The justice gate Granada

Practical information

The justice gate is one of two entrances into the Alhambra.  People don't realise but you can see quite a lot of the Alhambra without a ticket.  Nobody will ask for  your identity as you pass through the gate.  This is where you can enter the grounds if you don't have a ticket.  Click here for advice if you have no ticket.    The other entrance is the main entrance. You would have to go to the main entrance if you have a more complex situation such as proving your identity if you need a discount for being a EU citizen over 65 years of age,  a youth card holder, a person with disabilities etc. 

The justice gate is easy to get to by bus or walking.  Click here for a full explanation of how to get here.

The only disadvantage of entering the Alhambra by the justice gate is that you miss the walkway from the main entrance. So you would miss the arab baths and the church. If you can, enter the Alhambra through the main entrance especially if you really don't want to miss anything but if you don't walk too well and you want to cut down on walking use the justice gate. 

Another thing to bear in mind is that there is a steep hill up to the Alhambra from Plaza Nueva which is in the centre of Granada. Puerta Real is 690 metres. The justice gate is 765 metres and the top main entrance is 780 metres.  A cardiologist friend of mine told me the every year 1 or 2 people have heart attacks walking up the Cuesta Gomerez on the way to the Alhambra so make sure you are resonably fit if you come up on foot.   

If you come by car and park in the Alhambra car park  you will go to the main entrance. 

Historical  information

The Gate of Justice in Granada is one of the most emblematic and monumentally impressive entrances to the Alhambra palace complex. It was built in 1348 during the reign of Sultan Yusuf I as part of the defensive walls of the Nasrid enclosure.

This entrance, also known in Arabic as Bab al-Sharia and in earlier times as the Gate of the Esplanade, is distinguished by its large and elegant horseshoe arch, which leads into an interior passage with defensive bends designed to protect those entering the palace-fortress.

A feature that particularly attracts visitors and photographers is the sculpture of a hand on the keystone of the outer arch and a key on the keystone of the inner arch. These symbols, of Islamic origin, represent spiritual concepts and power, and have inspired numerous legends associated with the gate—the most famous suggesting that the day the hand is able to grasp the key will mark the end of the world.

Beyond its architectural and defensive function, the Gate of Justice holds deep symbolic meaning: for centuries it was the main entrance to the Alhambra complex and represents the authority and justice of Nasrid rule. After the Christian conquest of 1492, the gate also witnessed key historical moments and served as the setting for celebrations, including the first Mass held inside it following the Reconquista.