Albaycin

Walked from Sacromonte into the Arab "commoner section" which lies south of the Darro River/Valley with the fortress and palace (Alhumbra) to the north. Not much tourismos to be seen; relatively deserted, hilly, interesting Arabic cobblestoning, flowers predominating, uneven and at times slippery footing.

The Albaycin is the old Arab Quarter. It comprises approximately the area between the hill of the Alhambra, the hill of San Cristobal, the Sacromonte and Elvira.
The Albaycin is like a different world within Granada. This is due to the strong Muslim influence in this area. It was the place where the first Siri court was built in the eleventh century.
At the height of splendour the Albaycin enjoyed in the last years of Nazarid dominance, the quarter comprised a population of more than forty thousand inhabitants and thirty mosques.
The streets were very narrow and small with clean houses, plus numerous wells, some of which are still in the Albaycin.
With the reconquest, the Albaycin was left for Muslims as their own place of residence. But soon the population dwindled.
The constant revolts forced the monarchs to expel the Arabs who were practising Muslim. The mosques were demolished and on the same sites churches were raised.
The Moors left behind their homes, which were used by wealthy Christians to build their carmenes.Meer informatie