Palace of Yusuf III - Alhambra of Granada

They are the remains of the palace of Yusuf III (1408-1417).

The large elongated swimming pool witnesses the central courtyard of a large building with a similar structure to the Palau de Comares, whose side bays are ruined and are currently occupied by lush gardens.

At the top of the courtyard is the base of what was once the main hall of the palace: a tower, in front of which an arcaded gallery opened into the courtyard. Currently, the building has been reduced to an extension of the structural walls, becoming a terrace that offers one of the most beautiful views of the Alhambra , as in the Middle Ages.

Some remains discovered during the excavation attribute the building to Yusuf III, although he may have modified or redecorated the construction, which has been attributed to a much earlier sultan, Muhammad II (1273-1302).

Discovered during the archaeological campaign of the 1930s, it was documented as the palace of Mondéjar or Tendilla, ceded to the former by the Catholic Monarchs and from then on it was the residence of the Alkaids or governors of the Alhambra.

Willem Vandenameele