Gate of Justice (Bab al-Sharia) and Charles V Fountain
Why is it significant?
Stand in awe before the towering stone bastion of the Gate of Justice, known in Arabic as Bab al-Sharia or the Gate of the Esplanade, constructed in 1348 under the direction of Nasrid Sultan Yusuf the First. This is the largest and most majestic ceremonial entrance to the Alhambra fortress.
Key Facts
| Place | Gate of Justice (Bab al-Sharia) and Charles V Fountain |
|---|---|
| Address | Paseo del Generalife s/n, 18009 Granada, Spain |
| Geo Coordinates | 37.17580, -3.58980 |
| Part of Walk | The Alhambra and Generalife: Nasrid Palaces, Fortress and Royal Gardens |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand in awe before the towering stone bastion of the Gate of Justice, known in Arabic as Bab al-Sharia or the Gate of the Esplanade, constructed in 1348 under the direction of Nasrid Sultan Yusuf the First. This is the largest and most majestic ceremonial entrance to the Alhambra fortress. Above the soaring pointed horseshoe arch carved from golden sandstone, look closely at the keystone to discover a deeply carved Hand of Fatima, an ancient protective talisman against the evil eye that simultaneously symbolizes the five fundamental pillars of Islamic faith.
Look into the second inner archway: carved upon its keystone is a prominent stone Key, symbol of the sultan's power to open and close the gates of heaven. A famous medieval legend claimed that the Alhambra would remain unconquerable until the day the sculpted hand above reached down to grasp the key below. At the foot of the tower rests the magnificent Renaissance Fountain of Charles the Fifth, sculpted in 1545 by Genoese master Nicolao da Corte with mythological masks personifying Granada's three rivers: the Darro, Genil, and Beiro.
Step through the entrance to experience its ingenious quadruple bent-axis defensive layout: any attacking force attempting to force the outer portal found themselves trapped inside an unlit stone corridor, exposed to deadly crossfire from arrow slits and murder holes overhead. Following the Christian conquest of 1492, an altarpiece featuring a Gothic painting of the Virgin and Child was placed above the inner portal by personal order of Queen Isabella.
Read the elegant Arabic inscription carved above the entrance: it precisely dates the gate's completion to the holy month of the Prophet's birth in the year 749 of the Hijra.
Walk through the vaulted bent corridor and emerge onto the upper esplanade, heading toward the formidable Alcazaba fortress and the Torre de la Vela.