GArdEns
“The high gardens
are adorned wiTh
magnolia Trees, scenTed
shrubs and a selecTion
of evergreen and
deciduous Trees. ”
two Grand Courts, a water stairway, two promenades,
numerous water ponds and the Generalife Palace,
which was originally linked to the Alhambra by a cov-
ered walkway across the ravine that now divides them.
The present-day gardens were started in 1931 and
completed in 1951. The walkways are paved in tra-
ditional Granadian style with a mosaic of pebbles:
white ones from the River Darro and black ones from
the River Genil. At the entrance of the gardens is the
Generalife Theatre, used as the setting for shows.
The key feature of the grand complex is the water-
garden courtyard; a long rectangular pool framed by
fountains and colonnades, surrounded by stunning
flowerbeds, galleries and pavilions. Many of the pavil-
ions are adorned with arches, connecting to ponds
and landings which form a set of waterfalls.
Water is, undoubtedly, a significant element of the
Generalife, reinforcing the influence of Islamic design
and architecture – and once again alluding to the orig-
inal Qur’anic descriptions of paradise. The gardens
flourish with dense green as a testament to the enor-
mous amount of care and attention with which the
keepers tend to them.
The Lower garden was originally constructed to
resemble a labyrinth with arched rose gardens and
cypress trees planted in 1951. It was redesigned to
resemble a Muslim-style garden with an irrigation
channel crossing, pathways, cypress lined walls, a per-
gola and a view of both the Alhambra and the city.
Similarly, the High gardens are adorned with magno-
lia trees, scented shrubs and a selection of evergreen
and deciduous trees that protect against the cold
winds from the north.
When it was initially constructed, much of the
land around the Palace was used for grazing and cul-
tivation. The site originally had four main vegetable
gardens, which were separated by thick walls. Their
Spanish names have been preserved for centuries:
Colorada (red), Grande (large), Fuentepena (Spring) and
Merceria (Haberdashery). Not far from the vegetable
gardens, a meadow surrounded the premises, where
horses and farm animals would graze and the Sultan
would hunt. Despite years of battling nature’s ele-
ments, much of these structures still stand.
The Generalife is one of the oldest surviving gar-
dens of Muslim Spain. It’s design has not only inspired
gardens all over the world but a section of it has also
been recreated in Roundhay Park, Leeds. May is
reputed to be the best time of year to visit; with flo-
rescent flowerbeds in full bloom and the many water
features providing a welcome relief from the heat. l
64 emel magazine |
www.emel.com
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