Alhambra

The Alhambra palace complex is situated above the town of Granada, on the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain. In this work, Michael Jacobs takes a look at this magical palace-fortress and the mythology that has grown up around it.

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The Alhambra palace complex is situated above the town of Granada, on the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain. Islamic Spain was largely reconquered by the Christians in 1212, but Ibn Nasr, the founder of the Muslim Nasrid dynasty, held onto a small area of southern Spain and chose Granada as his capital. He mapped out the foundations of a new citadel known as the "Alhambra". In this work, Michael Jacobs takes a look at this magical palace-fortress and the mythology that has grown up around it. The heart of the book is a tour of the palace and the adjoining gardens. The final chapter assesses the literature, art and architecture inspired by this legendary place.