This is the defensive area of the Alhambra, where the army was garrisoned, and is the oldest part of the monument. Mohammed I built a wall around the castle and built three towers; the Keep, the Broken Tower and the Watchtower. The king moved his residence to the royal palaces when they were completed, and the la Alcazaba remained as a military fortress.
The Watchtower is the largest one of the fortress. When the Christians captured Granada, they brought a bell with them called ‘La Vela’ that they used to signal their victory. It was also used as a way to indicate to the farmers of the Vega plain the hours when they could water their fields at night. From the top of the tower, the visitor has a marvellous panoramic view of the city, the Sierra Nevada, and the surrounding villages.
The ground plan of the Alcazaba is an irregular rectangular shape and consists of two separate precincts: an outer area like a barbican or defensive wall, and another raised inner area. The Gardens of the Ramparts are at the entrance, and give us a marvellous view of the city.
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© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
