The Alhambra, an impressive palace and fortress complex on the hill in Granada, is undoubtedly one of the most famous buildings in Spain and one of the most visited attractions in Andalusia.
The Sabikah Hill of Granada was already inhabited in pre-Roman times. After the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors, they built a castle here. The castle withstands some wars against the caliphate of Cordoba and uprisings of the population. Later, the Almoravids and Almohads took control and further extended the castle to a fortress.
When Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr had to escape under the pressure of Castille and Leon to the south, he could conquer Granada and made it the capital of his new empire. This resulted in a huge flow of refugees, that caused an economic and cultural upswing. After disputes with Ibn Hud of Murcia, he pledged himself to a vassalage of Ferdinand III of Kastilien, in order to retain his empire. As Emir Mohammed I ibn Nasr, he founded the Nazarite dynasty and ordered the construction of the citadel (Alcazaba) and the expansion of the Alhambra as the residence.
As the interface between the Christian kingdoms and North Africa, the following sovereigns had to form shifting alliances in order to keep the country independent. Often the Strait of Gibraltar was at the center of conflicts of interest. Some rulers were dethroned, others killed. Intrigue, coups, and assassinations were almost normal.
Under Yussuf I, the Nazari kingdom reached its peak despite the turmoil. The influence of the Moroccans was stopped, but Granada had no allies against Castile. Yussuf I built the Nasrid Palace and the Comares Tower, the heart of the Alhambra.
The country could be consolidated again and given a new lease of life only under Muhammad V. Muhammad was friends with Peter of Castile (the Cruel), who was weakened even in the Castilian civil war. A cultural single combat developed. Peter of Castile commissioned to built the Alcazar in Seville in the Moorish style, with master builders from Granada. In turn, Muhammad built the Lion's Palace in the Alhambra which is the masterpiece of Moorish architecture in Europe to this day.
The Nasrid Palaces also include the summer palace Generalife.
Later, the Alhambra still was supplemented with the palace of Charles V, which was never completed.
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