La Velera

Name: La Velera House.
Period: Muhammad I,  founder of the Nasrid Dynasty, stablished in 1238 the royal residence in the old Alcazaba of the Alhambra. This was the time when the old walls and towers, dating back to the XI century, were restored and rebuilt in some cases. It was then when he ordered the construction of the towers: Torre de la Vela and Torre del Homenaje.
The Torre de la Vela is one of the most outstanding symbols of the Alhambra and of the city of Granada. On the third floor of the tower we find inside living quarters which cover the whole surface of the floor. This home is traditionally named La Velera.
Soon after the Christian conquest, the Alcazaba passed into the hands of the military administration. These rooms were meant to be the residence of the person who was in charge of tolling the bell of the Torre de la Vela for defensive purposes.
For centuries, the crippled knights and those who were wounded at war were the ones commended by the governor to take care of the different tolls at the tower, marking the rhythm of Granada’s daily life. Encarnacion “La Velera”, was the widow of the soldier who carried out this post. She was the last person who inhabited the tower till the middle XX century, moment when the Alhambra passed from being controlled by the military administration to be part of the cultural administration.
This intangible tradition has been kept up in town and it is one of the reasons for which the monument is valued. And moreover, it has contributed to enrich part of the Cultural Heritage of the Ensemble of the Alhambra.
Timetable: From 8.30 to 20 hours. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sundays.
Access: Show general entrance ticket to the Monumental Complex of the Alhambra.
Forum: Maximum 30 people at one time.