The Alhambra and Granada celebrate Monuments Day with free cultural activities in the Dobla de Oro monuments

The Alhambra and Granada will be celebrating the International Day for Monuments and Sites on Saturday 16th April with an extensive programme of activities, aimed at bringing the public closer to our heritage. This special day will have a number of star attractions including a ‘treasure route’ through the different monuments on the Dobla de Oro route, magic, storytelling, guided visits and a falconry display. There will also be free admission to the Alcazaba (the fortress part of the Alhambra), the Baths of the Mosque, the Silla del Moro castle and the Mirador de los Alixares Viewpoint throughout the whole day.
As a special new activity, this year we have organized a route called La Búsqueda de la Dobla de Oro (The Search for the Golden Doubloon), in which with the help of a treasure map, you will be able to visit some of the monuments included in the Dobla de Oro route (the Dar al-Horra Palace, the Horno de Oro Morisco house, the Bañuelo Arabic Bath and the Corral del Carbón) so as to decode the various enigmas required to uncover a treasure, which in this case is the chance to discover these wonderful spaces, which are also World Heritage sites. In addition and just like every Saturday, there will be free admission to all the Dobla de Oro monuments for all members of the public. It will not be necessary to book in advance for this activity, which is suitable for all age groups.
Flying amongst the towers (Volando entre las torres) is the title of an exhibition of falconry, an activity declared part of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind by UNESCO in 2010. This activity, which is organized by two experts, Paulino Vázquez and Pepe Peralta, will be held on Saturday 16th April in the Alcazaba area of the Alhambra, in two sessions at 12:00 and 18:00. In a display lasting 45 minutes those attending will have the chance to discover low flight hunting and other forms of falconry with different species of birds of prey, such as falcons, eagles and owls, performing spectacular flights between the towers of the fortress.
The magicians Mago Lapsus and Pedro Lucas, teachers at the Andalusia School of Magic Arts will be bringing Magic to the Corral del Carbón, in Calle Mariana Pineda, 7, Granada, with their shows The Traveller’s Rest (El reposo del viajero) aimed at people of all ages, at 12:00, 13:00, 18:00 and 19:00 and The Inn and other hand tricks (La posada y otros juegos de manos) aimed at young people of between 9 and 14 years old, from 17:00. For the first show, admission will be free until all seats are taken and for the second you should book in advance via e-mail to actividadesculturales.pag@juntadeandalucia.es.
The smallest members of the household will also enjoy the storytelling session entitled Tales of a Hidden Chest (Cuentos de un cofre escondido) at the Alhambra bookshop in Calle Reyes Católicos, 40, Granada at 18:00h. The recommended age for those wishing to take part in this activity, which has a maximum number of 20 places, will be from 5 to 10 years old.

FREE GUIDED VISITS
The Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation in Callejón Niño del Rollo, 8, Granada will also be taking part in the programme of events organised for the Day for Monuments and Sites with free guided visits on Saturday 16th April at the following times: 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30 and 13:00. On each visit there will be a maximum of 20 places, which will be allotted on a first come first served basis.
The Alhambra, Sierra Nevada and the Albaicín, a shared landscape is the itinerary proposed by Unesco Andalucía, which will start at the Torre de la Vela before continuing along the Cuesta de los Chinos and visiting the Bañuelo Arabic Bath, the Casa de Zafra, the Horno de Oro Morisco House and the Mirador de San Nicolás. The recommended age for those wishing to take part in this route is 12 years old and places must be booked in advance via www.unescoandalucia.org.
Another of the guided routes will be Opposing Hills (Colinas que se miran) for which admission will be free until all places are taken. This route will explore the Medina of the Alhambra and the Alcazaba before moving on to the Albaicín neighbourhood and the monuments on the Dobla de Oro route and finally ending up in Plaza Nueva. The meeting point will be at the Puerta de la Justicia (Alhambra) at 10:00h. This route is recommended for people over 12 years old and comfortable footwear is advisable.
The Morisco house in Calle Horno de Oro will be the starting point for the guided visit to La Cuesta de los Chinos o del Rey Chico, from 10:00h. Admission will be free until all 30 places are taken. This route will last approximately 3 hours.
Those interested in discovering the Alcázar del Genil and its surrounding area can do so on a route which will leave from the 11th century Zirid era bridge, popularly known in Granada as the Puente Romano or Roman Bridge. The tour, which has a maximum of 30 places, will visit the retaining wall and the ancient marabout known today as the Chapel of St Sebastian, situated in the Paseo del Violón. The last stop will be at the Alcázar Genil, a country-house that once belonged to the Sultana Aixa, which is currently the headquarters of the Ayala Foundation. Those wishing to take part should be at the Puente Romano (Colegio Escolapios end) at 12:00h.
The Agencia Albaicín (Albaicín Agency) has organized a guided visit to the Monuments in the Albaicín, including those on the Dobla de Oro route. The meeting point will be in Plaza Nueva (Chancillería) at 10:00 and 12:00 and those wishing to take part should book a place in advance online at www.unescoandalucia.org, as places will be limited.
There will also be free guided visits to the Casa del Chapiz in Cuesta del Chapiz, 22, at 11:00, 12:00 and 13:00; and the Casa de Zafra, in Calle Portería de la Concepción, 8, Granada, at 11:00 and 12:00. Both routes will be free of charge until all places are taken.
It will also be possible to download a map with the Dobla de Oro Monuments route either via Google Maps http://lajunta.es/12do9) or using this QR code.
SCREENING OF THE FILM “EL DORADO”
  
The icing on the cake to round off this intensive programme of events will take place on Monday, 18 April, International Day for Monuments and Sites, with the presentation of a book entitled Granada en el cine (Granada in films) and the screening of the film El Dorado, by Marcel L´Herbier (1921) in the Andalusia Library (Biblioteca de Andalucía), on Calle Profesor Sainz Cantero, 6, Granada. This book is a sort of tourist guidebook inspired by the big screen, which describes the most important urban and natural locations used for shooting films since the first movies were shot in the province of Granada right down to the present day. This book was written by Iván Zoido Salazar and Said Zoido Salazar. Admission will be free of charge until all places are taken.
         The International Day for Monuments and Sites was proposed by ICOMOS (UNESCO International Council on Monuments and Sites) on 18 April 1982 to celebrate the diversity of heritage around the world. In 2016, an Olympic year, we will be celebrating links between heritage and sport. Given that hunting was one of the most important sporting activities in mediaeval times, the art of falconry (declared part of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010) will be one of the main attractions in this interesting programme of events. 
http://lajunta.es/12do9
http://lajunta.es/12do9