TRAVEL TUESDAY 424 - CRETE GREECE

“There is a kind of flame in Crete - let us call it ‘soul’ - something more powerful than either life or death. There is pride, obstinacy, valour, and together with these something else inexpressible and imponderable, something which makes you rejoice that you are a human being, and at the same time tremble.” ― Nikos Kazantzakis

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Crete (Greek: Κρήτη, Modern: Kríti [ˈkriti], Ancient: Krḗtē [krɛ̌ːtεː]) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete rests about 160 km south of the Greek mainland, and about 100 km southwest of Anatolia. Crete has an area of 8,450 km2 and a coastline of 1,046 km. It bounds the southern border of the Aegean Sea, with the Sea of Crete (or North Cretan Sea) to the north and the Libyan Sea (or South Cretan Sea) to the south. Crete covers 260 km from west to east but is narrow from north to south, spanning three longitudes but only half a latitude.

Crete and a number of islands and islets that surround it constitute the Region of Crete (Greek: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης), which is the southernmost of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece, and the fifth most populous of Greece's regions. Its capital and largest city is Heraklion, on the north shore of the island. As of 2020, the region had a population of 636,504. The Dodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete, while the Cyclades are situated to the north, separated by the Sea of Crete. The Peloponnese is to the region's northwest.

Crete was the centre of Europe's first advanced civilization, the Minoans, from 2700 to 1420 BC. The Minoan civilization was overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. Crete was later ruled by Rome, then successively by the Byzantine Empire, Andalusian Arabs, the Venetian Republic, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1898 Crete, whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state, achieved independence from the Ottomans, formally becoming the Cretan State. Crete became part of Greece in December 1913.

 The island is mostly mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. It includes Crete's highest point, Mount Ida, and the range of the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) with 30 summits above 2,000 metres in altitude and the Samaria Gorge, a World Biosphere Reserve. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry and music). The Nikos Kazantzakis airport at Heraklion and the Daskalogiannis airport at Chania serve international travellers. The Minoan palace at Knossos is also located near Heraklion.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 423 - EIFFEL TOWER, FRANCE

"I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am." - Gustave Eiffel

The Eiffel Tower (French: tour Eiffel) is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Constructed in 1889 as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, it was initially criticised by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world.

The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world: 6.98 million people ascended it in 2011. The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010. The tower is 324 metres tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building. Its base is square, 125 metres on a side. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930.

Due to the addition of the aerial at the top of the tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 metres. Not including broadcast aerials, it is the second-tallest structure in France, after the Millau Viaduct. The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second. The top level’s upper platform is 276 m above the ground, the highest accessible to the public in the European Union.

Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the climb from the first level to the second. Although there is a staircase to the top level, it is usually only accessible by lift.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 422 - ECHUCA, AUSTRALIA

“What, sir! Would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I pray you, excuse me... I have no time to listen to such nonsense!” -  Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (when told of the benefits of steamships).

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Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe River in Victoria, Australia, 214 km North of Melbourne. The border town of Moama is adjacent on the northern side of the Murray River in New South Wales. Echuca is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe. At June 2022, Echuca had a population of 15,038. Echuca lies within traditional Yorta Yorta country. The town's name is an Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters".

Echuca is situated close to the junction of the Goulburn, Campaspe, and Murray Rivers. Its position at the closest point of the Murray to Melbourne contributed to its development as a thriving river port city during the 19th century. By the 1870s Echuca had risen to prominence as Australia's largest inland port. Echuca was both a key river port and railway junction. Steam-driven paddleboats would arrive at the 400-metre long redgum Echuca Wharf, unloading it to be transported by rail to Melbourne. Wool, wheat, other grains, livestock and timber were the most common cargoes. The wharf has been listed as a Heritage Place on the Australian National Heritage List. This industrial boom led to a rapidly expanding population, at one stage in excess of 15,000, with more than a hundred hotels rumoured to exist in the Echuca district at one time.

