Generalife
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Why go
- Patio de la Acequia, regarded as the finest example of a medieval garden in Al-Andalus.
- Las Huertas: market gardens and orchards that have served the estate since the 14th century.
- Decorated Mirador de Ismail windows overlooking the Albaicín.
- Wooden ceilings and muqarnas stucco decoration in the Sala Regia.
Opening hours
Today08:30 – 20:00Show all
Don't miss
- Patio de la AcequiaFollow the long pool between four flowerbeds, colonnades and pavilions. Water jets crossing the channel were added in the 19th century.Central palace courtyard
- Water StairwayFollow its four flights, looking for water channels carved into the balustrades and fountains at the landings.Upper gardens
- North pavilionLook at the five-arch portico, with its larger central arch, stucco decoration and Arabic inscriptions.North end of the Patio de la Acequia
- Jardines NuevosLook for the cross-shaped pool and clipped cypress walls in the southern gardens completed in 1951.Upper outer terrace, on the main approach to the historic palaces
What you see
- The Albaicín from the Mirador de Ismail’s windows.
Shorts
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Generalife of Alhambra in Granada, Spain is an amazing natural park @…A Vagabond
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The magical "Generalife Gardens" of Alhambra in Granada, SpainHarry and Mica
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GeneralifeSeyyah İbrahim
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Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada (UNESCO/NHK)UNESCO
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Visita nocturna al Generalife de GranadaTurismo Junta de Andalucía
History
The Patio de la Acequia preserves original features and a four-part courtyard plan rooted in Persian chahar bagh gardens. Its present planting reflects later Spanish tastes, particularly those of the 19th and 20th centuries. Excavations during repairs after the fire uncovered original Nasrid paving and Islamic garden soil beneath 70 centimetres of later sediment. Later works covered these discoveries again.
- Late 13th–early 14th c.Muhammad II most likely began construction in the late 13th century, though Muhammad III may have started it in the early 14th century. Muhammad III contributed early decoration.
- 1319Isma'il I remodelled and redecorated the palace and added the projecting north tower with its decorated lookout chamber.
- 15th c.Yusuf III remodelled the southern sections of the palace.
- 1494The Catholic Monarchs added the north pavilion’s open upper gallery.
- 1836The Romantic Pavilion was built over foundations thought to belong to a prayer room.
Show all
- 1931–1951Leopoldo Torres Balbás and Francisco Prieto Moreno redesigned much of the gardens.
- 1958A fire damaged or destroyed much of the northern section.
How to get there
- On footArrival within the grounds: the Jardines Nuevos on the upper outer terrace form the main approach to the historic palaces.
- On footExit within the grounds: visitors leave along the Paseo de las Adelfas beside the High Gardens.
Sources: Generalife - Wikipedia · Generalife - Wikipedia (part 2) · Alhambra y generalife - Patronato de la Alhambr… · Historia - Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife · Generalife - Wikipedia · Generalife - Wikipedia · Généralife - Wikipedia · checked 28 Sep 2026
- Phone
- +34 958 02 79 71
Plan from here: Evening walk →
Questions and answers
How can I contact the Generalife?
Call +34 958 02 79 71.
Where did the Generalife’s gardens get their water?
The Acequia Real supplied the estate and the Alhambra. A branch channel fed the upper gardens, Water Stairway and former bathhouse.
Did the Generalife have a direct connection to the Alhambra?
A covered passage once linked them across the ravine.
What was the Albercones used for?
The medieval tank held 400 cubic metres of water for higher orchards and gardens. It stands on the hillside above the Jardines Nuevos.
What are the Generalife’s opening hours?
Open daily, 08:30–20:00.
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