El sol andaluz #5: Soul of Granada

The soul of Granada is undoubtedly Alhambra, which incarnates its eight full hundred years of Muslim past. Without Alhambra, Granada would not be Granada.

Alhambra is one of the best reserved monuments representing the peak period of Islamic architecture where arabesque, geometry and calligraphy were used most lavishly and masterly. It was the first Islamic architecture I visited since I started to learn Arabic. And I felt like everything around me was speaking to me aloud! Probably like how a mathematician feels when in Greece.

The most repeated verse was “There is no victor except God” - Wa lâ ghâlib illâ ‘allâh (I could not upload the photo but will try again later) But of course there were much more I could not decipher partly because of the calligraphy and partly simply because I still have way to go in my learning.

I first went to Alhambra last December with a Muslim friend who had grown up in Europe and had never practiced his religion. I cannot be sure whether Alhambra has made any profound change in him. Well, now he is doing Ramâdan for the first time in his life.

There are so much written about Alhambra, I just want to put names right here. Just the most important ones:

Alhambra (Al-hamrâ’) – The Red Palace.

Generalife (Jinnah al A’rif) – Garden (Heaven) of the Architect (God). It is absolutely unforgivable to pronounce it as “general life”.

Some links:

History, descriptions and pictures on Alhambra and Granada
http://www.alhambradegranada.org
http://www.granada360.com/index.html

Islamic art and architecture
http://www.islamicarchitecture.org/index.html
http://islamicart.com/index.html
http://www.islamic-council.org/redirect/mosques.htm

Categories: Culture, Europe, Islam, Travel