Alhambra

The road to the Alhambra is a long one. First I had to book tickets on line, getting time allocation for Nasrid palace visit, guessing what would be the best time. At the time I didn't   realize that there are multiple vendors, with incompatible ticket printing procedures. Fortunately a kind officer in tourist information office on Plaza del Carmen directed us to the right place, a bookstore with the ticket printing machine near the Plaza del Isabel La Catolica.  Finally with the precious tickets in our hand we went on to identify the best approach to the fortress. Taking the Cuesta de Gomérez, at the Puerta de las Granadas (I love this Spanish names) we choose a middle lest steep road which offered us a healthy walk through The Alhambra woods (Bosque  de Gomérez). 

 Pot do Alhambre je dolga in naporna. Najprej sem moral, še doma, preko interneta rezervirati oz kupiti vstopnice in pri tem izbrati (uganiti) najprimernejši čas obiska palače Nasrid. Takrat še nisem vedel, da je spletnih prodajalcev več in da vstopnice lahko natisneš točno na določenem avtomatu in ne na avtomatu drugega ponudnika. K sreči nas je prijazna uslužbenka v turističnem uradu na Plaza del Carmen usmerila do prave knjigarne blizu Plaza del Isabel La Catolica, kjer je stal vstrezen avtomat. Z dragocenimi kartami v roki se odpraviva iskati pravi pristop za naskok na trdnjavo. Odpravila sva se po ulici Cuesta de Gomérez, kjer sva na vhodu Puerta de las Granadas (všeč so mi Španska imena) izbrala srednjo manj strmo pot ki nam je pa ponudila prav zdrav sprehod po gozdu Alhambre (Bosque  de Gomérez). 

The Puerta de Bibrambla (Bab al-Ramla) formed  a part of the wall of Granada until 1873 when it was demolished. Parts were stored in the Archaeological Museum of Granada until 1933. Leopold Torres Balbás architectural curator decided then to reconstruct the Gates using stored remains. This architectural installation in style of "poetry of ruins" is of course well placed but very misleading to the uninformed (me for instance).
The Puerta de Bibrambla (Bab al-Ramla) so bila nekoč del zidu, ki je obdajal Granado. Leta 1873 so jih porušili, dele so pa shranili v arhitekturnem muzeju. Leta 1933 se je Leopold Torres Balbás arhitekturni kurator Granade odločil, da bo iz ostankov vrata rekonstruiral. Ta tako imenovana arhitekturna inštalacija v stilu "poezije ruševin" je sicer zanimivo postavljena vendar zelo zavajajoča za nepoučenega (zame naprimer). 
Palacio de Carlos V  is an interesting foreign body in the tissue of Islamic Alhambra, but I suppose it was meant to be. Fortunatly Charles V liked Nasrid palace, so now we can also enjoy its beauty, when our time comes. Until then the pair of us were looking around, what Pedro Manchuca intended to be an grand entrance to Nasrid palace. Looking on the huge circular courtyard I wonderd what would it be like to live in a palace like this. I am not sure I would like it.
Palača Karla V (Palacio de Carlos V) je zanimiv tujek v tkivu Islamske Alhambre, verjetno je to tudi bil namen. Na srečo je Karlu V Nasrid palača bila všeč in zato imamo tudi mi priložnost uživati v njeni lepoti, seveda ko pride naš čas. Do takrat si midva ogledujeva, kar je Pedro Manchuco namenil kot vhod v Nasrid palačo. Sprašujem se ko gledam na ogromno okroglo ploščad, kako bi bilo živeti v palači kot je ta. Nekako sem prepričan, da mi ne bi bilo všeč.

As we still have some time (until Nasrid) we have decided to visit Alcazaba. This triangular fortress was housing troupes, who were defending sultan palace. What is left are towers and walls. Buildings of military district are gone, all you can see are foundation. I am quite sure that the experts can tell from the foundations shape what was the function, but to me, it looks like very small buildings with very small rooms.

Ker imava še nekaj časa (do Nasrida) se odločiva, da obiščeva Alcazbo. V tej trikotni trdnjavi naj bi živeli vojaki, ki so branili sultanovo palačo. Kar je ostalo so stražni stolpi in zidovje. Od zgradb v notranjosti so ostali samo temelji. Mogoče po obliki temeljev strokovnjaki lahko ugotovijo funkcijo zgradbe, vendar so meni videti zelo majhne zgradbe z zelo majhnimi prostori.

Alcazba original Islamic towers are square shaped, new Christan parts of the fort are circular in shape. This should withstand artillery hits better. Climbing to Torre de la Vela is the highest oneo of the towers was pleasant because of the wind and because  magnificent view of Granada.

Original islamski stolpi so štirioglati novejši krščanski pa okrogli. To zaradi tega ker naj bi lažje prenesli topniške zadetke. Vzpon na  Torre de la Vela najvišjega med stolpi je bil prijeten zaradi vetra in zaradi čudovitega pogleda na Granado.

On the way to exit one pass through Jardin de los Adarves. My first tought about this was that Moorish soldiers new how to relax. Only later I have found out, that garden was planted at the beginning of the 17 century, long after the Moors were expelled, on an artillery platform.

Na poti proti izhodu moraš skozi Jardin de los Adarves. Najprej sem pomislil, da so Mavrski vojaki znali relaksirati. Šele kasneje sem izvedel, da so vrtovi posajeni na začetku 17 stoletja, po izgonu Mavrov iz Španije, na topniški platformi.

