Alhambra

The Alhambra is a mixture of palace, fortress, gardens, and a lot of water. But what is so special about water? Water was very precious to the Moors, and in many of their palaces you can see fountains, pools, and ponds, but in the Alhambra there is much more. Small rivets in the marble floors provide paths to follow while long, skinny pools in the Jardines reflect beautiful flowers, and a fountain spitting water out of 12 lions’ mouths portrays power. It’s not just the buildings and grounds that make the Alhambra so popular, but the breathtaking views from all sides, especially from the tall towers you can climb.

A Jewish high official built the first palace in the 11th century, and then in the 13th and 14th centuries it was transformed into the fortress you see today. Other kings then added onto it, but the whole complex was almost destroyed during Napoleon’s invasion of Spain. Luckily, they were able to restore it and today it is one of the most visited sites in all of Spain.