SPM24 Tour Alhambra and Generalife
24 mars 2024The students continue with a tour of Alhambra including Nasrid palaces, Alcazaba citadel and summer garden.
It is a vast palace and castle complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada. Covering nearly 105.000 square metres. It lies about 700 metres above sea level. It is located on a foothill of the Sierra Nevada that the Arabs called al-Sabika, which means red earth, in front of Albaicín, and Sacromonte.
History: The Alhambra proves Arabs once ruled this territory and its architectural style is a relic of this former civilization. it was recently declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It’s a huge architectural complex. Our students travel through time imagining the luxurious life of the sultan with his courtiers inside the rooms of the palaces or the thermal baths.
Views of Granada: Being a fortress, the Alhambra stands on the hill of the Sabika, the highest point of the city of Granada as a strategic place.
Art: Walking through the interior they notice that each wall is covered by arabesques meticulously created through different moulds. Furthermore, these decorative motifs follow the principles of symmetry, forming a harmony between all the elements that make them up.
Legends: The Alhambra was the setting for the famous Thousand and One Nights, and all its courtyards and rooms inspired even the American writer Washington Irvin to write his own stories. However, the most interesting is that of Boabdil, the last sultan of Granada. He would be remembered as the last sultan of the Nasrid dynasty who betrayed his city.
Gardens: Apart from the courtyards, it is surrounded by gardens full of orange and orchid trees and a lush vegetation next to the colored flowers. The trees more than producing fruit for the inhabitants, also served as insect repellents. The gardens of the Generalife are famous for representing the antechamber of paradise as described in the Koran.
Palaces: there are the Nasrid Palace and the Palace of Charles V; each one belongs to a different historical period. In these two palaces students can enjoy two completely different but equally amazing architectural style.
An active awareness of the importance of culture and history and the spread of knowledge about past cultures and history to current day societies and students. The cultural heritage of one country is part of our common cultural heritage with similarities and differences. To understand and show tolerance and openness to different cultures students benefit from an understanding of the cultural heritage of the specific culture. The students have been encouraged for cooperation between the students to navigate and understand the information and assist each other with discussions and digital learning tools.
The environments of the historical site and surrounding gardens enhance the overall visit and give the students reflective time about the importance of environmental preservation and conservation and also enrich the students’ intercultural competence.