An iron bridge was constructed over the Murray River in 1878 by the NSW Railways Department. The expansion of the railways from Melbourne to most parts of Victoria, as well as improvements to roads and fickle river conditions all combined to lessen Echuca's importance, and by the 1890s the paddle steamer fleet was in decline. An economic depression and the collapse of several banks virtually ended Echuca's role as a major economic centre, and its population began to disperse. Currently Echuca is a popular holiday destination all year round. Echuca is also a major regional service economy. Agriculture is very important to the region. Dairy, wheat, sheep, pig, and cattle farms are all within close proximity.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 421 - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

“Sydney is rather like an arrogant lover. When it rains it can deny you its love and you can find it hard to relate to. It's not a place that's built to be rainy or cold. But when the sun comes out, it bats its eyelids, it's glamorous, beautiful, attractive, smart, and it's very hard to get away from its magnetic pull.” - Baz Luhrmann

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Sydney is known as the Harbour City and with good reason as it is built around a magnificent natural harbour, which is not only perfect for shipping, but gorgeous to look at from all angles. Sydney is the largest, oldest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia with an enviable reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

It is a city full of history, culture, art, fashion, cuisine, design and within its confines, or a short distance from it, are areas of great natural beauty. The city is set next to kilometres of ocean coastline and sandy surf beaches. Close by are mountains full of natural wonders, small, charming towns and everywhere a welcoming and easy-going population that is full of energy and joie-de-vivre.

Immigration trends have led to the city’s reputation as one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in Australia and the world. The city is also home to the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, two of the most iconic structures on the planet.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 420 - MANI, GREECE

“To rejoice in life, to find the world beautiful and delightful to live in, was a mark of the Greek spirit which distinguished it from all that had gone before. It is a vital distinction.” - Edith Hamilton

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Mani is a region in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese, Greece. It is an area of wild and unspoilt natural beauty, rich traditions, and great history. It is not as well-known as other parts of Greece, and hence still not very touristic, although there are some wonderful amenities and infrastructure to please even the most demanding visitors who find their way there. The people of Mani are hospitable, generous and welcoming.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 419 - MONTÉLIMAR, FRANCE

“Sometimes I think that the one thing I love most about being an adult is the right to buy candy whenever and wherever I want.” - Ryan Gosling

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Montélimar (Latin name: Acumum, and Montelaimar in Occitan) is a commune in the Drôme department in Southeastern France. It is the second-largest town in the department after Valence. The site where the city of Montélimar stands today has been inhabited since the Celtic era. It was reconstructed during the Roman reign, including a basilica, aqueducts, thermae and a forum. The Adhémar family reigned over the city in the Middle Ages and built a castle (Château des Adhémar) which dominates the city silhouette even today.

Montélimar is widely regarded as the world capital of nougat. The local nougat is one of the 13 desserts of Provence and highly appreciated throughout the country. Montelimar nougat is mentioned in the opening lines of the Beatles' Savoy Truffle from The White Album. Travellers used to buy nougat de Montélimar on their way to the south of France (or when returning) as the city is next to the Rhône and to the primary route N7. Since the construction of the A7 autoroute, many nougat factories have been forced to close as tourists no longer stop in Montélimar but bypass it instead.

Nougat is a family of confections made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are common), whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat is chewy, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates. The word nougat comes from Occitan pan nogat (pronounced [ˈpa nuˈɣat]), seemingly from Latin panis nucatus 'nut bread' (the late colloquial Latin adjective nucatum means 'nutted' or 'nutty').

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 418 - HERAKLION, CRETE, GREECE

“I wonder if Socrates and Plato took a house on Crete during the summer.” - Woody Allen

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Heraklion (Greek: Ηράκλειο, Irákleio) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete. It is the fourth largest city in Greece. According to the results of the 2011 census, the population of the city proper was 140,730 inhabitants, the municipality's was 173,993 while the Heraklion urban area has a population of 225,574 and it extends over an area of 684.3 km2.

Heraklion is the capital of Heraklion regional unit. The Bronze Age palace of Knossos, also known as the Palace of Minos, is located nearby. The city is an eclectic mixture of Ancient Greek, Roman, Arab, Byzantine and modern-day buildings, ruins, architecture and significant history. An excellent museum in the city has a host of amazing artifacts of nearly 4,000 years of history.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 417 - YEREVAN, ARMENIA

"Armenian is a rich language, however, and would amply repay any one the trouble of learning it." - Lord Byron

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Sasuntsi Davit (Armenian: «Սասունցի Դավիթ») is a copper equestrian statue depicting David of Sassoun  in Yerevan, Armenia. Erected by Yervand Kochar in 1959, it depicts the protagonist of the Armenian national epic “Daredevils of Sassoun”. It is located in the Railway Station Square of the Capital City of Armenia, Yerevan.

