There are cities in the world that seem to have a touch more than others. It seems that some of them have a kind of magic, which captures the attention of numerous artists. Granada is undoubtedly among these enchanted cities. In fact, it has received countless positive dedications from writers of the past. Granada has been the muse of different artists and personalities over the centuries. Many of them have chosen it as their residence for long periods. It has been a constant inspiration for poets, writers, painters, filmmakers, musicians… Many are the phrases that have been uttered under the spell of the city of the Alhambra. Let us review some of these dedications and observe the enchantment that Granada can arouse in the souls of artists.
Francisco de Icaza
‘Give him alms, woman, there is nothing in life like the pain of being blind in Granada’.
The Mexican poet and historian Francisco de Icaza, living in Spain, exclaimed this phrase in honour of Granada. Apparently, an old blind man was wandering around Granada asking for money. The Mexican poet, who was enjoying his honeymoon with his wife from Granada, Beatriz de León, said this phrase because of the beauty of Granada and his sentimental companion.
Federico García Lorca
‘Granada is defenceless before people; because in the face of adulation nothing and no one has any way of defending themselves’.
‘For the water of Granada, only sighs row’.
‘Granada is fit for dreams and reveries, everywhere it borders on the ineffable…. Granada will always be more plastic than philosophical, more lyrical than dramatic’.
Federico García Lorca was Spain’s most famous poet, playwright and writer. A member of the Generation of ’27, he brought the beauty of Granada to the entire globe. Many people visit Granada or even settle here because they are attracted by Lorca’s works.
Lope de Vega
‘I don’t know if I call this land I walk on paradise, if this down here is paradise, what will be the Alhambra, paradise?’.
Lope de Vega was one of the most celebrated poets and playwrights of Spain’s Golden Age. His works are still widely read and performed today. In important works such as La dama boba or El perro del hortelano one can find dedications to Granada and its enchantment.
Antonio Machado
‘All cities have their charms. Granada has its own and everyone else’s’.
Antonio Machado was a Spanish poet of the Generation of ’98 wrote this thought, which seems to have been shared by many other writers and artists. It concentrates very well and in a few words all the beauty of the city, which is so much.
Juan Ramón Jiménez
‘Then we will go to Granada every autumn to die a little…’.
Juan Ramón Jiménez was a poet from Moguer who visited Granada in the summer of 1924. He was there with his wife Zenobia to visit his friend Federico (García Lorca). He was struck by the beauty of the city of Granada. Jiménez also wrote a letter to Federico’s sister, Isabel García Lorca, in which the quotation we have quoted was included. He also wrote a poem dedicated to the Generalife.
Miguel de Unamuno
‘Tears came to my eyes, and they were not tears of pain or joy, they were tears of the fullness of silent and hidden life to be in Granada’.
Miguel de Unamuno was a Spanish writer and philosopher, a close friend of Granada writer and diplomat Ángel Ganivet, both members of the Generation of ’98. When he visited Granada in 1903, he recorded this trip in his book Andaza y visiones españolas. The quote was uttered while he was walking in the Albayzín neighbourhood.
Ernest Hemingway
‘If we had to visit only one city in Spain, it would be Granada’.
We also quote here the words of one of the best American writers and novelists, who although not a native Spanish speaker, had a real adoration for our country. Spain inspired him greatly during his many stays in Spain. Although he travelled all over the country, the phrase indicates that the city of the Alhambra had a great impact on him.