We did try to visit parts of the Partal palace, but as afraid as we were to lose our time slot we decided to queue with the rest of the visitors. At the end we didn’t need to wait very long, also it was annoying when there was a problem with the tickets scanner, because every minute was our minute. But we have to admit, half an hour turned out to be whole hour and  nobody was chasing us out.

Potem sva poskusila obiskati vsaj del palače Partal, vendar v strahu, da ne bi zamudila dodeljen nam čas sva se odločila, da se skupaj z drugimi sotrpini postaviva v vrsto. Na koncu nama ni bilo potrebno dolgo čakati, čeprav nama je šlo na žvce, ko čitalec za vstopnice ponagajal, zato ker sedaj so tekle naše minute. Vendar moramo priznati, da je na koncu pol ure preraslo v celo uro in nihče nas ni podil.

With our tickets checked, we got straight to the Sala de Mexuar. The Mexuar is the oldest part of the Nasrid palace. It served as reception for important visitors and even as throne room.  

S preverjenimi vstopnicami, se odpravimo skozi vhod naravnost v Sala de Mexuar. Mexaur je nastarejši del Nasridske palače in služil kot sprejemnica za visoke obiske nekaj časa pa tudi kot prestolna dvorana.

There are two other parts - courtyards which belong to Mexaur, but those were closed off. I do not see any particular reason for this. It seems kind of wasteful to allow access only to few. So I give you imprisoned palace.
Obstajata še dva dela Mexaurja, dvorišča zaprta za obiskovalce.  Ne vidim pravega razloga za to. Zdi se mi razsipno, dovoljevati dostop samo izbrancem. Zato si poglejte palačo v zaporu.

Oratory was actually small mosk, place of worship and it become part of the Mexaur in 19 century when they demolished connecting  wall  and adjusted floor level. I couldn't find out why, probably it looks better for the tourists.I admit it has certain 1001 night quality.

Oratorji je prevzaprav majhna mošeja, sultanov kotiček za molitev in ne govorniški oder. Del Mexauraj je postal šele v 19 stoletju ko so podrli vmesni zid in poglobili tla. Nisem  mogel ugotoviti zakaj, predpostavljem, da zaradi turistov. Priznam, da zgleda kot nekaj iz 1001 noči.

To me details are most impressive but there is so many of them it  is difficult to choose. The one below is from Cuarto Dorado. This is the last part of Mexaur where they say sultan was receiving his subjects.

Zame so najbolj impresivno detajli, vendar jih je preveč, da bi lahko izbiral. Spodnji je iz Cuarto Dorado, zadnjega dela Mexaurja, kjer naj bi sultan sprejemal podložnike.

Palacio de Comares is made up of three large spaces arranged around the court with the central pool. Carlo V palace intruded on the right side (if you are coming from Mexaur). At the end of Patio de  los Arrayanes there seems to be connecting door to the Carlo V palace, which is closed off now. 

Palacio de Comares sestavljajo trije veliki prostori razporejeni okoli centralnega vrta. Plača Karla V se vsiljuje na desni in zgleda, da so na koncu Patio de  los Arrayanes tudi vrata, ki povezujeta obe stavbi. 

On the way to Salon de Trono one can see Mihrab private sultan oratory. I admit that I didn't know what it was when I took the picture. It just looked nice.

Na poti proti  Salón de Trono se nahaja mala niša Mihrab privatna sultanova molilnica. Priznam, da nisem vedel za kaj gre ko sem jo fotografiral. Zdela se mi je zanimiva.

After Salón de Trono with its magnificent ceiling you finally emerge to the  Palcio de los Leones.  This is the masterpiece worth visiting.

Iz  Salón de Trono z njegovim umetelno idelnaim stropom končno pridemo do  Palcio de los Leones. To pa je mojstrovina vredna ogleda.

  

Leaving the Nasrid palace we have stopped shortly at the Partal palace. Lured to the towers and a wall we proceeded toward the exit and Genaralife. Only later we have reaized that only one tower is accesible and that there isn't much to see. Maybe it was possible to return and go out trough The Partal palace entrance, but we have decided not to do that. It was rather long afternoon and even longer day. 

Po izhodu iz Nasridske palače se na kratko ustaviva v palači Partal. Želela sva si ogledati stolpe in obzidje in sva nadalevala v smeri Generalife. Prepozno sva ugotovila, da je dostopen samo en stolp in da tam ni prav veliko za videti. Lahko bi se mogoče vrnila skozi vhod palače Partal, vendar se za to nisva odločila, saj se je popoldne razvleklo in dan je bil že zelo dolg.

Palacio de Generalife was a summer palace built during the reign of  Muhammad III (1302–1309). What we couldn't really understand was why build the summer place on the next hill. Probably political and military reasons. It is hard when you have to think about survival all the time, despite of having everything.

Palacio de Generalife je bila poletna palača, ki so jo zgradili med vladavino Muhammad III (1302–1309). Kar nisva mogla prav dobro razumeti je zakaj gradidti vikendico na sosednjem griču. Vrjetno zaradi političnih in vojaških razlogov. Hudi je, če moraš vseskozi misliti samo na preživetje, pa čeprav imaš vse.

I am behind the schedule. It took me a lot of time to compile this post. I am posting this days after the visit to Alhambra. I will try to catch up, but I am not making any promises.

V velikem zaostanku sem. Veliko časa sem porabil, da sem pripravil to objavo. Objavljam jo dneve po obisku Alhambre. Poskusil  bom dohiteti dogodke, vendar ne morem ničesar obljubiti.