Alhambra palace wall collapses during heavy rainfall
The historic monument's other walls willl now be checked after the incident which happened in a passageway between the Partal and the Generalife gardens on Saturday 24 January
A section of a wall at Granada’s Alhambra palace collapsed on the evening of Saturday, 24 January, following heavy rainfall.
The incident occurred while the monument was closed to the public, resulting in no injuries.
The collapsed section, located along the Paseo de las Torres between the Partal Bajo and the Generalife gardens, was not part of the original Moorish structure.
Built in the mid-20th century, the wall lacked proper drainage systems, causing the materials to deteriorate under the deluge.
Rodrigo Ruiz-Jiménez, director of the Patronato de la Alhambra y el Generalife, confirmed that the foundation will now inspect all walls with similar characteristics.
"In the Alhambra, if something breaks down, it is changed. It is constant work that is never finished," Ruiz-Jiménez said. He added that the wall will be reconstructed to its previous state. In the meantime, the area has been cordoned off and visitor routes have been slightly redirected.
New Technology for Conservation Architect and curator Antonio Peral noted that a preservation project is already underway in conjunction with the University to reinforce the Generalife walls. This initiative will focus on the terraced walls (paratas) of the Huerta Grande.
"The best possible technology will be applied, including georadar, which will penetrate the walls to detect cracks and other imperfections," Peral explained.
