It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition), and the palaces were partially altered in the Renaissance style.

In 1526 Charles I & V commissioned a new Renaissance palace better befitting the Holy Roman Emperor in the revolutionary Mannerist style influenced by humanist philosophy in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid Andalusian architecture, but it was ultimately never completed due to Morisco rebellions in Granada.

circa 1050 CE

The Alhambra’s history spans nearly ten centuries, reflecting successive layers of political power, architectural transformation, and cultural symbolism. Its origins lie in the mid-eleventh century CE, when the Zirids established a fortress on the Sabika hill overlooking Granada. This initial military outpost was later expanded and monumentalized by the Nasrid dynasty beginning in 1238 CE, transforming the site into a self-contained royal city with elaborate palaces, defensive walls, mosques, gardens, and advanced waterworks. Following the Christian conquest of 1492 CE, the complex was repurposed by the Catholic Monarchs and partially reshaped by Charles V, who inserted a Renaissance palace into its Islamic core. The Alhambra then fell into centuries of neglect, military occupation, and environmental degradation until its rediscovery in the early nineteenth century CE by antiquarians and romantic travelers. Extensive restoration from the late nineteenth century onward has aimed to preserve both its Nasrid and post-conquest layers, making it a palimpsest of Andalusi, Christian, and modern Spanish identities.

circa 1050 CE

Architecture
The architecture of the Alhambra reflects a complex interplay of function, symbolism, and aesthetics, rooted primarily in Nasrid design principles and later modified by Christian and Renaissance interventions. The overall layout of the complex follows a non-axial, additive logic, with structures arranged organically across the Sabika hill to respond to the terrain and evolving functional needs, rather than adhering to a rigid geometric plan. This includes discrete zones such as the Alcazaba (military quarter), the Nasrid palaces (residential and ceremonial core), and the Generalife (leisure and agricultural retreat), all interconnected through courtyards, corridors, and controlled sightlines.

The general design emphasizes enclosed, inward-facing spaces organized around courtyards, such as the Court of the Lions and the Court of the Myrtles, where water channels, pools, and marble paving contribute to both environmental cooling and symbolic references to paradise. Water systems are a fundamental architectural and symbolic element of the Alhambra, made possible by the sophisticated hydraulic infrastructure that diverted water from the Darro River via the Acequia Real (Royal Canal), which fed fountains, reflective pools, irrigation channels, and overflow systems across the palaces and gardens. These waterworks were not only functional—providing cooling, sound, and irrigation—but also highly choreographed, with precise alignments and calibrated flow rates that enhanced the spatial rhythm and experiential layering of each court and hall.

Decorative programs are remarkably unified despite spatial and chronological diversity, dominated by intricate stucco work (yesería), muqarnas vaulting, arabesque panels, carved wooden ceilings, and geometric tile mosaics (zellij). Surfaces are dematerialized through rhythmic repetition of forms and dense ornamentation, creating a visual experience that transcends structural boundaries.

Inscriptions are an integral part of the architecture, not merely decorative but textual and theological, composed in elegant cursive and Kufic scripts. These include verses from the Qur’an, panegyrics in praise of Nasrid rulers—often attributed to the royal poet Ibn al-Khatib—and formulaic blessings, all reinforcing dynastic legitimacy and divine sanction. Carved into plaster, wood, and stone, they form a continuous narrative layer that binds the spatial experience to religious, political, and poetic meaning. Stone carvings, though more restrained than stucco, appear in structural capitals, lintels, and columns, typically in vegetal or epigraphic motifs. This architectural language results in a cohesive but dynamic environment where every surface participates in the articulation of power, faith, and aesthetic refinement.

circa 1050 CE

Notable Structures
The sprawling palace-fortress complex of the Alhambra consists of a large number of notable structures, which include not only highly ornate royal residences, reception and audience halls, and fortifications, but also service quarters, baths (hammams), defensive towers, ceremonial courtyards, religious spaces such as oratories and former mosques, and infrastructural elements like cisterns, fountains, and gates. These structures reflect a layered architectural history spanning the Nasrid, Christian (post-1492), and Renaissance phases, each contributing distinct stylistic, functional, and symbolic elements to the evolving identity of the Alhambra as both a seat of power and an expression of imperial aesthetics.