Alhama de Granada
Encyclopedia
Alhama de Granada is a town in the province of Granada
, approx. 50 km from the city of Granada
. The name is derived from the thermal baths
located there, which are called al-hammam in Arabic
.
In 1482, the fortress town was taken from the Moorish Sultanate and Kingdom of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs
.
Alhama’s position between Málaga and Granada gave it strategic importance for the Moors but they also had a particular fondness for the town and its thermal waters. The cry of sorrow, ¡Ay de mi Alhama!, uttered by Abu Al-Hacen following the battle of 1482 when the town was lost to the Catholic conquerors, entered the Spanish language as an exclamation of regret.
At a convenient distance from the town centre nestling in a poplar grove lining down the banks of the river (also known as Merchan) you will find a hot springs. Prehistoric remains found in the neighbourhood, show the antiquity of the human settlements.
There are also clear evidences of the way Romans used the waters.In the 15th century, the Arabs consolidated the town next to these hot springs and it was believed that they built the termal baths there but the real origin of those baths is roman as is proved in the book of Salvador Raya Retamero a local historian in his book "Reseña histórica de los baños termales de la muy noble y leal ciudad de Alhama de Granada" (Brief history of the hot springs of the most noble and loyal city of Alhama de Granada) a short interview to the author explain the details .
The strategic influence of Alhama de Granada made vital the fall, in 1492, of the Arab empire for the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada, which lead to the beginning of a flourishing age, because of the patronage of the Catholic Monarchs.
The bath house in the Almohade style of the 12th century that is preserved in the SPA is a good example of Arab baths
’ construction.
The magnificent horse shoe arcs were built over the remains of Roman construction and are covered by a vaulted roof, pierced by star-shaped openings that let the daylight filter in.
Under the vaulted roof of the baths it bubbles up the oldest warm spring of Alhama de Granada. The newest one, which springs up a few metres from the other, was discovered in 1884, many centuries after a terrible earthquake whose epicentre could have been very near the area.
Alhama looks out over some of Spain's most spectacular scenery. In winter, the view to the majestic snow-capped Sierra Nevada is uninterrupted. Close by is the vast and beautiful Bermejales lake, 12km from town and reached by a road lined with poplars and Mediterranean black pines. There are sandy beaches, safe swimming and plenty of non-motorised water sports. There are also a couple of cafes at the edge of the lake. Many of the local population spend evenings and weekends barbecuing at the water's edge, it is a great location.
Granada (province)
Granada is a province of southern Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the provinces of Albacete, Murcia, Almería, Jaén, Córdoba, Málaga, and the Mediterranean Sea . Its capital city is also called Granada.The province covers an area of 12,635 km²...
, approx. 50 km from the city of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
. The name is derived from the thermal baths
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
located there, which are called al-hammam in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
In 1482, the fortress town was taken from the Moorish Sultanate and Kingdom of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
.
Alhama’s position between Málaga and Granada gave it strategic importance for the Moors but they also had a particular fondness for the town and its thermal waters. The cry of sorrow, ¡Ay de mi Alhama!, uttered by Abu Al-Hacen following the battle of 1482 when the town was lost to the Catholic conquerors, entered the Spanish language as an exclamation of regret.
At a convenient distance from the town centre nestling in a poplar grove lining down the banks of the river (also known as Merchan) you will find a hot springs. Prehistoric remains found in the neighbourhood, show the antiquity of the human settlements.
There are also clear evidences of the way Romans used the waters.In the 15th century, the Arabs consolidated the town next to these hot springs and it was believed that they built the termal baths there but the real origin of those baths is roman as is proved in the book of Salvador Raya Retamero a local historian in his book "Reseña histórica de los baños termales de la muy noble y leal ciudad de Alhama de Granada" (Brief history of the hot springs of the most noble and loyal city of Alhama de Granada) a short interview to the author explain the details .
The strategic influence of Alhama de Granada made vital the fall, in 1492, of the Arab empire for the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada, which lead to the beginning of a flourishing age, because of the patronage of the Catholic Monarchs.
The bath house in the Almohade style of the 12th century that is preserved in the SPA is a good example of Arab baths
Hammam
A Turkish bath is the Turkish variant of a steam bath, sauna or Russian Bath, distinguished by a focus on water, as distinct from ambient steam....
’ construction.
The magnificent horse shoe arcs were built over the remains of Roman construction and are covered by a vaulted roof, pierced by star-shaped openings that let the daylight filter in.
Under the vaulted roof of the baths it bubbles up the oldest warm spring of Alhama de Granada. The newest one, which springs up a few metres from the other, was discovered in 1884, many centuries after a terrible earthquake whose epicentre could have been very near the area.
Alhama looks out over some of Spain's most spectacular scenery. In winter, the view to the majestic snow-capped Sierra Nevada is uninterrupted. Close by is the vast and beautiful Bermejales lake, 12km from town and reached by a road lined with poplars and Mediterranean black pines. There are sandy beaches, safe swimming and plenty of non-motorised water sports. There are also a couple of cafes at the edge of the lake. Many of the local population spend evenings and weekends barbecuing at the water's edge, it is a great location.
External links
- Alhama Accommodation Information on Alhama de Granada and the surrounding area.
- Alhama de Granada Portal Alhama de Granada, accommodation, restaurants, tourist routes in Alhama de Granada, or the monuments that make a city Alhama charm. Festive, carnival of Alhama de Granada.
- Alhama de Granada - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía
- Picture Gallery Photos of Alhama de Granada and surrounding countryside
- Cafes & Bars in Alhama Some of the bars, cafes, travel and festival information for Alhama de Granada, Andalucía, Spain
- Weather Weather averages in Alhama de Granada