"The walk through the neighborhood to this impressive 11th century gate was worth it. We came across multiple views across the city, and winding stairs and passages. We were the only people who walked up to the door when we went. It’s beautiful and a testament to the history of the area"

Mark

"Quite awalk, leads to the local markets"

reflectandconnectlives

"The Monaita gate is located on the Cuesta de la Lona. It was part of the defensive system of the Cadima Alcazaba, and was built in the 11th century, on the canvas of the Zirid wall.

Islamic Granada was defended by a wall that completely surrounded it, isolating it from the outside and making access for enemies almost impossible. It could only be entered through a series of strategically placed doors. Today there are few remains of the walls and gates.

The Monaita Gate is one of the oldest entrances to the city. From here the wall continued without interruption, parallel to the Cuesta de la Alhacaba, reaching the nearby Puerta de Elvira. There are still vestiges of the walls of that section.

The Monaita Gate, whose original name is Bab al-Unaydar, which can be translated as Erilla Gate, had several names throughout history. In ancient texts the names of Bib el Bonaita, Puerta de San Jerónimo, Puerta de “la banderola”, and Puerta de la Cuesta are assigned to this door.

The Monaita Gate is made of stone ashlars at the base, from Roman elements, and sandstone slabs brought from Malahá, at the top. It preserves its entire exterior layout, but not the interior, which would be arranged in the shape of a bend, very similar to the Puerta de Elvira, or the Arco de las Pesas.

The Monaita Gate is part of a fortified structure, more than 8 meters high, which has access through two slightly pointed horseshoe arches joined by a half-barrel vault.

The arches have a recessed alfiz and a brick lintel at the top. This type of arches is very similar to those found in the minaret of the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

Between the two arches the doors rotated, which gave way to an intermediate courtyard, square in shape measuring 6 meters on a side. From the patio the Alcazaba was accessed through another door that has now disappeared.

The Monaita Gate was defended by a barbican and a large rectangular tower 17 meters high and 14 meters wide, made of masonry, which overlooked the patio. On the East and South facades there are rooms, which, like a sentry box, served to shelter the soldiers who were on guard.

Access through zigzagging ramps and its high crenellated wall made it practically impregnable, with the assault being even easier from the walls than from the gate itself. Like the other gates of Granada, this one in Monaita was probably also closed at night for security reasons, leaving the city cut off from the outside and more protected.

It is curious how many centuries before the Arabs built the Monaita Gate, in this enclave, around the year 670 BC. There was another access point to a primitive Iberian citadel, which was surrounded by a narrow and precarious wall 1 meter wide, built with river balls bound with earth and renewed with red clay. A small door at this point gave access to a semicircular square, which was used at night to stable the cattle. The square was delimited by several houses."

Set Contreras