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The Alhambra, Generalife and the district of the Albaicín make up the World Heritage properties in Granada. It was in 1984 when the Alhambra and Generalife were enrolled; ten years later, in 1994, an international team of UNESCO experts visited the Albaicín: The World Heritage Committee, at its meeting held on the 17th of December 1994, unanimously approved the proposition to include the district under World Heritage.  

Why are the Alhambra, Generalife and the Albaicín World Heritage?

As discussed above, in order for a place to be considered on the World Heritage List, it must meet at least one set of criteria. In the case of Granada´s properties, the criteria are:

- Criteria I and III: The Alhambra, together with the Generalife gardens, represents a unique, artistic attainment.

- Criteria IV: It constitutes an extraordinary architectural example of the Islamic period in Spain.   

Meanwhile, The Albaicín retains both original, urban features and various medieval buildings. In this sense, the Committee expressed a wish, which had already been encouraged by Spanish authorities, for a wide area protection which would ensure that its visual surroundings would not be damaged by modern constructions.  

As a whole, the World Heritage of Granada is formed by The Alhambra (XIII-XIV century), which in turn includes the gardens of Generalife (XIV century), and the district of the Albaicín. The dependencies of the Alhambra are divided into The Nazarí Palaces, The Alcazaba (the oldest part), The Medina (composed of woodland) and The Palace of Carlos V, which houses the Museum of the Alhambra and the Museum of Fine Arts.  

The Albaicín is a residential district of the city from which the Alhambra can be seen. There are still remains of Arabic barricades as well as different doors similar to the door Elvira or that of any Islamic mansion. The Albaicín is fused of Islamic, urban structural framework as well as the remains of civil and religious architecture from both the Renaissance and Baroque period, giving as a whole a unique singularity.

In the case of Granada, it is important to take into account the physical framework within which these places are located: Granada is located east of Andalucia, it has a remarkable, diverse geography since it has the coast (Motril) and the mountains (Sierra Nevada, the Mulhacén peak being higher than the Iberian Peninsula ), and it is located within the hills. Three rivers run through the city, with the Alhambra and Generalife located near the upper part of the river Darro. The Albaicín is situated on the hill opposite, spilling its streets towards the even surface of the city. 

Granada is also important because of its history. The city was formed as a consequence of the decline of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the late 10th century and remained the Muslim capital until 1492.  The Albaicín was court to the Zirí Monarchs in the 11th century and is considered the last Muslim stronghold before the Moorish were completely eradicated from Granada.