The Alhambra: Alcazaba

by Bradley

          The Alcazaba of the Alhambra is much like that of the one of the Gibralfaro in Malaga. It is the military fortification and defensive section of the castle. This is definitely the most beefy part of the castle with thick walls and towers and a less decorative feel.

          Despite not having all the ornamentation of the other parts of the castle the Alcazaba had the best views beyond a shadow of a doubt. I mean, it makes sense that it would because if you are trying to defend the castle you need to be able to see! This is the place where we took a panorama and could see most of the city and the Albayzin.

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          It was a lot of fun the climb the towers and see the sights from the highest point in the city. You could go and explore almost anywhere except for one section where you could see through to the lower level. The small hallways and rooms which were once hidden before the floor/ceiling eroded away look like a labyrinth and remind me of the underground passageways now visible at the Colosseum in Rome.

          There isn't a whole lot to the Alcazaba beyond the defenses but it still takes a fair amount of time to go through if you want to see it all. There are a couple towers to climb and you will definitely want to stop and take in the views. The best view in my opinion is looking back towards the mountains past the rest of the Alhambra, seeing palm trees growing within the castle, feeling the heat and through all this seeing in the background a snow capped mountain!

Visiting Information near bottom of this page.