Sculptor Yervand Kochar and architect Mikayel Mazmanian constructed the copper sculpture on a basalt base. It stands at 12 metres and the official unveiling was on December 3, 1959.

The statue has been widely admired by critics and visitors alike. Architectural historian Murad Hasratyan called it Kochar's masterpiece. In 1980 Ara Baliozian noted that the "splendid" statue has "acquired archetypal dimension." It has become a symbol of Yerevan and a landmark of Armenia. Rouben Paul Adalian noted that the "dynamic and forceful" statue is "such a compelling work of sculpture that the image became an emblematic portrait of the Soviet Armenian republic.

Yerevan (Armenian: Երևան[, sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city (population just over a million people) of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial centre of the country, as its primate city. It has been the capital since 1918, the fourteenth in the history of Armenia and the seventh located in or around the Ararat Plain. The city also serves as the seat of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, which is the largest diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and one of the oldest dioceses in the world.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 416 - TWELVE APOSTLES, AUSTRALIA

“Even the Australians don’t know how beautiful their own country is.” – Brian Cox

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The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 243-kilometre stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I. It is an important tourist attraction in the region, which winds through varying terrain alongside the coast, and provides access to several prominent landmarks; including the nationally significant Twelve Apostles rock formations. 

The Twelve Apostles is a collection of miocene limestone rock stacks jutting from the water in Port Campbell National Park, between Princetown and Peterborough on the Great Ocean Road. The apostles were formed by erosion: The harsh weather conditions from the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then became arches, which in turn collapsed; leaving rock stacks up to 45 metres high. The site was known as the Sow and Piglets until 1922 (Muttonbird Island, near Loch Ard Gorge, was the Sow, and the smaller rock stacks the Piglets); after which it was renamed to The Apostles for tourism purposes. The formation eventually became known as the Twelve Apostles, despite only ever having nine stacks.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 415 - BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

"I might grow old in Brisbane, but I would never grow up."-  David Malouf

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Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of approximately 2.5 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of more than 3 million. The Brisbane central business district stands on the original European settlement and is situated inside a bend of the Brisbane River, approximately 23 km from its mouth at Moreton Bay.

The metropolitan area extends in all directions along the floodplain of the Brisbane River valley between the bay and the Great Dividing Range. While the metropolitan area is governed by several municipalities, a large portion of central Brisbane is governed by the Brisbane City Council, which is by far Australia's largest Local Government Area by population.

Brisbane is named after the river on which it sits, which, in turn, was named after Scotsman Sir Thomas Brisbane, the Governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825. The first European settlement in Queensland was a penal colony at Redcliffe, 28 kilometres north of the Brisbane central business district, in 1824. That settlement was soon abandoned and moved to North Quay in 1825. Free settlers were permitted from 1842. Brisbane was chosen as the capital when Queensland was proclaimed a separate colony from New South Wales in 1859.

The round temple-like building in the front centre is the Anzac Shrine.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 414 - GLENELG, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

“Entertainment is there to improve people's quality of life. After your basic needs, there's entertainment.” - Satoru Iwata

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Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants. Established in 1836, it is the oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia (the oldest being Kingscote on Kangaroo Island), with the proclamation of the colony of South Australia.

It was named after Lord Glenelg, a member of British Cabinet and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Through Lord Glenelg the name derives from Glenelg, Highland (previously Inverness-shire), Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic the name is Gleann Eilg. The name Glenelg is noteworthy for being a palindrome.

Numerous restaurants, hotels, cafés, entertainment venues, a beautiful seaside view and beaches, ensure that this locale is busy 24 hours a day, with always something to do and always something open for business. Add an equable climate and beautiful ambience afforded by the lush vegetation and careful landscaping throughout and you have a perfect travel destination!

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 413 - VITERBO, ITALY

“The Creator made Italy by designs from Michelangelo.” – Mark Twain

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Viterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It conquered and absorbed the neighbouring town of Ferento in its early history. It is approximately 80 kilometres north of Rome on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and Monti Volsini.

The historic centre of the city is surrounded by medieval walls, still intact, built during the 11th and 12th centuries. Entrance to the walled centre of the city is through ancient gates. Apart from agriculture, the main resources of Viterbo's area are pottery, marble, and wood.

