The Alhambra is the Spanish landmark complex in Granada that served as the Nasrid dynasty’s royal palace and fortress.
The site occupies a hill overlooking Granada and developed over centuries. Its best-known palaces were built and expanded by Nasrid rulers, especially during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The complex combined royal residences, courtyards, administrative areas, gardens, and defensive structures.
Its decoration is famous for geometric tilework, carved stucco, Arabic calligraphy, and carefully controlled water features. The Court of the Lions is one of its most recognizable spaces, although the Alhambra is much larger than that single courtyard.
Christian monarchs took control of Granada in 1492 and later adapted parts of the site. Charles V commissioned a Renaissance palace inside the complex, creating a striking contrast with the Nasrid buildings. The Alhambra should not be confused with the Generalife, a neighboring royal estate closely associated with it.