in an era where power tools did not exist is beyond me.

Another variation of ceiling detail

Another mosaic tile pattern on the walls.

Check out this dome that is entirely stone. Pretty talented construction workers.

A very programmatic, and well planned courtyard. Check out the linear waterway that leads to the fountain in the middle. You will see more of these waterways that are extremely planned. Remeber, in Islamic architecture, they can have people, animals, etc, so their style is going to be very geometrically planned.

Check out this dome and the shape of it. This is a constantly reocurring shape within Islamic architecture and the following pictures.

The beginning of the gardens that completely surrounnd the Alhambra. Some of these gardens are absolutely breath taking.

Continuation of Andalucia Trip

Bienvienido a Granada, enjoy the pictures!!

Ave Maria Cathedral, did not go inside but the exterior is still rediculous.

The building to the right of Ave Maria. I guess its a sign from a God!!

Gato Negro. This interesting little character is plastered on the walls everywhere. He is also painted within the surrounding enviornment, no painted ON a wall, you will see in future pictures.

Views of the Alhambra as we ascend to the top of a lookout point across the river from it. The pictures of the Alhambra and the city are gorgeous from this lookout point.

Another wall painting that works whithin the given enviornment.

A view of the Alhambra from an alley way. Slowly ascending to the top.

Gato Negro. You can probably understand what I meant when I said that he is painted "whithin" and no "on" the enviornment. I dont know what it is but I am in love with this cat and how he is painted in so many different variations around the city.

A view of the snow covered moutains beyond. This is on top of the lookout point.

A view of the city below.

The Alhambra from afar.

Yours truly, with the Alhambra in the background.

As the sun slowly sets over the city of Granada.

Yours truly, again, as the sun is setting.

The sun, as its sets even further into the horizon.

The last of the sun before darkness moves in.

The city below

The Alhambra lit up at night.

The next few pictures are going to be more variations of the Gato Negro as we saw them in progression walking down from the lookout point.

A poem that goes along with Gato Negro.