{"id":9562,"date":"2025-08-09T11:32:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T09:32:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/granada.hammamalandalus.com\/?p=9562"},"modified":"2025-08-10T09:06:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T07:06:46","slug":"granada-and-its-garden-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/granada.hammamalandalus.com\/en\/granada-and-its-garden-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"Granada and its Garden-Homes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cAll around Granada, among the many gardens both in the plain and on the hills, there are\u2014though hidden by trees\u2014so many Moorish houses scattered here and there that, if they could be brought together, they would form another city no smaller than Granada. And although most are small, they all have their water, fountains, rose bushes, musk roses, myrtles, and every refinement.\u201d (Andrea Navaggiero)<\/strong><\/p>\n Today we talk about a construction deeply rooted in Granada\u2019s identity: the carmen<\/em>. The name comes from the Hispano-Arabic term Karm<\/em>, meaning \u201cvineyard.\u201d Its origins date back to the Nasrid era, when it became a traditional rural estate devoted both to vine cultivation and leisure.<\/p>\n On this occasion, we revisit documents from the Patronato Municipal Fundaci\u00f3n Albaic\u00edn, especially the work \u201cC\u00e1rmenes de Granada\u201d<\/strong> by Luis Seco de Lucena Paredes, which captures the essence of these unique spaces.<\/p>\n A carmen<\/em> is defined by its dual nature: part orchard, part garden\u2014yet not entirely one or the other. It is a private property, enclosed by walls, attached to a house that, while urban, remains closely integrated with nature.<\/p>\n Often located on Granada\u2019s hillsides, they usually enjoy privileged views. As Seco de Lucena described, \u201cIn the carmen, flowers intertwine with vegetables in a heartfelt union. The trees are not purely ornamental: they decorate, provide shade and freshness, and at the same time bear excellent fruit.\u201d<\/p>\n Here, the scents of lilies, roses, jasmines, carnations, tuberoses, wallflowers, honeysuckle, or night-blooming jasmine mingle with harvests of pomegranates, chard, apricots, lettuce, plums, beans, peaches, spinach, pears, thistles, apples, and strawberries\u2014often enough to supply a family.<\/p>\n Among the most representative are the Campo de los M\u00e1rtires<\/strong> and the Aljibe del Rey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Formerly called \u201cCampo de Ahabul\u201d by the Muslims and \u201cField of the Captives\u201d by the Christians, this was the site from which Boabdil surrendered Granada to the Catholic Monarchs.<\/p>\n This over-seven-hectare site, declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1943, contains a mansion surrounded by orchards, gardens of different styles (English, French, and Spanish), terraces, the Island on the lake, and a splendid Nasrid courtyard. One of its entrances, near the Alhambra forest, is just steps from Hammam Al \u00c1ndalus Granada<\/a>, at the Puerta de las Granadas.<\/p>\n Located in the Albaic\u00edn, this carmen consists of a large main building surrounded by orchards, gardens, and small structures, totaling nearly two thousand square meters. Its most distinctive feature is the interior courtyard built over a three-hundred-cubic-meter cistern, the largest in the area. Today, the building is used for cultural activities.<\/p>\nThe Origin of the Carmen<\/h3>\n
Characteristics of the Carmen<\/h3>\n
Must-See C\u00e1rmenes in Granada<\/h3>\n
Campo de los M\u00e1rtires<\/h4>\n
Aljibe del Rey<\/h4>\n
A Heritage Worth Preserving<\/h3>\n