From the E. end of the Calle de los Reyes Católicos (p. [75]) the Calle Castro y Serrano and Calle Doctor Eximio lead to the right to the Casa de los Tiros (Pl. E, 4), a building in the Moorish castellated style, dating from the 15th cent., and now owned by the Marquesa de Campotéjar. The court contains a venerable tree-like vine. Tickets for the Generalife (comp. p. [74]) are issued here.
The Calle de Santa Escolástica leads hence to the Plaza de Santo Domingo (Pl. F, 4) and the old monastery of Santo Domingo (now a military school), with its pleasing church (15–17th cent.).—A little to the S.W. is the—
Cuarto Real de Santa Domingo (Pl. F, 4; admittance seldom granted), the Al-Majarra of the Moors, now named after a tower of the 13th cent., a superb villa with a Moorish portal and a hall whose charming decoration is older than the Alhambra. The beautiful garden is said to have been laid out in Moorish times.
We now cross the Plaza Bailén to the N.W. to the favourite winter promenade (p. [74]), the Carrera del Genil (Pl. E-G, 5), shaded with plane-trees, which begins at the Puerta Real (p. [75]) and now comprises the former Alameda. Adjoining the Carrera on the left is the—
*Paseo del Salón (Pl. G, 5, 4). planted with elms and adorned with a bronze statue of Isabella the Catholic. Delightful view to the N.E. of Monte Mauror with the Torres Bermejas (p. [80]); to the S.E. towers the majestic Sierra Nevada, from whose rocky crest the Picacho de la Veleta (11,148 ft.), the grandest point of view in all Andalusia, alone rises conspicuously.
b. Darro Valley and Albaicín.
At the mouth of the Darro Valley lies the Plaza Nueva (Pl. E, 4; p. [75]), another focus of traffic (tramways, see p. [73]). On the left is the Audiencia, formerly the Chancilleria, built in 1531–87 for the Capitán General or governor. The pretty arcaded court was probably designed by Diego de Siloe (p. [76]).
A few paces farther to the E. the Darro is not covered in. Here, on the right, on the site of an old mosque, is the church of Santa Ana (Pl. E, 3), a Renaissance building, perhaps designed by Diego de Siloe in 1541, with a fine plateresque portal and an admirable timber ceiling. The tower, built by Juan Castellar in 1561–3, with its azulejos and jutting roof resting on corbels, resembles a minaret.
Opposite the church, on the right bank of the Darro, begins the Carrera del Darro (Pl. E, 3, 2), one of the oldest parts of Granada, affording picturesque views, notably of the towers and walls of the Alhambra, which had its oldest approach from this quarter. (Part of a horseshoe arch of the bridge is seen on the left bank.) The Bañuelo, at No. 37, now occupied by poor families, is a Moorish bath, dating perhaps from the 11th century.