格拉纳达的阿尔罕布拉，安达卢西亚省，西班牙 Alhambra in Granada, Andalucia, Spain (© Armand Tamboly/Getty Images)

格拉纳达的阿尔罕布拉，安达卢西亚省，西班牙 Alhambra in Granada, Andalucia, Spain (© Armand Tamboly/Getty Images)

绿宝石中的珍珠 Pearl among the emeralds

The Alhambra in Granada, Spain

The winds of history have long blown through the beautiful halls of the Alhambra. Though it had been the location of fortresses as far back as the 800s, construction of the Alhambra (Arabic for 'red castle') began in 1238 under the rule of Muhammad I Ibn al-Ahmar, founder of the Emirate of Granada. Ensuing leaders would continue construction of the complex, turning it into one of the finest examples of architecture from the historic Islamic world. The palace was the final hold of the Moors before the completion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, when the Alhambra became the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella. They greeted Christopher Columbus there later that same year.

While Spanish rulers would soon leave their imprint on the complex, with Spanish Renaissance architecture standing in contrast to the existing structures, the next few centuries would see the Alhambra gradually fall into disrepair and disuse, including a damaging occupation by Napolean's forces during the Peninsular War of 1807-1814. After Napolean's defeat, the grand palace was rediscovered among European and American travelers, which led to several extensive restorations. In 1984 the Alhambra was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it's one of Spain's most visited tourist destinations.

西班牙格拉纳达的阿罕布拉宫

历史之风早已吹过阿罕布拉美丽的大厅。尽管早在800年代它就已经是要塞所在地，但在格拉纳达酋长国创始人穆罕默德·伊本·艾哈迈尔（MuhammadIbnAl-Ahmar）的统治下，阿罕布拉（Alhambra）（阿拉伯语中“红色城堡”）的修建始于1238年。随后的领导人将继续修建该建筑群，使其成为历史上伊斯兰世界最优秀的建筑范例之一。1492年，基督教徒收复失地，阿罕布拉成为费迪南德和伊莎贝拉的皇家宫廷，在此之前，这座宫殿是摩尔人的最后据点。同年晚些时候，他们在那里迎接了克里斯托弗·哥伦布。

虽然西班牙统治者很快会在该建筑群上留下自己的印记，西班牙文艺复兴时期的建筑与现有建筑形成鲜明对比，但在接下来的几个世纪里，阿罕布拉宫将逐渐年久失修和废弃，包括1807-1814年半岛战争期间那不勒斯军队的破坏性占领。纳波利安战败后，欧洲和美国游客重新发现了这座宏伟的宫殿，这导致了几次大规模的修复。1984年，阿罕布拉被联合国教科文组织命名为世界遗产。今天，它是西班牙游客最多的旅游目的地之一。