Places and Spots in the Alhambra: The “Wine Gate” (Alhambra)

The “Wine Gate” (Alhambra)

Short description of the monument

The Wine Gate (the Puerta del Vino) was the main entrance to the Medina or City of the Alhambra, through the “Real” street, located on the site that nowadays is called “High Alhambra”. The west façade (facing the “Aljibes” square) is the oldest, and on this façade we can see the key that also appeared at the “Justicia” Gate. Its construction is attributed to Mohamed II, second “nazarie” monarch. Although this gate is nowadays isolated, in mediaeval times it was surrounded by a series of buildings that closed on this side the “Aljibes” square.

History of the monument

It is thought that the “Wine Gate” is one of the oldest constructions of the Alhambra, possibly from the Mohamed II period. Today, this gate is isolated inside the “Aljibes” square, although it seems it was part of a group of constructions that closed this square.

From 1556, the inhabitants of the Alhambra received at this gate the wine they consumed, which was free of taxes. This fact could explain the origin of the name of this gate, although there is another theory that says the name of the gate is due to a confusion between the words «Bib al-hamra'» (Red Gate or Gate of the Alhambra), which seems to be the original name of the gate, and «Bib al-jamra» (The Wine Gate), which would also prove that this was the main entrance to the High Alhambra.

The exterior façade of this gate is the oldest, it has a pointed horseshoe arch with depressed voussoir embossment. At its lintel there is a symbol, a key with a cord and a plaster plate that reads: <> (Mohamed V). This façade has a twined balcony, the same as the back façade which was constructed later.

At the back façade we can see and admire an arch with spandrels garnished and decorated with colourful tiles. Above the arch, there is a lintel with voussoir that supports the second body of the construction, where there is the twin balcony mentioned before, and at the crossing of its arches you can read: <> next to the buckler of the “nazarie” kings.

This beautiful gate is one of the favourite subjects of the British and French water colour painters that visited Granada in the 19th century. “Claude Débussy” was inspired by one of this images when he composed a very Spanish piece, titled the same as the gate.

Bibliography

• Basilio Pavón Maldonado: “La Puerta del Vino de la Alhambra y el arte almohade de España y norte de África”

Source book: “Cuadernos de La Alhambra”, ISSN 0590-1987, Nº 31-32, 1995 1996 , pages. 15-92

• “Granada en tus manos. Alhambra y Generalife”. Author: Carlos Vílchez Vílchez. Ideal – 2006.

Web sites:

• http://www.alhambradegranada.org/historia/alhambraPuVino.asp

• http://www.vivagranada.com/es/alhambra/gates.htm

• http://legadoandalusi.es/legado/contenido/rutas/obras/20769.htm

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