Spain, Granada

Granada Arabic: غرناطة – is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous region of Andalusia, Spain. It is situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of two rivers, Darro and Genil, at an elevation of 738 metres above sea level. At the 2005 census, the population of the city of Granada proper was 236,982, and the population of the entire urban area was estimated to be 472,638, ranking as the 13th-largest urban area of the Spanish Kingdom. About 3.3% of the population did not hold Spanish citizenship, the largest number of these (31%) coming from South America.

History & Ecnomic & Name

Granada's history is one of internal crises because of the existence of a powerful landowning nobility successive wars with Castile. Successive kings of Granada sought political support and military aid from Morocco. Moroccan recruits caused the kingdom to undergo an intense process of 'arabisation', to cut itself off from all Castilian influences, and to develop an absolute form of government based on military support.

The central government's economic resources depended mainly on the silk industry and on external trade; the latter flourished because of the fortunate position of the chief port, Málaga, on the route from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Granada paid close attention to the Strait of Gibraltar; for a whole century its rulers made efforts to secure control of the straits, allying to this end at different times with both Morocco and Castile. In 1306 Muhammad III (ruled 1302-09), then in possession of Ceuta and Gibraltar, seemed to have succeeded, but a powerful coalition soon reduced him to the modest position of vassal of the king of Castile. After 1340, when the battle of Río Salado settled the question of the straits in Castile's favour, Granada adopted a policy of isolation, taking advantage of any propitious circumstance to strengthen its land frontiers. It was in this period that Yusuf I (ruled 1333-54) and Muhammad V (ruled 1354-59 and 1362-91) finished building the Alhambra.

The city's name may have been derived either from the Spanish granada, "pomegranate," a locally abundant fruit that appears on the city's coat of arms, or from its Moorish name, Karnattah (Gharnatah), possibly meaning "hill of strangers." Granada was the site of an Iberian settlement, Elibyrge, in the 5th century BC and of the Roman Illiberis. As the seat of the Moorish kingdom of Granada, it was the final stronghold of the Moors in Spain, falling to the Roman Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I in January 1492.

CLIMATE

Granada has a very pleasant climate. During January, when the rest of the world is covered in show, the sun shines and the cold only creeps in at night. You may experience, at most, occasional frosts. However, Granada is at its grandest during Spring and Autumn where the weather is warm and sunny. It can get very hot in July and August but it is not as humid as Barcelona. The rain fall is rare but there are occasional bouts of heavy rain showers.

GEOGRAPHY

Granada is at the meeting point of the Sierra Nevada mountains and the abundant Vega plains. Towering behind it are steep cliffs that guard over it like an ancient god. Though the weather can get dry, the soil is made fertile by the steady streams of water—the melted snow that creeps through the mountain cracks. Because of this, the Vega soil is very fertile and yields bountiful harvests.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

Spain has a very strong culture which it fiercely and proudly protects despite the advance into modernism and the rise of the “global village”. Many of its people still continue to speak Spanish as a first language. The people of Granada, called the Granadainos, have a reputation for a gruff humor. While this may seem cantankerous to visitors, underneath it lies the typical Spanish friendliness and light heartedness.

A for its culture, Spain has strong Arab roots due to centuries of trade and occupation. You can see the influence in the architecture and crafts. Spain is also known for its contributions in the visual arts such as painting and sculpture.

Granada has many cultural treasures. It has many churches and museums, but it is particularly famous for the Alhambra, said to be one of the 10 wonders of the world. The Alhambra is a grand and massive castle which was built over the course of several centuries. Within its walls lies sprawling gardens, beautiful palaces and very strong fortifications that protected it from ancient invaders. The Alhambra was the seat of power of some of the Arabic Sultans who once lorded over the province. The interiors and design were modeled after the Koran concept of the importance of running water. Over eight thousand visitors explore the Alhambra every year and that makes it Spain’s most popular historical monument.