Places and Spots in the Alhambra: The “Picos” Tower (Alhambra)

The “Picos” Tower (Alhambra)

Short description of the monument

The “Picos” Tower gets its name after the pyramidal shaped merlons made of brick that crown it. It was constructed towards the end of the 13th century or early in the 14th century. It has three floors and it is astonishing because of its Gothic architecture, although the reason why it was built in this style is unknown.

This tower had to defend an entrance of the fortress that communicated with the Generalife. A passage, which ends at the “Arrabal” Gate, leads to the barracks and to the bastion which formed a defence for the fortress. The “Hierro” (Iron) Gate was constructed, at the same time as the bastion, by the Catholic Kings.

History of the monument

For some authors, the name of this tower responds to the brackets that supported the machicolation from where the attempts of assault could be controlled. Others think it is because of the change of the straight merlons for the actual ones finished with a pyramidal or pointed shape.

Chronology: It is from the Yusuf I period (1333-1354 / 733-755 H).

Outstanding: the plan of the “Picos” tower is the biggest, together with the “Comares” tower. In the interior, the vaults are remarkable: on the second floor it has a vault with a flat surface replacing the vertex of union of the edges, and on the third floor it has a vault with four ribs.

This tower not only had a residential function but essentially a defensive function over the “Arrabal” Gate located on its base. Besides the “Arms” Gate at the Alcazaba, this tower was one of the accesses on the north side that connected with the city of the Alhambra. The “Arrabal” Gate has a vaulted passage that leads to the Generalife, leaving on the left the orchards of the Generalife and to the right the “Cadí”, “Cautiva” and “Infantas” towers.

After the Christian conquest all this complex was changed since part of this enclosure was used to build an exterior bastion with stables to protect the “Picos” tower.

The tower forms a mysterious and fantastic place that inspired Washington Irving to describe the rich and powerful Jew “Almamen”, who hid in this site to take revenge against the man who seduced his daughter.

The “Picos” tower, located at the defensive wall of the red fortress and in front of the “Partal” gardens (which had to protect and defend the “Iron” Gate, was constructed by Yusuf I (1333-1354) who also ordered the construction in the Alhambra of the “Cautiva” (captive), “Cadí” and “Comares” towers, the “Arms” and “Justice” Gates and the oratory of the “Partal”.

The hidden treasures. This tower has three bodies in its interior, where the plasterworks, the paintings and the two vaults are remarkable. Unlike other towers built with a military or defensive function, the “Picos” tower is a clear example of a tower-dwelling, since in its interior there are plasterworks and paintings that reveal its use as a residential space. The towers located near this one, like the “Cautiva” and the “Infantas” towers, have the same tower-dwelling character.

The “Picos” tower defends one of the main gates that gives access from the exterior to the enclosure, the “Arrabal” Gate, which opened onto the street known as the “Cuesta de los Chinos” (gravel walk), which connected the Alhambra with the Albayzin district. Therefore, those who came out of this gate could go to the Sacromonte district without having to go all through the city of the Alhambra.

It also gave access to the Generalife from the interior of the fortress, connecting the “Cautiva” and the “Infantas” towers with the “Barranco del Rey Chico” (the ravine named Rey Chico) and from there they could enter the “Agua” (water) tower, where the old access to the Generalife was located. After the Christian conquest all this complex was reformed and changed.

Many of the treasures of the Alhambra, from the same period as the cathedral of Cologne and the Westminster Abbey, are closed to the public in order to preserve them and avoid their damage.

Bibliography

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

Web sites:

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

• http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/Alhambra/descubre/mayor/torre/elpepucul/
20070411elpepucul_4/Tes

• http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/averroes/recursos_informaticos/andared01/
alhambra/torres/torpicos.htm

The Royal Palace

Introduction

Mexuar

Oratory

The Golden Room Courtyard

Golden Room

The Comares Palace

The Arrayanes Courtyard

The Barca Hall

The Comares Tower

The Embajadores Hall

The Lion’s Palace