Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

Built from 1328 by Alfonso XI of Castile on the foundations of an earlier Moorish palace, the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos blends Gothic fortress architecture with lingering Islamic spatial traditions. It served as the principal residence of the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand during the final push of the Reconquista — Columbus received his commission for the voyage to the Americas here in 1486, and the captured Nasrid ruler Boabdil was imprisoned within its towers after his defeat. Inside, the palace holds remarkably intact Arab baths, substantial Roman floor mosaics, and a 3rd-century marble sarcophagus, layering Roman, Moorish, and medieval Christian history under one roof. Three of the original four corner towers survive, with the Romanesque Torre de los Leones forming the oldest element and main entrance. The terraced gardens, with their long reflecting pools and tiered fountains, offer one of Andalusia's most evocative settings for an afternoon visit.