Granada Spain - Glorious City Of Southern Spain
Situated at the foot of the southerly Sierra Nevada ski
resort, Granada is one of the most splendid cities of
eastern Andalucia.
On its southern side is 103 kms of fabulous Mediterranean
coastline, with the Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical in
close proximity whilst, in between, lies a fertile plain
producing exotic fruits.
Granada dates back to prehistoric times and was known as
Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized the southern part of
Iberia, they built their own city there, calling it
Illibris. The Arabs, invading the Peninsula in the
eighth century, gave the city its current name of Granada.
Being the last Muslim city of Spain to be reconquered by
the Christians, Granada has an unmistakable Arab flavor,
and Moorish and Christian elements go hand-in-hand.
One of the most brilliant jewels of Granada is the Alhambra,
a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari
Dynasty in the fourteenth century. This mighty compound
of buildings, including the summer palace called Generalife
with its beautiful fountains and gardens, stands at the foot
of the Sierra Nevada.
The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or
medina called the Albaic