Alcazaba in Málaga

On Monday 14 April we returned to Málaga to visit the Alcazaba. This palace-fortress of Málaga’s Muslim governors at the time dates from 1057. Sitting on high ground, almost in the centre of the old part of the city, the palace and the Gibralfaro behind it dominate the area. At the time that the Alcazba was built the sea came up to the edge of the outer walls but with sea level lowering and reclamation the palace is now a few hundred metres from the shoreline.

After a short climb through the zigzag maze of battlements, we got high enough to have some great views over the city from the outer walls. However, the real magic was inside the Nazari Palace in the centre of the Alcazaba.

We loved the carved wooden ceilings, the peaceful gardens and courtyards and the ornate plasterwork, in places almost lace-like. Water trickled though a system of pools and streams running from the top of the palace to the lower gardens. Fountains and bubbling pools added to the ambience but you could also feel the cooling effect, which was part of the design. Geometric patterns and fine detailing is apparently typical of Islamic architecture from this era and is evident in many of the older towns and villages of southern Spain.

Intricate ceiling decoration

The 3 main courtyards were joined by arched doorways and almost hidden passageways. From the cool, shaded rooms off these, you could imagine the governors of old, and probably their families, looking out over the city below.

We had wanted to visit Granada and particularly the Alhambra. However, entry tickets had been sold out further in advance than we had anticipated. Perhaps people were combining a visit there with Holy Week and Easter celebrations. Either way we have the Alhambra to look forward to when we next pass this way and, for the time being, we have had an excellent taste of a hilltop Islamic fortress and palace from the same era and we didn’t have to deal with the Alhambra crowds – an amazing 6600 tickets for that palace are available each day!