Torres Bermejas

Castle in Granada

The Torres Bermejas or Crimson Towers, are a set of watchtowers in the Alhambra Complex, in Granada, Spain. They are located on the Mauror hill, opposite the Alhambra.

What can you see in the Torres Bermejas?

At this point in time the site consists of three stone towers, the tallest being the one in the middle, and an artillery bastion from the Christian era. On the interior perimeter are the visible remains of numerous Muslim tombstones, leading to speculation that the towers were reinforced by the Christians. A bulwark in its part facing the Albaicin and has a cistern underneath.

Originally, they were part of a castle , “Hizn Mawror” , which was located on the eastern fence of the new city, next to the neighborhood of the same name. With the expansion of the city to the East, in the Almoravid era , it remained within the enclosure. It was built as early as the 9th century , although it underwent successive renovations in the Nasrid period , and in the 16th and 20th centuries.

The towers offer stunning views of the city to the south and the Alcazaba fortress to the north.

History of the Torres Bermejas

The first settlers came to Mauror hill, from the 7th century. A series of watchtowers were built here by the end of the 8th century which formed part of the early defensive system of the old Jewish quarter and were independent of the Alhambra. It is thought the watchtowers were expanded  during the reign of Muhammad I, the founder of the Nasrid dynasty; however, the structures on the perimeter of the site, which resemble those of the Alcazaba, date back to the 11th century.

Torres Bermejas underwent successive renovations during the Nasrid period. In the 16th centuries an artillery bulwark was installed, below which is a cistern. In the 20th century, conservation work was mainly carried out on this monument.

It was joined to the Alcazaba in the 11th century by a wall, and in turn both were joined with the walled enclosure of Granada. The wall descended from Torres Bermejas to the Puerta de las Granadas, and from there, it went up to the Alcazaba.

This defensive system served as a military barracks and jail until the middle of the 20th century. It was acquired by the Board of the Alhambra and the Generalife in 1962.

Where does the name Torres Bermejas come from?

Torres Bermejas or Crimson Towers, named for the reddish color of its mortar walls. It is also known as Fortín del Mauror (Hizn Mawror).

 

 

The Torres Bermejas appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Granada!

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Visiting Torres Bermejas

Address: Torres Bermejas Callejón Niño del Royo, s/n 18009 Granada Spain
Duration: 20 minutes

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