Today, Granada is an emblem of tourism in Spain. With a population of 241,000 in the city centre and over half a million in the metropolitan district, Granada is a middle-sized city, but more than two million visitors per year make it a powerful tourist centre. Although the city is proud of its historical legacy, its pioneering conference facilities and its privileged situation –mid-way between the Tropical Coast, the Sierra Nevada ski resort, and typical regions such as the Alpujarra– complement its attractions, making this southern area of Spain a miniature universe of possibilities for visitors.
History
The history of Granada is almost the history of humankind. Today many remnants of constructions (the city walls, in particular) are preserved; to scholars they are like books on the past, from the remotest times to the present day. The location of the city and its province were determining factors in its history: the Mediterranean, the protection offered by the mountains, the rivers and the fertile plain. From pre-Christian times, the Albaicin (which now has a population of 10,000) has been a settlement for peoples such as the Iberians and Romans, who founded the city called Iliberis there.
Visits
Alhambra. The Alhambra is a palace, a fortress and a settlement, all at the same time. Ever since the Middle Ages when it was built, the Alhambra monument site has been known in history as a unique sample of Arab culture in the Western world. It is an architectural marvel that for centuries was outshone by its amazing ability to captivate the senses of those who visited it. The combination of art, science and nature, together with its perfect interaction with the surrounding area, are the keys to its ability to charm which so many travellers have committed to paper.
Cathedral. More than 180 years of work and half a dozen architects in charge of this emblematic edifice explain the final layout of the building. Its foundations were built after a Gothic design by Enrique Egas and were continued in the Renaissance style, after a design by Diego de Siloe. The idea of a Cathedral was conceived a few months after the city was conquered. The first site chosen was inside the Alhambra, in the former Royal Mosque. Subsequently it was changed to the Realejo quarter, until Queen Isabella decided to place it next to the Mezquita Mayor, the main mosque in the Moorish quarter. At first, the mosque was turned into a cathedral, but it soon proved too small and dilapidated so it was decided that a new monument would be erected next to it.
San Jerónimo.The Monastery and Church of San Jeronimo are not just another one of the Catholic Monarch's many foundations. This impressive building holds many secrets, such as its authorship. It is a veritable symbol of a period in which the conquerors were willing to allocate enormous resources to set a standard for the new religion. The Monastery houses the remains of the Gran Capitan of the Spanish army, Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, whose widow received the main chapel from Carlos V in person. The chapel boasts one of the masterpieces of Spanish sculpture, an altarpiece commissioned to Diego de Siloe but later executed by several artists. The monuments went into decline after the Hieronymus monks left the Monastery and particularly after the Napoleonic invasion, when the troops made it their headquarters.
Cartuja.The Carthusian Order began the construction of a monastery and church in the extensive orchards given to them by the Gran Capitan (Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba) on the outskirts of the city. Parts of the buildings remain, despite the vicissitudes they underwent after the confiscations in the 19th century. The monastery is of Gothic design, although some elements, such as the facade and the vestry, are pure Baroque. The latter is richly adorned with carved plaster and marquetry. The refectory, decorated with large canvases by Juan Sanchez Cotan, is also outstanding.