The Generalife is the recreation area built between the 12th and 14th centuries where the Nasrid sultans enjoyed a second residence outside the palatine city. The decoration is simpler than in the Alhambra Complex but shares the idea of a patio as the distribution center of the home. Currently, it has the Alhambra and Generalife Library and a theater where the International Festival of Music and Dance is held annually.
The description of “Jardines del Alarife” is the most accepted to designate the Generalife area, located in the area outside the walls of the Alhambra. This place has been consolidated since the 12th century as a recreation area with orchards, hunting grounds and palace for the enjoyment of the sultan and his family. With the Christian conquest in 1492, the Catholic Monarchs created a mayor#39s office to take charge of the complex and its use, which was active until 1921, when it was established. as a property of the State.
The exterior features a cypress promenade and the Generalife Theatre, created to host the Music Festival and Danza de Granada since 1952, currently a world-famous international event. Further ahead are the Lower Gardens of the Generalife, where some orchards in the area were located and, today, they show us fruit species or rose gardens. Next, two patios at different levels bring us closer to the Patio de la Acequia, the meeting point of the Generalife offices. In this patio, among others, the water channel irrigated by fountains stands out, and a viewpoint converted into a chapel in Christian times.
The palatine interior awaits us through the gate of the irrigation canal area, with spaces such as the Royal Room or the Lions Gateaccess to the water staircase, known for having been the ablution area before prayer. We will also find areas such as the Romantic Viewpoint, the Patio de la Sultana or the Altos Gardens, the latter known for their landscape decoration.
Monday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Other nearby points of interest are the Alhambra Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts.