The Alhambra and Granada celebrate Monuments Day with free guided visits to the Dobla de oro Monuments

The Alhambra and Granada are celebrating International Monuments and Sites Day on Saturday 18th April by organizing numerous activities, including free guided visits to the monuments covered by the Dobla de Oro (Golden Doubloon) route, such as the Corral del Carbón, the Dar al-Horra Palace, the Morisco House in the Calle Horno de Oro, the Casa del Chapíz, the Casa de Zafra and the Bañuelo Arabic Baths. There will also be storytelling sessions and performances of music and dance. The aim of all this “is to share with the people of Granada a day that will help us all reflect on the importance of looking after and protecting our local heritage. The institutions of Granada have joined in this event with great enthusiasm and together we have organized this programme of events” said the Director of the Council of the Alhambra and Generalife, María del Mar Villafranca, in the presentation of Monuments Day. Representatives of Granada City Council, the University of Granada, the Archdiocese of Granada, the Rodriguez Acosta Foundation and various private companies that are taking part also attended the presentation. 
The Hispano-Muslim monuments on the Dobla de Oro (Golden Doubloon) cultural tourism route in the Albaícin and Granada city centre, such as the Dar al-Horra Palace, the Bañuelo Arabic Baths, the Corral del Carbón, the Morisco House in the Calle Horno de Oro, the Casa de Zafra and the Casa del Chapíz, will be the main attraction on International Monuments and Sites Day on Saturday 18th April and can be visited free of charge from 10:00h to 20:00h. 
Free guided visits to these monuments have also been organized to mark this special day. Those interested in taking part must book a place in advance via the website www.alhambra-patronato.es, where they will have to fill in a simple form. Later in the offices at the Corral del Carbón, in the Calle Mariana Pineda s/n in Granada, they will be given a receipt confirming their visit. A maximum of five admission tickets can be booked in each operation.
The Granada tourist train, Granada City Tour, will be offering 200 free trips to all those people who reserve the free guided visit to the Dobla de Oro monuments and Coca-Cola will be giving away a backpack with souvenirs to those participating in this day of festivities.
We have also added music and dance accompaniment to the Dobla de Oro. Throughout the day numerous music and dance performances will be held at the different monuments and in other spaces associated with this cultural tourism project. These performances “will emphasize the value, even more strongly if possible, of the rich cultural and historic heritage of Granada”. Entrance to the music and dance performances will be free until full capacity has been reached. Storytelling sessions have been organized for the youngest members of the household in the Casa de Zafra, on Saturday the 18th and Sunday 19th at 12:00h, and at the stand of the Alhambra bookshop in Puerta Real, on Saturday 18th April at 18:00h.
The Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation has also decided to celebrate this day of festivities with the people of Granada and has organized free guided visits to the underground passageways and the gardens. There will be different times for these events although it is important to reserve your place in advance as numbers are limited. To do this you will have to fill in a form and later in the offices in the Corral del Carbón, in the calle Mariana Pineda s/n in Granada, you will be given a receipt confirming your visit. A maximum of five admission tickets can be booked in each operation.
The Archdiocese of Granada is also offering free guided visits to the church of Santa Ana and to Sacromonte Abbey. In the latter, the visit will be accompanied by a performance of ancient Spanish polyphony by the musical group Numen Ensemble. For these two activities it will also be necessary to book in advance via the website www.alhambra-patronato.es using the same procedure explained above. 
Activities in the Museum of the Alhambra
Volunteers from the Museum of the Alhambra will be offering themed guided tours around the Museum collections. In addition the Museum will be extending its opening hours and can be visited from 21:00h to 23:30h. At 12:00h in the morning there will be a brief talk about the Museum’s piece of the month which this month is the Miniature reproductions of the Plasterwork Panels (19th Century). 
Free guided visits have also been organized to the exhibition ‘El Paisaje y el Lugar’ (Landscape and Place) by the Seville artist Carmen Laffón (Sevilla, 1934), in the three venues in which it is being staged. The tour will commence at the Fine Arts Museum on the upper floor of the Palace of Charles V before moving on to the Palace Chapel, the Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation and finally the Palace of the Madraza. Places must be booked in advance as numbers are limited. This can be done online at www.alhambra-patronato.es  and tickets can be picked up later at the offices in the Corral del Carbón, in Calle Mariana Pineda s/n in Granada.