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The Alcazaba
The area within the inner wall of the Alcazaba is what is known as the Place of Arms in medieval fortresses. It was devoted to military parades during peace time and to establish the defensive strategy when battles were to be fought. For this reason it is an open and clear space with very few constructions.
However, the Alcazaba of the Alhambra, as an enclosure integrated into a larger one, is a residential area for the royal guard of the Sultan who controlled and patrolled the palatial city, and was referred to as the Military District.
It is actually a small city, with an urban distribution similar to that of any district of a Hispanic-Muslim city. A narrow road traverses the enclosure, dividing it into two well differentiated areas.
To the north, walls and pavements are grouped following an irregular pattern with houses of different sizes but similar structures: the houses were tenanted by the royal guard that lived in the enclosure with their families.
On the other side, walls similar to those of the houses but were built following a more regular pattern, with larger open courtyards, with evidence of the presence of warehouses or halls for the soldiers and younger guards.
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