MUSLIM HERITAGE - ALHAMBRA
The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the inspiration for many songs and stories.Alhambra the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra, is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a fortress in 889, and was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.
The Alhambra’s Islamic palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquista (reconquest) by the Reyes Católicos (“Catholic Monarchs”) in 1492, some portions were used by the Christian rulers. The Palace of Charles V, built by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was “discovered” in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain’s major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country’s most significant and well known Berber Islamic architecture.
By order of the Regency of the Kingdom, 10 February 1870, confirmed by Royal Decree on 21 July 1872, and amplified by Royal Decree on 11 June 1896, the Alcazar of the Alhambra of Granada, as well as their gardens and accessory structures, are declared national-artistic monuments, and Elvira’s Gate is declared incorporated.
In the twentieth century, by Royal Decree on 27 July 1943 the gardens of the Alhambra and the Generalife are declared Historical Gardens.
More recently, at the UNESCO Convention, which was held in Buenos Aires between 29 October and 2 November 1984, the World Heritage Committee proceeded to officially include the Alhambra and the Generalife of Granada on the World Heritage List.
(via angrbodas)
elizabethii: The Queen breaking into laughter as She passes Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, standing outside the Buckingham Palace, 2005
(via stannisbaratheon)
The Adorable Story of a Grandmother and Her Cat
Japanese photographer Miyoko Ihara began taking pictures of her grandmother, Misao, 13 years ago to commemorate her rich life. Along the way, the photographer came across a beautiful bond between her now 88-year-old grandmother and a cat named Fukumaru, whose given name roughly translates as “good fortune circle.” In her photo book titled Misao the Big Mama and Fukumaru the Cat, Ihara captures the affectionate tale of these two best friends doing everything together.
Looking through a selection of photos from the book, one can see the genuine friendship and warmth between the inseparable pair as they keep each other company throughout their daily lives. It was nine years ago that Misao first found Fukumaru abandoned in a shed, described as an “odd-eyed kitten.” While the cat had its own ailments and hearing disabilities, the two have continued to grow old together, enjoying the beauty of everyday life against the stunning backdrop of nature’s fields.
To see more heartwarming images of this adorable grandmother and her precious cat, Misao the Big Mama and Fukumaru the Cat can be purchased directly through Little More Books.
(via loveyourchaos)
A rare vintage photograph of an onna-bugeisha, one of the female warriors of the upper social classes in feudal Japan.
Often mistakenly referred to as “female samurai”, female warriors have a long history in Japan, beginning long before samurai emerged as a warrior class.
(via angrbodas)
