1115 Renovated Morisco Town House, Albayzin

This unique property has been renovated to the highest standard. All four bedrooms have en suite bathrooms, the property is spacious and tastefully decorated. 

After an extensive archaeological excavation, the house was dated back to 1520. Wherever possible, original elements have been preserved. The University of Granada praised the restoration for providing a comfortable modern home-whilst sympathetically conserving the original Morisco features. Some of the outstanding features of this Morisco house are its stunning patio, covered south-facing wooden balcony and gorgeous wooden celings. Houses in the 16th century were built to ensure maximum privacy for the occupants and glass was prohibitively expensive. There were few if any windows and life therefore centred around the very private patio. The upper floor was reserved for women, with rooms open to the covered balcony. In the summer months this balcony would have been a vital protection against the sun whilst allowing for any breezes. The house in its current state reflects these important features.

Entrance to the property is through an antique wooden door, which leads to a spacious entrance hall. To your right is a large dining room, which seats up to 15 people. To the end of the dining area is a fully fitted kitchen, and pantry and a door leading to the patio and WC. To the left of the entrance hall is a living room. All rooms on the lower floor have access to the lovely patio. In the dining room, the original foundations of the house have been excavated and put on display with lighting and a protective glass plate.

Upstairs, off the beautiful, original, wooden balcony, there are three double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. The balcony enjoys lots of sunshine and beautiful views of the Albayzin, the Sierra and the Alhambra in the distance. An original wall painting, discovered during the excavation, has been preserved and is on display on the balcony.

On the top floor, there is a fourth double bedroom with an en suite bathroom. This would also make a fantastic study and has spectacular views.

Services

Broadband internet is available. All mains services are connected.

Location

This property has car access and is located just a few minutes' walk from the centre of the Albayzin. Close to all amenities.

If you don’t yet know this wonderful, historic neighbourhood of Granada well, why not take a look at our exposure guide on the Albayzin in the Area Guide section above (next to Overview).

A narrative on this adored, Morisco house and its extensive history:

''Before being bought by the present owner, the house was home to four children, two dogs, a hamster in a cage, and some cats who seemed to live on the roof. And of course, two parents.

The house was spacious and the family were happy there, although the house had its drawbacks. For instance, the staircase from the ground to the first floor was outside and was reached only by crossing the patio which in rain or snow could be uncomfortable although as one of the children said, ''We run fast''. And also when it rained hard there was nothing to stop the water running down the steps in the patio and into the house (brooms and waterproof boots were kept ready).

Eventually the children grew up and the house had to be sold and after this length of time it was in need of repairs. It had been rescued from dereliction in 1976 when some really basic repairs and upgrades were carried out, such as the installation of bathrooms, but this was a time of scarcity of building materials so by 2008 the house was really in need of a complete overhaul.

The Ayuntamiento had regulations that required an archeological investigation for this age of building - nearly 500 years old - before giving permission for any work to be done. The small amount required revealed nothing and so the decision was taken to continue excavating to the original floor level, resulting in the discovery of the indoor staircase from the Morisco era, amongst other finds.

Having taken the house to pieces the architect and owner took the decision to try to rebuild the house to last another 500 years. And this took a lot of money, more than you would pay for a modern building indeed, and is the reason why the house is on the market at less than it cost.

It is not a grand house - no acres of marble, but comfortable and practical - and quirky.

The patio, always a feature of Morisco houses, is one of the attractions and invites visitors almost automatically.''