Alhambra tickets Nasrid Palace
The Nasrid Palace in Alhambra attracts most of the visitors to Alhambra, Granada.
The fabulous mansion of the Nasrid emperors reflects the magnificence and extravagance of the Moorish influence.
Every corner highlighted the presence of God and paradise on Earth through its art forms.
The Nasrid Palace history traces back to Muhammad I Ibn al-Hamar, the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, who built this brilliant piece of art.
The concept of the mansion of the Nasrid dynasty harmonized the robustness of the outer panels with the ornamented interior.
The Nasrid palace interior designs consist of Arabic calligraphies, quotes, poems, and natural patterns.
You can see the opulent use of water through aqueducts to decorate the different parts of the palace.
The Nasrid rulers used water for its sight, sound, and cooling qualities to create a calm environment and bring solace.
It adds richness and freshness to the garden, aesthetic beauty, and generosity of the Nasrid rulers symbolizing peace.
The continuous allusions to the gardens, orchards, and courtyards refer to Persian and Arabic inspiration.
The attractions at Nasrid Palace in Alhambra include the Lion’s Fountain, the Baths, the Hall of the Boats, the Queen’s Dressing Room, and many more.
Alhambra Nasrid Palace consists of the following areas:
The Mexuar
This Hall inside Nasrid Palace held meetings for the Council of Ministers and for prayers.
The Nasrid palace interior consisted of gilded rooms and patios.
The Nasrid rulers conducted state affairs, and administration in this court.
The Nasrid rulers Yusuf I and Muhammad V constructed and decorated which are the best-preserved parts of the Alhambra Nasrid palace.
The Oratory
Located behind the Mexuar, it formed part of the broken mosque area.
Following the Muslim tradition, the emperors and the family conducted oratories and prayers here.
Several arches and inscriptions here refer to the precepts of the Koran and praise Mohammed V.
The Palace of Comares
The Comares Palace (Palacio de Comares) was the official residence of King Yusuf I.
The Comares Tower is 45 meters high and the highest tower in Alhambra.
The construction of this part of the Nasrid palace interior started in the thirteenth century by the founder of the dynasty, Ibn al-Hamar.
The current buildings primarily built in the 14th Century survive to date.
Painted with bright colors and masterpiece Islamic woodwork, the inside of Nasrid palace looks beautifully crafted.
The Façade separated the administrative and private chambers of the Nasrid palace in Alhambra.
The Hall of the Ambassadors
Located inside the Comares tower, the tower has several windows.
As the most majestic hall of the palace, the throne and official receptions took place here.
The Nasrid rulers occupied the throne and received his citizens here, separating the administrative and private chambers.
Being the most richly decorated hall inside Nasrid palace, it consists of poems, inscriptions, and woodwork.
The layout of marble and ivory produced effects of great lighting concentrated on the throne.
Hall of the Boat
Located inside the Comares tower, it derived its name from the Arabic meaning blessing.
Bedchambers surround this hall with tile skirting boards.
Later, a fire in 1890 destroyed the semi-cylindrical vault.
Court of the Myrtles
It received its name from the myrtle bushes that surround the central pond.
Situated near the Comares Tower, the bright green color contrasts with the white marble of the patio.
Also known as the Patio of the Pond or the Reservoir, the lateral sections consisted of women’s residences.
The Palace of the Lions
Nasrid ruler Mohammed V built this palace as his residence.
Its main attraction included the center fountain in the courtyard, surrounded by galleries.
As the architectural pinnacle of Alhambra Nasrid palace, it symbolizes cultural richness and a complex water system.
Harem
The corridor from the Patio of the Lions leads to the Harem.
It served as a private area or King’s Mohammed V harem inside Nasrid palace.
He spent time with his wives, and grandchildren here.
They allowed no visitors in this area, to maintain the king’s privacy of life.
A central arch leads to Charles V’s palace which the Catholics demolished during their invasion.
Hall of the Mocarabes
The simplest hall of the Palace of the Lions and located at the Nasrid palace entrance, to the palace of the lions.
It derived its name because of the vault of mocarabes that covered it,
This got pulled down due to the explosion of a powder magazine in 1590.
Patio of the Lions
One of the most famous places of Nasrid palace in Alhambra, 124 white marble columns with shafts support the gallery.
Twelve lions throw jets of water with the fountain in the middle of the patio.
Built by Mohammed V, a cloister-style gallery surrounds it.
Hall of the Kings
From the 18th Century, this became the Justice Hall and Court (Tribunal).
Enter this hall from the Patio of the Lions to see magnificent paintings, telling adventurous stories of the Nasrid rulers.
The middle painting represents the first ten kings of the Nasrid dynasty.
Lateral vaults depict scenes of hunting and romance.
Hall of the Two Sisters
Enter this hall to see the two big twin marble flagstones that are part of the floor.
The hall connects with the Emperor’s Chambers and, through a balcony, with the Gardens of the Partal.
The Emperor’s Chambers
This comprises six halls around the Daraxa Garden and the Patio of the Wrought Iron Grille.
The emperor or his family never lived in these chambers.
Washington Irving lived in this mansion of the Nasrid rulers in 1829 when he visited Granada.
The ceilings and the chimneys were made by Pedro Machuca.
Queen’s Dressing Room
Built around 1537, Queen Isabel, wife of Charles V lived here.
