Palacio de Yusuf III

Gardens and Palace in Granada

The Palacio de Yusuf III or Palace of Yusuf III,  are ruins of a Palace in the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. The Palacio de Yusuf III was after the palaces that make up the Royal House, the largest and most important palace in the entire Alhambra.

At the front of the courtyard are the remains of what once was the main room of the palace: a tower overlooking a portico in the open patio. The remains of the walls now form a terrace that, as was the case in medieval times, provides one of loveliest views to be had in the Alhambra. The great and elongated pond stands out, testimony of the central courtyard whose lateral corridors were destroyed and now litter the leafy gardens.

Among the remains that have reached us, we can still see, immersed among the gardens, those of the main courtyard which, due to the size of its pool very similar to that of the Patio de los Arrayanes in the Palacio de Comares, helps us to get an idea of ​​the importance and the size of the palace. Also the size of the remains of what were their baths indicate that they had to belong to a large construction.

At the head of the patio you can see the base of what was the main room of the Palace: a tower before which a porticoed gallery extended, open to the patio. Today, the building reduced to the screed of the structural walls has been configured into a terrace that, as in the medieval period, has one of the most beautiful perspectives in the Alhambra.

History of the Palacio de Yusuf III

The palace was built by Yusuf III (1408-1417) or belonged to a previous sultan, Muhammad II (1273-1302), and was subsequently renovated and redecorated by Yusuf III.

On June 25, 1492, after the conquest of Granada, the first warden (alcaide) of the Alhambra, Íñigo López de Mendoza, second count of Tendilla received this palace as a temporary gift by the crown. Don Íñigo had the nobility titles of Marquis de Mondéjar and Count of Tendilla , so the palace is also known by these two names. It subsequently housed the Alcaides, or the Alhambra keepers. In 1718 the marquis of Mondejar was removed from his position as alcaide of the Alhambra by Philip V, he destroyed his house with parts of its structure being sold off.

It was excavated and restored in the twentieth century by Torres Balbás.

How did the Marquis de Mondéjar fall out of favor?

When the succession conflict occurs for the crown of Spain between the Bourbons and the Habsburgs, the descendants of the Count of Tendilla gave their support to the House of the Habsburgs. For this reason, when the Bourbons finally gain access to the throne, in retaliation, they take away the hereditary titles from this noble family and their rights over this palace. This motivated the Count of Tendilla, before abandoning them, sell what he could and to destroy the rest so that no one else could occupy it.

Other Names of the Palacio de Yusuf III

The Palacio de Yusuf III  is also known as the Partal Alto Palace or Upper Partal Palace, this was to distinguish it from the  Palacio Partal Bajo or Lower Partal Palace, or the Torre de las Damas.

 

The Palacio de Yusuf III appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Granada!

This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you!

Visiting Palacio de Yusuf III

Hours:

For opening times of the Palacio de Yusuf III see Alhambra Opening Times.


Price:

The Palacio de Yusuf III is part of the Alhambra Complex and access it you need to purchase Alhambra Tickets or a Alhambra Guided Tour.

Duration: 20 minutes

Nearby Attractions

Tours and Activities from Granada

Similar Blogs