So far all
the carmenes I introduced had
something special about them. The Carmen de la Victoria is the oldest and the
Carmen de los Geranios is a carmen
and a museum at the same time. The Carmen of the Martyrs gets a prize in three
aspects: it’s the biggest (according to surface area), has the most horrible
past and has the most spectacular views over Granada.
You can find
this place on the other side of the Alhamra, right next to it. It has a huge
harden, just over seven hectars, designed in Englsh-French style. It is full of
trees, fountains and benches. It is a perfect place to bring a book and a
bottle of wine here, sit on a bench and read away from the noise of the city.
Even though
nowadays it’s a peaceful, quite area it wasn’t always like this, as the name
suggests. During the Muslim rule lots of pits were dug here in order to store
salt and bread. When the Catholic Kings have arrived to take back the city the
Moors put the captive Christian soldiers in these pits. When later Isabella
found this out she ordered a convent to be built here in memory of the
Christian martyrs who suffered under the Muslims thus founding the first
Christian church of Granada after the Moorish rule. Later this was demolished
and the palace was built in its place.
As soon as
you step in the garden the first thing you notice is the views. This carmen has
the advantage of not only showing the Alhambra but also the other side of
Granada and the Sierra Nevada. On clear days you can see all the mountains that
surround this gorgeous city. Don’t forget to look for the peacocks!
The Carmen
de los Martires is open to the public every day from 10am. It’s on a road that
was named after itself, on the Paseo de los Martires.
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