The town is home to the Italian gold reserves, an important Academy of Fine Arts, the University of Tuscia, and the Italian Army's Aviation Command headquarters and training centre. It is located in a wide thermal area, attracting many tourists from the whole of central Italy.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 412 - VALENCIA, SPAIN

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” - Mark Twain

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Valencia, is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona, with around 800,000 inhabitants in the administrative centre. Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 1.5–1.6 million people. The Port of Valencia is the 5th busiest container port in Europe and the busiest container port on the Mediterranean Sea. The city is ranked at Gamma in the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Valencia was the capital of Spain when Joseph I moved there the Court in summer of 1812, and was capital of Spain between 1936 and 1937 during the Second Spanish Republic. The city is situated on the banks of the Turia, on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula, fronting the Gulf of Valencia on the Mediterranean Sea. Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, with approximately 169 hectares; this heritage of ancient monuments, views and cultural attractions makes Valencia one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Valencia is integrated into an industrial area on the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast). Valencia's main festival is the Falles. The traditional Spanish dish, paella, originated in Valencia.

The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) shown above is an entertainment-based cultural and architectural complex in the city of Valencia, Spain. It is the most important modern tourist destination in the city of Valencia and one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. The City of Arts and Sciences is situated at the end of the former riverbed of the river Turia, which was drained and rerouted after a catastrophic flood in 1957. The old riverbed was turned into a picturesque sunken park.

Designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, the project underwent the first stages of construction in July 1996 and the finished "city" was inaugurated April 16, 1998 with the opening of L'Hemisfèric. The last great component of the City of Arts and Sciences, El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, was presented on October 9, 2005, Valencian Community Day.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 411 - GYTHEIO, GREECE

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” – Dwight L. Moody

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Gytheio (Greek: Γύθειο) or Gythio, also the ancient Gythium or Gytheion (Ancient Greek: Γύθειον), is a town on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality East Mani, of which it is a municipal unit.  The municipal unit has an area of 197.313 km2.

Gytheio was the seaport of Ancient Sparta, which lies approximately 40 kilometres north of it. It is the site of ancient Cranae, a tiny island where, according to the myth, Paris and Helen spent their first night together before departing for Troy. Gytheio used to be an important port until it was destroyed in 4th century AD, possibly by an earthquake, though its strategic location continued to give it a significant role in Maniot history. Now the seat of the municipality of East Mani, Gytheio is the largest and most important town in Mani.

The lighthouse of Gytheio lies on the small islet of Cranae, to the east of Gythio town. The lighthouse is a whitewashed octagonal construction. It is made of white marble and is 25m high while the height of its focal plane is about 78m. It was built in 1873 and from 1989 it houses the Maritime Museum that displays items from the long nautical history of Gytheio town and the area of Mani in general.

At the first period of its construction, the lighthouse used to work with petrol and its luminosity extended for over 15 nautical miles. However, during World War II, it fell in disuse until 1945, when the Hellenic Navy decided to reconstruct the lighthouse network. Four years later, it started to use acetylene. Today, it flashes every 18 seconds and has a range of 9 nautical miles. The lighthouse of Gytheio is open to the public and constitutes a famous landmark of the town.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 410 - OLD ATHENS, GREECE

“Justice will not come to Athens until those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are injured.” -  Thucydides

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Pláka (Greek: Πλάκα) is the old historical neighbourhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Pláka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens. It is known as the "Neighbourhood of the Gods" due to its proximity to the Acropolis and its many archaeological sites.

Pláka is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists around the year, and is under strict zoning and conservation regulations, as the only neighbourhood in Athens where all utilities (water, power, cable television, telephone, internet, and sewage) lie underground in fully accessible, custom-made tunnelling. Excavations have proven that Adrianou Street is the oldest street in Athens still in continuous use with exactly the same layout since antiquity.

The Anafiotika is a part of Plaka which reminds one of an Aegean island village at the foot of the Acropolis. The area owes its existence to the wishes of Otto the first king of Greece. Upon coming to Greece from Bavaria, Otto decided to build himself a palace. Wanting this palace to be solidly built, he enquired as to who were the best builders in the country. He was no sooner informed that the people of Anafi, a small island in the Cyclades, were famous for their building skills, than he invited the best of them to the capital, to start work on the Palace.

