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The Alhambra and Generalife in Focus
English language complete guide to the Alhambra and Generalife. 422 color photos, 80 new and original illustrations, 40 old engravings, 52 overall and detailed plans of the monument. Information, opening times, and other practical advice.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 15, 2016
I'm surprised there aren't more reviews of this book. I bought it while visiting the Alhambra, and have generally found it to be excellent. It's full of all sorts of interesting tidbits, including translations of the poetry on the walls, as well as excerpts from several distinguished scholars. The book itself is attractive, with glossy photos on every page, and it's built durably so you can safely carry it with you on your trip. It's also organized well, allowing you to quickly find the pertinent page for whatever you're looking at.
I filled several hours after my return from Granada skimming the book, and it greatly deepened my appreciation of the Alhambra. I hope you get a chance to visit; and if you do, buy this book.
(I wrote a long description of my visit here, in case you want to visit the place by proxy.)
I filled several hours after my return from Granada skimming the book, and it greatly deepened my appreciation of the Alhambra. I hope you get a chance to visit; and if you do, buy this book.
(I wrote a long description of my visit here, in case you want to visit the place by proxy.)
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August 1, 2026So basically I bought this because I was at the Alhambra and their audio guide system was down and they also didn’t have any physical maps only a QR code and damn it I just miss having physical media. Very informative, I’m glad I bought it because there were hardly any plaques there.
May 12, 2017
Pictures, historic details, and a study in the Alhambra palaces and environs. Great companion to a week of in depth study of Granada and the Alhambra. Amazing design, accumulated history, and infinite stories over culture and art and landscape. Wow.
July 4, 2022
A beautiful and very informative guise to the Alhambra and Generalife. Could read before or after visit. I think would be hard to take it all I. If read during visit.
July 8, 2026
Best guide of the Alhambra palatial complex ever produced. Must-read before and after your visit.
October 21, 2012
Really good guide and background information to the remains of the Alhambra - a confusing complex, but amazingly photogenic!!
April 15, 2017
What I like:
The detailed explanatory drawings such as sections, diagrams, and plans. These were the best thing about the book.
Dislikes:
- The author completely confuses the story of the al-Hira cave and another Quranic story about a cave. (p. 123)
- The author tries to "own" the Moorish architecture by explaining that the builders were Spaniards of mixed race. This would be fine if the Muslims weren’t expelled later on, mixed race or not. It’s a bit cheeky to stress the Spanishness of these builders after what happened in the Inquisition and the expulsion of the Muslims. Morisco families were expelled over 100 years after they had been converted to Christianity by force.
- The author mentions several times that the majority of the Moorish settlers and soldiers were Berbers, but this seems to be doubtful now given modern genetic studies of Iberians who show just as much (after accounting for Phoenician and Jewish haplotypes) ancestry from the Middle East as indigenous North African.
- Totally incorrect claim about geocentrism in the Quran and its relation to the seven heavens.
- Many many Arabic translation and transliteration mistakes. It’s not Iman but imam. Not banu al-sarrya but Ibn al-Sarraj. Not Hakan but Hakam, high tents are not called rafraf, and that actually means to flutter, etc. etc. They definitely need an Arabic speaker or Muslim person to review all of these
- Lastly, too many references to "the oriental mind". What is this? A Victorian era travelogue?
The detailed explanatory drawings such as sections, diagrams, and plans. These were the best thing about the book.
Dislikes:
- The author completely confuses the story of the al-Hira cave and another Quranic story about a cave. (p. 123)
- The author tries to "own" the Moorish architecture by explaining that the builders were Spaniards of mixed race. This would be fine if the Muslims weren’t expelled later on, mixed race or not. It’s a bit cheeky to stress the Spanishness of these builders after what happened in the Inquisition and the expulsion of the Muslims. Morisco families were expelled over 100 years after they had been converted to Christianity by force.
- The author mentions several times that the majority of the Moorish settlers and soldiers were Berbers, but this seems to be doubtful now given modern genetic studies of Iberians who show just as much (after accounting for Phoenician and Jewish haplotypes) ancestry from the Middle East as indigenous North African.
- Totally incorrect claim about geocentrism in the Quran and its relation to the seven heavens.
- Many many Arabic translation and transliteration mistakes. It’s not Iman but imam. Not banu al-sarrya but Ibn al-Sarraj. Not Hakan but Hakam, high tents are not called rafraf, and that actually means to flutter, etc. etc. They definitely need an Arabic speaker or Muslim person to review all of these
- Lastly, too many references to "the oriental mind". What is this? A Victorian era travelogue?
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews