The Council of the Alhambra, through its Department of Conservation, coordinates activities involving archaeological follow-up operations on works that are currently in process.

San Francisco Parador

For the initiation of the remodelling of this important hotel establishment located in the centre of the Alhambra, the corresponding archaeological actuations were conducted. After the land survey in the building of the old Franciscan Convent and in the modern gardens that served as main access to the building, the archaeological works focused on the remains of the Bath of the Nasrid palace, hidden by later constructions. 

Polinario Building

The old coffee shop of the Royal Road (Calle Real), currently the temporary headquarters of the Computer Data Department of the Unit of Social Action (Departamento de Informática, del Gabinete de Acción Social) and a Red Cross first-aid office, needs renovation. The Project members believe that the recovery of the site as a fast food – coffee shop establishment in this strategic location of the complex is indispensable.

In compliance with the requirements of the guidelines, prior to work execution, timely archaeological studies were conducted, which confirmed the importance of the hydraulic and architectural remains preserved in the plot.

The Artillery Bastion of the Gunpowder Tower

The architectural restoration works on the southern wall of the Alcazaba, besides the systematic follow-up actions, also include archaeological actuations on the bastion in front of the Gunpowder Tower (Torre de la Pólvora).

Various recordings of the site were made using the Georadar technique and carrying out timely land survey operations. Similarly, the stratigraphic profile of the tower was analyzed, including the complete land levelling study of the Tower. 

The Gate of the Pomegranates

Prior to the cleaning and restoration works on the  façade, seasonable excavations were performed on the foundations of this important Renaissance monument located midway between the city and the Alhambra.

The Gate will recover its original aspect, hidden by the successive superposition of pavements on the traditional access point to the Alhambra.

Access Courts to the Mexuar

As an addition to the Project of the new access of visitors to the palaces, the Department of Conservation has implemented archaeological follow-up operations involving cleaning and maintenance actions of the monument, as well as the restoration of water units, pavements and gardens.

This important operation extends from the Gate of Wine (Puerta del Vino) to the access passageways to the palaces, and includes the incorporation of the sector in front of the palatial area of the Alhambra to the tour itinerary. Its urban and architectural structure, recovered thanks to various archaeological actuations effectuated since the beginning of the 20th century, could only be viewed through the protective parapets.

Its inclusion in the tour itinerary not only recovers a unique space but also facilitates the control of visitors to the palaces.

The Crimson Towers

An ambitious project for the recovery of this singular architectural monument will be developed with the interdisciplinary participation of various experts, coordinated by the Alhambra Council.

Among the many planned actuations, one involves doing land surveys prior to initiating the operation, as well as the seasonable archaeological follow-ups

Villa of Peñapartida

This Villa, recently incorporated into the ensemble of the Monumental Complex, possesses paramount heritage value. Works of maintenance, especially on the gardens and water system, have been done here.

Simultaneously, annual land surveys have been developed to assess the archaeological potential of the site and thus to elaborate an integral recovery project whose execution will involve the corresponding archaeological follow-up. 

The Sun Hill

This wide peri-urban area of the Monuments Complex, with its more than three hundred thousand square metres, contains important hydraulic and urban planning documents, which are essential to fully understand the settlement evolution in the area.

Due to its large area and other problems, specific actuation programmes have not been possible up to now.

The archaeological actuations are essential as the current processes of material recording, crop planting, industrial start-ups, etc, will reveal important documents from our past.

The Canal of the Alhambra

The execution of the works for the repairing and paving of the Promenades of the Cypress Trees (Paseo de los Cipreses) and of the Walnut Trees (Paseo de los Nogales) in the Generalife also brings about the corresponding archaeological follow-up.

The actions have focused mainly on the damaged sector of the Royal Canal or Canal of the Sultan (Acequia Real or del Sultan), the complete documentation and topographic levelling of which has been done for the first time. The actuation has also acted on the materials and boundary structures of the medieval vegetable gardens, traversed by the boulevards. 

The Revellín of the Alcazaba

The Department of Conservation of the Council of the Alhambra has devised the progressive recovery of this important sector of the Alhambra.

Using the conventional maintenance works as a starting point, other restoration actuations and their corresponding archaeological follow-ups have been programmed.