THE ALHAMBRA

With the capture of Granada in 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella dispossessed the Arabs of their last territory in Spain. The Alhambra, with its towers, courtyards, fountains, gardens, and tiled mosaics, remains perhaps the greatest monument on European soil to the splendour of Muslim architecture, matched only by the beauty of the Great Mosque at nearby Cordoba, though tragically and grotesquely despoiled by the construction of a Catholic church in its centre. On my visits to Granada I have always been struck not only by the beautiful symmetry of the architecture but by the sheer opulence of the palace, confirming my belief that architecture is the greatest art form of Islamic culture. In his book, Robert Irwin delves into the chambers and corridors of the Alhambra to expound the often bloody events that occurred within, as well as into the history of its creation under various Arab rulers. Furthermore, he goes on to write of the effect the palace has had on subsequent visitors, such as Washington Irving, Chateaubriand, and M. C. Escher. This is a very readable book, ideal as an accompaniment for those who visit Andalusia.