Spain: Alhambra: The Gardens
Introduction to: Alhambra: The Gardens
These photos were all taken during my recent stay in Granada in early May, 2017. I had previously been to Granada and visited the Alhambra on two other occasions. This time I stayed for five days in order to get a feel for the city, as well as re-visit the Alhambra. Gardens have been developed in most every area of the 740 meter by 205 meter plateau, but the most extensive plantings are found near and around the Generalife, or summer palace of the Nasrid Sultans. Like most visitors, I was shocked – (overwhelmed is more like it), by the endless splendor of these gardens. And the timing of my visit was exactly right to capture them at the peek of the blooming season. The development of these gardens was a brilliant idea and nothing has been spared to create and maintain what must certainly be one of the largest and most spectacular floral achievements on the European continent. One must not, however, deceive oneself into some sort of ‘orientalist’ thinking. The gardens created and maintained by the Moors who built the ‘Red One’ (ا لحمرا ) in the 1300’s bore little resemblance to the elaborate plantings developed in recent times by the Spanish. The photos in this gallery appear i the same order in which they were taken during my three hour visit.