The builders had to have a place to live while works lasted. Knowing that it would be years before they set eyes on their beloved Anafi, and being quite homesick for it, they decided to recreate it, at the foot of the Acropolis. So, they built small white houses in the exact style they used in their home village. And there those little houses remain. Anafiotika, meaning the Anafians’ neighbourhood, is a unique and very charming neighbourhood at the highest point of the Plaka district.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 409 - THE JOY OF TRAVEL

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.” – Anais Nin

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In the post-COVID world, travelling for pleasure has once again become a viable proposition and the numbers of people travelling throughout the world has become enormous. This week, we have the beginning of the Spring school holidays in Victoria and it is surprising how many people are taking their kids overseas for a vacation – despite the glum outlook for the economy, despite the increased political tensions and risk of warfare in many places around the world, despite the increased likelihood of civil unrest and uncertainty in even traditionally “tourist-safe” destinations. 

Airports are interesting places and it is always revealing just sitting and watching the people go by. Thousands of faces, each with its own story. Some travel for pleasure, some for work, some for family, some because of special reasons for all kinds. Some faces happy, some sad, some apathetic, many showing the fatigue of travel. Yes, despite the rapid pace of travel and ultra-fast airplanes nowadays, travel remains fatiguing and the increased security measures at airports mean great delays. Not to mention the likelihood of flight cancellations and unscheduled layovers.

Nevertheless, travelling is exciting and to see new places (or perhaps to revisit old favourites!), meet new people, immerse oneself in exotic cultures and be surrounded by people speaking in wonderful, strange languages that one doesn't understand is a fantastic prospect!

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 408 - KYTHIRA, GREECE

“In the ancient world, Cythera, one of the Greek islands, was thought to be the birthplace of Venus, goddess of love.” - Helene Adhemar

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

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Kythira (Greek: Κύθηρα, also transliterated as Cythera, Kythera and Kithira) is an island in Greece lying opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is traditionally listed as one of the seven main Ionian Islands, although it is distant from the main group. Administratively, it belongs to the Islands regional unit, which is part of the Attica region (although at large distance from Attica itself).

The island is strategically located between the Greek mainland and Crete, and from ancient times until the mid 19th century was a crossroads of merchants, sailors, and conquerors. As such, it has had a long and varied history and has been influenced by many civilisations and cultures. This is reflected in its architecture (a blend of traditional, Aegean and Venetian elements), as well as the traditions and customs, influenced by centuries of coexistence of the Greek, Venetian, and Ottoman cultures.

The rugged terrain of the island is a result of prevailing winds from the surrounding seas which have shaped its shores into steep rocky cliffs with deep bays. The island has many beaches, of various composition and size; only half of them can be reached by road through the mountainous terrain of the island. The Kythirian Straits are nearby. In the photo above is the famous Kapsali beach, near the picturesque village of Kapsali. Restaurants and cafés line the beach and one can bathe in the crystal-clear waters of the quiet bay.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 407 - THE ALHAMBRA, SPAIN

“Perhaps there never was a monument more characteristic of an age and people than the Alhambra; a rugged fortress without, a voluptuous palace within; war frowning from its battlements; poetry breathing throughout the fairy architecture of its halls.” ― Washington Irving

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel. There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only. Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

The Alhambra (Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء‎‎  Al-Ḥamrā, lit. "The Red One"), the complete Arabic form of which was Qalat Al-Hamra, is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls.

The complex was begun in 1238 by Muhammad I Ibn al-Ahmar, the first Nasrid emir and founder of the Emirate of Granada, the last Muslim state of Al-Andalus. It was built on the Sabika hill, an outcrop of the Sierra Nevada which had been the site of earlier fortresses and of the 11th-century palace of Samuel ibn Naghrillah. Later Nasrid rulers continuously modified the site. The most significant construction campaigns, which gave the royal palaces much of their definitive character, took place in the 14th century during the reigns of Yusuf I and Muhammad V.

After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition), and the palaces were partially altered. In 1526, Charles V commissioned a new Renaissance-style palace in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid palaces, but it was left uncompleted in the early 17th century. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, with its buildings occupied by squatters, the Alhambra was rediscovered following the defeat of Napoleon I, whose troops destroyed parts of the site.

The rediscoverers were first British intellectuals and then other American and Northern European Romantic travellers. The most influential of them was Washington Irving, whose Tales of the Alhambra (1832) brought international attention to the site. The Alhambra was one of the first Islamic monuments to become the object of modern scientific study and has been the subject of numerous restorations since the 19th century. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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