Early morning view of Alcazaba (fort) and grounds with city in background

View from one of 4 fort towers back toward fort with ruins of barracks

View from summer palace, across orchards toward church and fort

View from Alcazaba tower toward city, showing extent of old Alhambra walls

Alhambra walls near ruins of public baths. See snowy mountains in the distance

Me at stairway Palace of Charles V. Yes, it was (and is) that cold!!!!

Banisters on stairway at Summer Palace that channel water from aqueducts

See banisters with water channels built into them

Granada, # 2 cont - Alhambra Fort & More

Dec 26–31, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

Alhambra, Part 2. This post has some remaining bits and pieces about the Alhambra complex.

The Alcazaba (original "red castle" fort) is the oldest and most ruined part of the Alhambra. Napolean (much later) stationed his troops here, thus the ruin. In the 11th - 13th centuries, the fort defended a town of 2000 muslims living within the old city walls.

The Charles V Palace was designed by a student of Michelangelo, so it is a round arena with quartz columns in a Roman style, inserted within the existing square Moorish building!

The final pics were quite a novelty! The Alhambra and Alcazaba water supply was from old Roman aqueducts that continue to sustain the pools and gurgling fountains. On the stone stairs leading away from the summer palace, we noticed that the stair banisters are waterways from the aqueduct and supply the fountains on each stair landing! How cool is THAT?Read more