El baluarte de la Alcazaba de la Alhambra: un comienzo de su restauración

Abstract

[EN] The bulwark of the Alcazaba is one of the polyorcetic reforms that the Catholic Monarchs introduced on the Alhambra since the conquest of Granada in 1492, in order to adapt the fortress to pyrobalistic artillery, as well as to stablish a new relationship with the city. In essence, it was built in rammed earth, using brick and masonry fabrics in certain points. An important section of its parapet was in a high grade of deterioration, as result of the humidity, the loss of mass of the walls, and deformations caused by uncontrolled vegetation. This situation has triggered on different processes that have recently ended up with the restoration of a part of the bulwark. The restoration works, carried out over 20 months, have been strongly conditioned not only by the location and the layout of the building, that is at the western end of the monumental complex, crowning a steep slope, but to many functional aspects that have been necessary to plan in order to not interfere with the public visit to the Alhambra. Parallel to the restauration, archaeological works have been developed both at the outer base of the curtain, flank and face of the bulwark and at the inside, with interesting results. Due to these archaeological and restoration works, it has been possible to stabilize and improve the state of preservation of the northwest section of this significant part of the Alhambra, improving its stratigraphic reading and increasing in a substantial way the knowledge of this edge of the hill