Torre de la Cautiva

The Torre de la Cautiva is an outstanding example of Nasrid residential architecture and stands in the north wall of the Alhambra in Granada. The Spanish name, which means Tower of the Captive Woman, is a later invention with no historical basis. Originally, the building bore the Arabic name qalaḥurra, which points to a tower palace or an inhabited fortification. The tower probably already existed before the reign of Yusuf I, who converted it into a small residence in the 14th century. Its completion can be dated to before 1349, since the building contains poems by the poet Ibn al-Jayyab. Over the course of its history, the tower suffered fire damage, and the floor and ceiling were not restored until the 19th century.

Visitors enter the tower through a narrow entrance passage on the south side that bends several times. The interior is divided into two square halls. The first serves as a light well with a small arcaded gallery, while the second hall on the north side recalls the Hall of the Ambassadors in the Comares Palace, though on a smaller scale. From here, deep niches with paired windows offer wide views of the landscape. The building is entirely self-contained and has no connection to outer courtyards or gardens, which sets it apart from other Nasrid palaces.

The interior decoration is striking for its elaborate stucco work and mosaic tiles, which form geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy. Especially remarkable is the use of a purple color in the tiles that is unique for this era. The inscriptions include four long poems by Ibn al-Jayyab praising the qualities of the building, as well as a verse from the Quran. The wooden vaulted ceiling and the marble floor date from the 19th-century restoration, while the original coloring of the stucco work has been lost over time.