My husband and I will be arriving in Malaga on March 3 for 2 weeks. We are building a house based on Moorish design and want to get ideas on courtyards,interiors etc. We plan to stay in Malaga for 2 nights then Granada for 2 nights. We leave from Malaga. At some point we need to rent a car.Should we drive to Granada or take a bus. Please advise on towns to visit,where to stay and must see places.

Hi fr,

Your question has little to do with architecture.

I suggest reposting asking for help on what you wish to do. I think you will get more responses.

ira--- yes it does. frquarter is building a house based on Moorish design and want suggestions of towns around Andalucia where she'll be able to get ideas on courtyards, interiors, etc....

frquarter-- Seville and Cordova are two cities with beautifully well preserved Moorish architecture. You should do both, even if you have to cut Granada short one day. Obviously, The Alhambra is a must (one day). There are very good books on the Alhambra architecture, which I strongly suggest you take some time to browse.

I would strongly advise that you rent a car at the Malaga Airport (Avis-Auto Europe are two good outfits). The road on to The Alhambra is a new road; used to be you had to go into town to get to it. Now a new road connected to the main highway takes you directly into the Alhambra in no time. Try to get there early to get a good parking spot (four areas; Area 1 being the closest).

Hi frquarter, I agree with previous post regarding Cordoba, Seville and Granada.

Other than the big three, if you have time you might want to add Ronda to the list if you don't mind mountain driving. There are three sites in Ronda that serves what you are looking for in particular. If you are in Jerez, visit Alcazar. In Malaga, Gibralfar and/or Alcazar has some patios/gardens.

There is a a very good bus system in Andalusia. And you do not need a car for sightseeing when you are inside the cities.

Thank you for the suggestions. Is there a bus from Malaga Airport to Granada or do we have to go into Malaga center. We're also thinking of getting an apartment to use as a base and do day or an overnight trip to some of the samller towns. Probably west of Malaga would be a central location.Any ideas on an apt would be appreciated.

Unless you are a Getty or Bill Gates, I do not think that you will be able to have a house built that incorporates ideas from the Alhambra.

In Cordoba, you can look at the area around the Mezquita for more modest ideas, and the same in Sevilla in the Santa Cruz section.

But you would probably get the best ideas from a book on vernacular architecture in Andalusia. "Vernacular" is the term used by architects to describe a style of architecture that is charcteristic of the place rather than particular to a period. The Alhambra is Moorish; the Moors were driven out of Spain in 1492.

I doubt if there is a bus from Malaga airport to Granada but I do not know. There was a bus from Malaga central bus station to Malaga airport for 1 Euro. I assume they have one in the opposite direction. A cab to the center of Malaga costs 15 Euros. Knowing the schedule for the bus to Granada if you have just got to Spain might be challenging. I am not aware of any web sites for that.

I know you want to stay in apartments. I stayed in a hotel named Don Curro close to the Cathedral and the center. I thought it was clean, convenient and the staff were friendly and professional. It was not so expensive either.

fr,
couldn't you find any books on moorish architecture? on moorish marroccan architecture, on cities such as Fez, Marrakech, Essaouira? with their luxurious inner courtyards?

Eloise-- you are obviously not an engineer; every house in the USA (for the sake of making a point) has, most likely, at a minimum 3-4 architectural features that can be traced back to Moorish design and architecture. From the location of windows and doors, to the conveyance of water and sewage, to the ventilation systems, there are HUNDREDS of ideas on The Alhambra that could be incorporated into modern day homes, let alone one that aims to recreate Moorish design. Since you are recommending fr to read books on the subject, it may be a great idea for you to read read up on the subject as well.

Viajero: I do not claim to be an architect or an engineer, and I am quite prepared to believe what you say about elements from the Alhambra being incorporated in modern homes.

I do suggest, however, that unless Frquarter or her husband IS an architect or engineer, just looking at the Alhambra will not enable her or him to identify those elements at first view and incorporate them into the planned house of Moorish design.

And, frankly, the thought of building a home of Moorish design in the 21st century strikes me as about as appropriate as recreating the bell tower of the Basilica di San Marco in Las Vegas.

Building in a style characteristic of the place IS appropriate, and I think studying more modest homes rather than the Alhambra is likely to prove more fruitful.

Eloise-- I believe you are wrong in every point you make. Let's just leave it at that.

Stating (unexplained) "beliefs" instead of arguments and then closing the discussion speaks of either cowardice or ignorance.

I'm in agreement with Eloise.

While certain principles from Morrish architecture might be translated to present day - to mimic/recreate Andalusian architecture is Disney-esque to say the least.

I'm remember a poster here wanting to have a Tuscan kitchen in their Texas 50's style ranch suburban tract home - talk about bad taste.

Architecture should embrace it's geographical place and reflect the current time in which it is built - thus modern.

It would be interesting to know where frquarter lives - to see if Moorish design has applicability.

Eloise--- I believe nastiness is so amusing!! Thank you for the laughs!!! Loved it!!

Fr--- go for it! Love your vision!!

Funny to think about it....if everyone would had follow the design criteria suggested by Eloise and jg, the world would had never seen places like The Alhambra, The Taj Mahal, and the Palace of Versailles nor architectural periods such as Greek Revival and Art Deco. Architecture embraces creativity and uses elements of personal vision and interpretation. To say that one is limited by what is already there is very, very, very shortsighted.

/s/

An Architect (& Civil Engineer)

The Alhambra was of its time and place; the Taj Mahal was of its time and place; Art Deco evolved from (did not imitate) Art nouveau and was of its time and place.

The only example of direct inspiration and/or imitation that you have given is Greek Revival. But in the U.S. Greek Revival was a national style. It was not born of one individual's wish, "Gee, let's build a Moorish house."

In your first message, you indicated you were an engineer. In your last, you state that you are also an architect. I would suggest that you confine yourself to civil engineering.

I forgot one of your examples: The Palace of Versailles was also of its time and place.

Eloise-- you are a riot! Tantrums are also so amusing!! lecturing in architecture!! Please don't stop, we are having a riot with your posts!! YES!!!

If you cannot tell the difference between a tantrum and the truth, this discussion is hardly worth continuing.

Please keep the tantrum coming....we are having such a laugh!! I can't wait till Monday to show my co-workers a copy of your lecture!! These are the little moments.....ahhhh!