Alhambra
AA-2026-D48380
On the image
Three young women pose in the bright Spanish sunshine, their casual attire and long hair making them perfectly at home in the 1970s. This was an era when travelling to see ancient monuments became a standard item on the global to-do list, requiring a photograph as definitive proof.
Behind them, a grand historic structure with its distinctive red-tiled roofs rises, backed by a fortified wall winding up the distant hillside. Tourists then, as now, believed that being photographed in front of something old and impressive would somehow transfer its gravitas to them.
They appear to have mastered the universal pose for travel photos: a polite half-smile that conveys both enjoyment of the moment and a subtle impatience with the photographer. This timeless ritual continues to assure future generations that, yes, they were indeed there.
The historian's note
The photograph depicts three young women in what appears to be the Generalife gardens of the Alhambra complex in Granada, Spain. In the background, the distinctive architecture of the Nasrid Palaces and the defensive walls of the Alhambra are visible, with the hills of the Sierra Nevada beyond.
The Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, served as a palace and fortress for the Nasrid emirs of Granada, the last Muslim dynasty in Spain. Its construction dates primarily to the 13th and 14th centuries, representing a peak of Islamic art and architecture in the Iberian Peninsula.
The 1970s saw a significant increase in international tourism, with destinations like the Alhambra becoming popular cultural landmarks for travellers, reflecting evolving patterns of leisure and global accessibility.
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Young Women at Alhambra, Granada, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-D48380. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/young-women-at-alhambra-granada-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026D48380,
title = {Young Women at Alhambra, Granada, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-D48380},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/young-women-at-alhambra-granada-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Young Women at Alhambra, Granada, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-D48380 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/young-women-at-alhambra-granada-1970s ER -
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