Alhambra Woods and Washington Irving Monument
Why is it significant?
Stroll beneath the towering green canopy of the Alhambra Woods, where white poplars, horse chestnuts, and century-old English elms filter the bright Mediterranean sun into an emerald mosaic.
Key Facts
| Place | Alhambra Woods and Washington Irving Monument |
|---|---|
| Address | Paseo del Generalife s/n, 18009 Granada, Spain |
| Geo Coordinates | 37.17500, -3.59120 |
| Part of Walk | The Alhambra and Generalife: Nasrid Palaces, Fortress and Royal Gardens |
| Generated | Generated |
Stroll beneath the towering green canopy of the Alhambra Woods, where white poplars, horse chestnuts, and century-old English elms filter the bright Mediterranean sun into an emerald mosaic. While these forested slopes seem timeless today, during the Nasrid era the hillsides were deliberately kept bare of vegetation to prevent enemy ambushes against the royal ramparts. The first trees were planted in 1628 for the state visit of King Philip the Fourth, brought according to tradition from royal nurseries in Aranjuez and nourished by secondary channels of the royal aqueduct. In 1812 the Duke of Wellington donated hundreds of English elms that were planted across these steep hillsides, transforming the previously barren fortress slopes into a lush green oasis celebrated by European romantic travelers.
Pause beside the elegant bronze statue honoring American author and diplomat Washington Irving, inaugurated in 2009 to celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of his birth. Irving is depicted in full romantic travel attire, clutching his notebook and walking pensively along the path. In the spring of 1829, captivated by the decaying beauty of the abandoned palace, Irving obtained special permission to lodge within its vacant halls, where he penned his famous Tales of the Alhambra, igniting international passion for Granada.
Listen to the continuous chorus of nightingales and the gentle murmur of stream water flowing through stone channels beside the footpath. The woods host a thriving bird sanctuary and small wildlife population, sustained by the constant moisture supplied by water diverted from the river Darro through thousand-year-old Moorish irrigation systems cut directly into the hillside.
Beside the path sits the Fountain of the Tomato, a rustic stone basin where nineteenth-century water carriers filled clay pitchers before trekking up to the ramparts.
Continue uphill along the cobblestone avenue until you stand before the towering Gate of Justice and the Renaissance Charles V Fountain.