The Regional Minister of Culture and Sport, Patricia del Pozo, inaugurated this Friday at the Palace of Charles V the exhibition “Gardens of the Generalife and the Alhambra. The Miracle that sprang from Water,” an ambitious project that brings together 245 works focused on the history, evolution and cultural legacy of the gardens within the monumental complex.
The event was attended by the Mayor of Granada, Marifrán Carazo; the Director of the Andalusian Public Foundation El legado andalusí, Concha de Santa Ana Fernández; and the Director of the Board of Trustees of la Alhambra and Generalife, Rodrigo Ruiz-Jiménez, the institutions responsible for organizing the exhibition.
The exhibition forms part of the centenary commemoration of the Patronato (Board of Trustees), established in 1925 following the definitive incorporation of the Generalife into public ownership, thus ending centuries of stewardship by the Granada-Venegas family. As part of this milestone anniversary, an international symposium will be held next spring in Granada, bringing together leading specialists in historic gardens and cultural landscapes.
During her speech, Del Pozo underlined the “exceptional” value of these gardens, regarded as among the oldest and best preserved in both the Islamic and European scopes. Spaces such as Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles) and Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Channel), both dating from the 14th century, stand as remarkable examples of historical continuity. The regional Minister emphasized that the exhibition not only traces their development over the centuries but also reaffirms their status as a living cultural landscape, sustained through continuous care for more than seven centuries.
Curated by Javier Piñar Samos and José Tito Rojo, the exhibition will remain open until 24 May in various galleries of the Palace of Charles V. The exhibition traces the evolution of the gardens from the Nasrid period through their Christian, Romantic and contemporary transformations, bringing together archaeological artifacts, historical documents and artistic works inspired by their rich cultural landscape.
Among the works on display — dating from the 13th to the 21st centuries — are oil paintings, photographs, manuscripts, engravings, plans, musical scores and drawings, together with archaeological objects, most of them from the Alhambra Museum, some exhibited for the first time. Highlights include the family tree and portraits of the Granada-Venegas lineage, returning to the city after more than a century, as well as an illuminated page from the manuscript Hadīṯ Bayāḍ wa-Riyāḍ, preserved in the Vatican Library.
The Mayor of Granada emphasized that this initiative further enhances the monument’s international standing and underscores the importance of its gardens as a defining element of Granada’s identity. The exhibition therefore presents a comprehensive overview of a legacy sprung from water and human ingenuity, one that continues to position the Alhambra among Europe’s leading cultural heritage sites.
TEMPORARY EXHIBITION
26 February – 24 May 2026
Temporary Exhibition Galleries, Palacio de Carlos V
Organized by: Board of Trustees of La Alhambra and Generalife and El legado andalusí Andalusian Public Foundation
Curators: José Tito Rojo and Javier Piñar Samos
FREE ADMISSION
Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday
26 February – 14 March: 10 am–6 pm
15 March – 24 May: 10 am –8 pm