Beautifully decorated with Arabic arches and marble, this tower overlooks the scenic Darro river valley.
It consists of burners and chimneys to burn spices for fragrance.
Baths
Following the Roman thermal baths, the Nasrid rulers built the Baths.
The chambers included hot steam and Arab-style cold baths.
The Hall of the Beds possessed rooms for undressing before going into the bath.
Hall of the Secrets
Known for its engineering, this hall sends sound across the walls.
The acoustics provided by the special vault give such an effect to the hall inside the Nasrid palace.
El Partal
Beside the Palace of Lions, a great pond decorates the center.
It leads to a Nasrid palace entrance and the tower of the Ladies.
Adjacent to the Tower of the Ladies, a lovely small balcony adorns the place built in Nasrid style.
It acts as an observatory of the Alhambra Nasrid palace for superb views.
Daraxa Garden
Known as the garden of the orange trees and marble, this garden surrounds the big central marble fountain.
Between the fortress and the ramparts, it grows cypresses, acacias, orange trees and box bushes around the fountain.
Engraved poems decorate the fountain’s borders.
Nasrid Palaces tickets
Maintain punctuality for the Alhambra Nasrid palace entry.
Entry to Nasrid Palace must be done at the time indicated on your ticket.
If you arrived past the mentioned time, you miss the entry to Nasrid Palace.
Due to limited entry, they allow 300 people every 30 minutes to avoid the crowd.
All combinations of Nasrid Palace tickets consist of the specific time mentioned.
Once inside, visitors may remain until the Monument closes.
Here are some kinds of Nasrid Palace tickets:
Entry ticket
Access the inside of Nasrid Palace, Alhambra fortress, and Generalife Gardens with this ticket.
You will get to see and explore some of the most beautiful monumental sites overlooking the beautiful city of Granada.
Skip the line + Guided Tour ticket
This ticket will help you glide past the lines to see one of Granada’s most-visited landmarks.
While touring the palace, a tour guide will go with you telling stories about Nasrid palace in Alhambra.
Private tour
With the Nasrid Palace tickets for a private tour, you can explore the palatial beauty with a private guide.
Best time to visit Nasrid Palace
Visiting around this day will let you enjoy the gorgeous light over Andalucia.
Since entry to Nasrid palace has a specific time allotted for visitors, it attracts less crowd inside.
The best time to visit Nasrid palace would be around the day.
The Nasrid palace night tour gives a different feel with the setting sun and the lights inside the palace.
Even the morning hues look amazing for a day tour inside Nasrid palace.
The time for visiting Nasrid palace at night are:
01 April to 14 October
Tuesday to Saturday – 10 pm to 11.30 pm
15 October to 31 March
Friday and Saturday – 8 pm to 9.30 pm
Alhambra tickets Nasrid Palace FAQs
Can I reach the Alhambra Nasrid palace entry before time?
You can reach the Nasrid palace before time, but you can enter only when your turn comes.
Nasrid Palace tickets mention a specific time for entrance.
You must be punctual, otherwise, you miss the chance to view the mansion of the Nasrid emperors.
How long do you need to visit Nasrid Palace?
Most of your tours depend on the kind of ticket you will buy.
The tour of the entire Alhambra complex would take approximately 2.5 hours.
The Nasrid palace tour is as per the time slot shown on the ticket.
Once inside, roam around till the monument closes.
Is the trip to Nasrid Palace worth it?
Known as the crowning jewel of Alhambra, the visit to Nasrid palace is worth the effort.
Its breathtaking symmetry, intricate stucco walls, antique woodwork, and brightly colored tiles make the palace stunning.
An epitome of Moorish culture and lifestyle, the Nasrid Palace tour will surely be worthy of your time.
Where to go on the Nasrid Palace tour?
A few important areas to visit at Nasrid Palace in Alhambra include:
the Mexuar – Hall of Council of Ministers and prayers
the Palace of Comares or public court
the Palace of Lions or the private residence of the emperors
El Partal – includes a pond, Ladies’ Tower
the Lion’s Fountain,
the Baths,
the Hall of the Boats,
Queen’s Dressing Room
Is there wheelchair-accessible entry to visit Nasrid palace?
Alhambra has specific wheelchair-accessible paths drawn on its maps.
Being an old monument with galleries, elevations, staircases, and passages, it slightly hampers wheelchair movement.
The map of Nasrid Palace shows the route considering the difficulty to access in wheelchairs.
Still, it gives quite a good view of the palace through the guided pathways.
What is the best time to visit the Nasrid Palace?
It requires a separate reservation to enter the palace premises.
The Nasrid palace interior looks mesmerizing in the morning hue.
At night with lights glowing around the complex, the Nasrid palace night tour gives a different dimension to the experience.
Which part attracts the majority of visitors inside Nasrid palace?
The Palace of Lions attracts most visitors for its magnificent beauty.
The fountain of the lions in the center with galleries surrounding it has that typical Arabic influence.
It reaches the architectural pinnacle of Alhambra Nasrid palace, symbolizing cultural richness and a complex water system.
Are there night tickets available to visit Nasrid palace?
The Palace of Lions attracts most visitors for its magnificent beauty.
The fountain of the lions in the center with galleries surrounding it has that typical Arabic influence.
It reaches the architectural pinnacle of Alhambra Nasrid palace, symbolizing cultural richness and a complex water system.
Featured Image: Alhambra-Patronato.es