Rising up on a hill facing the Alhambra, the Albaicín neighbourhood is made up of a network of winding streets and small squares which open up suddenly to wonderful views of the famous palace fortress - with the Sierra Nevada beyond.
It was site of both an Iberian and a Roman fortress, and first home to the moors from the 11th century. It wasn't until the last years of the Nazrid dynasty, however, that it reached it's height with a population of 40,000 and 30 mosques.
After the reconquest it became the muslim quarter of the city, though the population was soon in decline due to the expulsion or conversion of Muslims by the Catholic Monarchs. Soon moneyed Christians moved in, demolishing the small houses and building what became known as Carmenes or grand houses with gardens or orchards. The mosques were demolished and churches were built in their place. Remnants of the original buildings can still be glimpsed however, as in the Church of San Salvador. Another feature of muslim architecture that can still be found are the aljibes, or underground cisterns built for the storage of water, dotted around the Albaicín.
Today, there is a distinctly North African feel to the lower Albaicín with tearooms and small shops selling Moroccan goods. In 2003 the upper Albaicín became home to the Main Mosque of Granada, the first in the city since 1492.
The Albaicín is, above all, a neighbourhood to wander slowly through its narrow streets, taking pleasure in small corners and scents from the many gardens; peeping into Carmenes; and enjoying the spectacular views from its terraces and miradores.
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