Palace of Charles V, Granada (must see)
Inside the Nasrid fortification of the Alhambra, well fed cats peer dispassionately at The visitors who come from all over the world. The visitors take pictures of the cats. Then they pass through the lush flower gardens to the Palace of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. The palace, begun in 1527, was not completed until the 20th century.
Charles was not only an emperor, he was a king. He was ruler of Spain and most of Southern Europe. He had palaces galore, but he needed a summer place. Ferdinand and Isabella had taken rooms at the Alhambra. He needed something new.
He chose Pedro Machuca as architect. Pedro had studied with Michelangelo. He would create something unique, something Italian. The palace is stylistically Mannerist. At that time Mannerism was all the rage in Italy. The exterior is a mix of rusticated stone on the first floor and ashlar smoothness above. The building was avant-garde, unique in Spain.
The palace is a square with a circular patio within. The roof has a circular opening above the patio. The patio is enclosed in two levels. A Doric colonnade encircles the lower level. The upper level is wrapped in a stylized Ionic colonnade. The visitors entering the patio are surprised, having passed from the square to the circle.
Charles never lived in the palace. As the visitors leave they pass through the gardens again. The cats watch them go.
Charles was not only an emperor, he was a king. He was ruler of Spain and most of Southern Europe. He had palaces galore, but he needed a summer place. Ferdinand and Isabella had taken rooms at the Alhambra. He needed something new.
He chose Pedro Machuca as architect. Pedro had studied with Michelangelo. He would create something unique, something Italian. The palace is stylistically Mannerist. At that time Mannerism was all the rage in Italy. The exterior is a mix of rusticated stone on the first floor and ashlar smoothness above. The building was avant-garde, unique in Spain.
The palace is a square with a circular patio within. The roof has a circular opening above the patio. The patio is enclosed in two levels. A Doric colonnade encircles the lower level. The upper level is wrapped in a stylized Ionic colonnade. The visitors entering the patio are surprised, having passed from the square to the circle.
Charles never lived in the palace. As the visitors leave they pass through the gardens again. The cats watch them go.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Granada. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Palace of Charles V on Map
Sight Name: Palace of Charles V
Sight Location: Granada, Spain (See walking tours in Granada)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Granada, Spain (See walking tours in Granada)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Granada, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in Granada
Creating your own self-guided walk in Granada is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Albayz铆n Walking Tour
The Moorish quarter of Albayc铆n is a world of its own inside Granada. Mainly, this is due to a strong Islamic vibe still present in the area. The city's oldest district was established by Arabs in the 11th century and to date has retained much of its original charm, manifested in the neat maze of narrow Medieval lanes, shady, intimate courtyards and squares, plus a multitude of well-kept,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Alhambra Walking Tour
One of the first places a tourist wants to visit in Granada is Alhambra, the region鈥檚 most iconic sight. By far not a typically Spanish attraction, this enormous fortress encompasses palaces, gardens, courtyards, and is the greatest surviving relic of Andalusia鈥檚 800 years of Moorish rule. The sprawling complex sits forbiddingly atop the Darro valley, against a dramatic backdrop of the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Granada's Architectural Jewels
Over the course of centuries, Granada's architecture has been influenced by four major styles 鈥� Moorish, Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque. The city鈥檚 most impressive buildings date from the period of Arabic rule and the subsequent Catholic epoch which started after the Moors were displaced in 1492.
From the dazzling majesty of the Alhambra to the awe-inspiring churches and the subtly... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
From the dazzling majesty of the Alhambra to the awe-inspiring churches and the subtly... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Granada Introduction Walking Tour
The story of the city of Granada does not properly begin until the Umayyad conquest of 711 AD. The Iberian peninsula fell under Moorish rule that would last 700 years and the Jewish settlement of Garnata al-Jahud grew to become Granada of Al-Andalus.
The long Reconquest of Spain finally ended when the Emirate of Granada was ceded by Mohammad XII to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
The long Reconquest of Spain finally ended when the Emirate of Granada was ceded by Mohammad XII to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles