Generalife, Recreational palace garden in Granada, Spain
The Generalife stands on the slopes of Cerro del Sol, providing views over Granada and the valleys of rivers Genil and Darro.
Built in the 13th century, the palace functioned as a retreat for Granada kings, receiving substantial modifications by King Abu I-Walid Ismail between 1313 and 1324.
The name derives from Arabic Yannat al-Arif, meaning Garden of the Architect, representing the connection between creation and the divine.
The visit takes one hour, with a distance of 700 meters between the Generalife and Nasrid Palaces, requiring specific morning or afternoon entry times.
The Water Ladder feature provides cooling through water flowing in handrails during summer months, creating a natural temperature control system.
Location: Granada
Architectural style: Nasrid architecture
Part of: Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada
Website: http://alhambra-patronato.es
GPS coordinates: 37.17694,-3.58528
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:20
Andalusia holds a notable collection of historic gardens that reflect different periods of Spanish history. These sites combine Moorish, Christian, and modern design traditions and demonstrate the evolution of garden art on the Iberian Peninsula. From the terraced layouts of the Nasrid era to the parks of the 19th and 20th centuries, these places provide insight into the cultural influences of various ages. Granada contains several significant examples of this garden tradition. The Generalife served as the summer residence of the Nasrid sultans and features water features, patios, and planted terraces overlooking the Alhambra. The Carmen de los Mártires combines Moorish, French, and English garden elements, while the Fundación Rodríguez-Acosta represents an example of early 20th-century garden design. Additional sites such as the Carmen de la Victoria, the Jardin de los Adarves, and the Palacio de los Córdova complete the picture of Granada's garden tradition. Seville houses one of Spain's most important historic gardens at the Real Alcázar. The complex includes Moorish courtyards, Renaissance parterres, and modern plantings. The city also offers the Jardines de Murillo at the edge of the Alcázar grounds, the expansive María Luisa Park with its pavilions and plazas, the Jardín Americano with exotic vegetation, as well as Los Jardines de la Buhaira and La Cartuja de Sevilla. The Casa de Pilatos displays an ornate palace courtyard with plants and fountains. In Córdoba, the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos presents geometric gardens with water basins and cypresses, while the Palacio de Viana offers twelve different interior courtyards with varied plantings. Málaga contributes to the diversity with the Botanical Garden La Concepción and the Pedro Luis Alonso Gardens, and in Vélez de Benaudalla lies the Nasrid Garden of Vélez as another testimony to Moorish garden design.
Grenada is a city experienced like a poem. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada, it combines Muslim heritage, Catholic fervor, and Andalusian rhythm. Behind ochre facades lie shaded patios, fountains, mosaics, and carved arches that tell eight centuries of history. The Alhambra watches over the city like a stone dream, the Albaicín district unfolds its white alleys, and the gardens of Generalife recall the delicacy of Nasrid rulers. At every turn, a bell tower follows a minaret, an Arab market opens onto a baroque cathedral. Granada is as much an open-air museum as a living place, where flamenco still escapes from the Sacromonte caves. Between spirituality, art, and jasmine fragrance, the Andalusian city retains an elusive, almost mystical beauty.
Alhambra
269 m
Court of the Lions
354 m
Partal
282 m
Hall of Kings
331 m
Fountain de los Leones (Alhambra)
355 m
Silla del Moro
198 m
Torre de la Cautiva
122 m
Palacio de los Córdova
353 m
Torre de las Infantas
147 m
Klooster van Sint-Franciscus
364 m
Cuesta del Rey Chico
364 m
Restauración de los Jardines del Partal
285 m
Ladies Tower
292 m
Laguna Taller de Taracea
334 m
Palacio del Generalife
125 m
Palacio de los Leones
352 m
Mirador de Daraxa
354 m
Viewpoint of the Rey Chico
324 m
Patio de la Acequia
126 m
Puerta de los Siete Suelos
274 m
Sala de los Abencerrajes
353 m
Sala de las Dos Hermanas
353 m
Oratorio del Partal
266 m
Mirador de Ismail
156 m
Patio del Ciprés de la Sultana
147 m
Casas del Partal
312 m
Baño de la Mezquita, Alhambra
331 m
Royal Chamber
152 mReviews
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