Albaycín

We have started our wandering through Albaycin on the nice Monday morning, on September 24th 2012. Just for the record. Setting of in spite of the guidebooks from Iglesia de Santa Ana.Santa Ana church was built in 16th century and is example of Mudejar style. This style is mentioned very  often in Spain. The word Mudejar is Spanish corruption of Arabic Mudajjan (domesticated) which have designated Moors who have stayed in Spain after Reconquista and didn't convert to Christianity. Most of them were probably skilled craftsman who have introduced and offered their technics to a new masters. Use of brick and intricate carving of different materials in geometric pattern is characteristic of the style. 

Potepanje po Albaycinu sva pričela na ponedeljkovo jutro, 24. septembra 2012. Da ne bo pomote. Navkljub različnim vodičem sva pričela pri cerkvi Svete Ane. Sveta Ana je zgrajena v 16 stoletju in je primer Mudejar stila. Ta stil v Španiji pogosto omenjajo. Beseda sama je španska popačenka arabske besede Mudajjan (udomačen) s katero so označevali riste Mavre, ki so po Rekonkvisti ostali v Španiji in niso prevzeli krščanstva. Večinoma je šlo za mojstre različnih obrti, ki so svoje zananje in tehnike ponudili novim gospodarjem. Za stil je značilna uporaba opeke, in zelo privinjeno klesanje različnih materijalov v geometrične vzorce.

Walking along Darro river one comes on intresting uphill bridges. I am not sure if this was because the other bank is steeper or there was some other reason.

Ob reki Darro naletite na zanimive mostove, ki se vspenjajo. Ali so jih tako gradili, ker nasprotni breg bolj strm, ali gre za kakšen drug zidarski razlog ne vem.  

Sometimes wandering around you can suddenly see an not advertised sight. Sight you will not find in usual tourist information, and I am not sure everybody will like it, but I do,

Med potepom včasih zazreš prizor, ki ga ne reklamirajo. Prizor, ki ga ne neajdeš v običajnih turističnih informacijah, in mnogim ne bo všeč, vendar meni je.

There was a gate over Darro river. This gate was part of fortification called "curacha". This type of  fortification did not exist in other parts of Europe, so there is no translation. Apparently this fortification included iron bars which extended to the bottom of the river, allowing water to flow through, but preventing any unwonted guests to enter.

Čez reko Darro je potekalo obzidje z vhodom. To obzidje so imenovalu "curacha". Ta tip obzidja ni  poznan drugje v Evropi, zato ni imena v drugih jezikih. Zgleda, da je to obzidje vključevalo železne rešetke, ki so segale do rečnega dna, kar je dovoljevalo odtekanje vode, vendar pa preprečevalo vstop nezaželjenim obiskovalcem.

Facade of Casa de Castril is decorated in what is called Plateresque style with an allegory in which lord of the house is always victorious over death like a phoenix above the door. The lord is grandson of Hernando Zafara judged by the coats of arms with Comares towers in them.

Fasada Case de Castril je okrašena v tako imenovanem Plateresk stilu z alegorijo, ki predstavlja gospodarja vedno kot zmagovalca na smrtjo kar ponazarja feniks nad vrati. Gospodar je vnuk Hernanda Zafare, kar vemo po grbih, ki vsebujejo Comares stolpe.

Plateresque means in a manner of a silversmith (Plata means silver in Spanish). It is a Spanish style on the transition from Gothic to Renaissance. Facades usually have three parts (Gothic) and lot of decoration to deny Gothic origin. Ornaments are botanical and often heraldic.

Plateresk naj  bi pomenilo zlatarska izdelava (Plata pomeni srebro), To je stil značilen za Španijo na prehodu iz Gotike v Renesanso. Fasade so po navadi trodelne (Gotika) z veliko okraskov v poskusu zanikanje svojega Gotskega izvira. Okrasje ponazarja rastline, pogosto pa so uporabljeni heraldični elementi.

De Zafra were obviously important family  although very little information about them in English language. Hernando de Zafra was a secretary to Catholic Kings (Ferdinand and Isabele). His grandson was  defying death lake phoenix, so the allegory of this facade is telling us. 

De Zafre so očitno pomembna družina, čeprav je v angleščini o njih ( na netu) relativno malo informacij. Hernando de Zafra je bil tajnik katoliških kraljev. Njegov unuk je pa goljufal smrt tako kot feniks, vsaj tako nas poskuša prepričati alegorija fasade.

After brief respite listening to street guitar we have arrived at the Paseo de los tirstes large plaza  where celebration and festivities were held. There is tower like building at the beginning of this plaza with an interesting story. On the ground floor of this building, during the festivities   there were judges and constables watching the celebration, probably to stop anybody who would like to have real fun. First floor was reserved for the mayor and town council and top floor for the musicians. 

Po kratkem premoru ob uličnem kitaristu sva prispela do Paseo de los tristes, velikega trga na katerem so včasih prirejali proslave in zabave. Na začetku trga stoji stolpu podobna zgradba z zanimivo zgodbo. V pritličju te zgradbe so med proslavami, zabavo opazovali sodniki in policisti, verjetno, da bi ustavili vsakega, ki bi se res želel zabavati. Prvo nadstropje je bilo rezervirano za župana in mestni svet, zgornje nadstropje pa za glasbenike. 

Plaza is still very pleasent place so we decided to have our morning coffe there and to make plans where to proceed. 

Trg je še vedno zelo prijeten kotiček zato sva se odločila, da si privoščiva jutranjo kavo in načrtujeva kam naprej.

Walking along the Darro river we didn't really appreciated that the Albaycin  is build on hill. But the first steep uphill street soon changed our impression. Anyway we were on our way to Sacromonte. 

Ko se sprehajaš ob reki Darro nimaš občutka, da je  Albaycin zgrajen na hribčku. Mnenje sva spremenila, ko sva po prvi strmi ulici stopala navkreber. Kakorkoli že na namenjena sva na Sacromonte.

Scaromonte previously called Valparaiso, become important after discovery  of the Holly  Caves (Santa Cuevas) in 1595. Allegedly there were relics of Sain Cecil and his seven followers in the caves  together with "The Lead Books" Los Plomos dela Sacromonte, number of circular lead books written in Arabic identifying human remains as those of the Saint Cecil.

Scaromonte, poprej znan kot Valparaiso, je postal pomemben po odkritiju Svetih votlin (Santa Cuevas) leta 1595. Po pripovedovanju naj bi v votlinah našli ostanke Svetega Cecila in njegovih učencev ter "Svinčene knjige" številne okrogle svinčene plošče izpisane v arabščini, ki so človeške ostanke identificirale kot Svetega Cecila.

Fortunatly we have found early enough that museum on Sacromonte is closed on Mondy so we turned around and track back.

Na srečo sva pravočasno izvedela, da je muzej na Scromontu zaprt ob Ponedeljkih, zato sva se obrnila in se odpravila nazaj.

Next point of interest, if I skip few less interesting, was  Plaza Mirador de San Nicolas. Large plaza in front of Saint Nicholas church. This plaza as the name says is about the view, the best view of Alhambra. It is well worth the walk and you can reward yourself by having a lunch or at least a drink  at the nearby bar located on the hill slope just under the plaza.

Naslednja točka, ki naju zanima, če preskočim manj zanimive je  Plaza Mirador de San Nicolas. Velik trg pred cerkvijo Svetega Nikolaja. Že ime (Mirador) pove za kaj gre, za najboljši pogled na Alhambro v Granadi. Pogled je res vreden napora pa tudi nagradite se lahko s kosilom ali vsaj s pijačo v enem od barčkov postavljenih na pobočju tik pod trgom.

Albaycin is a maze of narrow streets. You do find some remains of mudejar architecture, but in most cases the buildings are quite unremarkable. But this maze of narrow streets is what make you feel the spirit of long gone age.

Albaycin je labitint ozkih uičic. Čeprav se tu in tam najde ostanek mudejar arhitekture je večina zgradb brez posebnosti. In prav ta labirint ozkih uličic nam pričara duh davno preteklih časov.

The most amazing thing is watching people drive in this maze. I must say that I admire their skill.
Najbolj zanimivo je opazovati ljudi kako vozijo v tem labirintu. Moram priznati, da občudujem njihovo spretnost.

This is not mudejar but it looks intersting. You had to wander who was swallowed by this door.  Was it a squatter or an architect with the attitude. 

To ni mudejar vendar se mi je poslikava vseeno zdela zanimiva. Moraš se vprašati, koga so požrla ta vrata skvoterja ali arhitekta odnosom.

We are finishing our wandering through Albaycin in lively streets full of shops and small cafes. We were told that number of Moroccan immigrants is living in the area and it does look like street in Marrakesh.  

Svojo pot po Albaycinu končujeva v živahni uličici polni trgovinic in majhnih kafeterij. Izveva, da v tem delu živi veliko Maroških priseljencev in res je ulica videti kot ulica v Marakešu.