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Alhambra, Granada · History

The Alhambra, saved by an American writer

Soldiers wired the Alhambra to blow it up. A writer from New York helped bring the world back to it.

Partly true

The core is right; the popular version adds to it.

Published · checked against 10 sources
Part one · in the video's infinite zoom style

The legend says

Soldiers wired this palace to blow it up. A writer from New York helped bring the world back to it.

This is the Alhambra. In eighteen twelve, the French army was pulling out.

On the way out, they set charges all around the walls. Tower after tower went up.

Then a Spanish soldier stopped the rest. The palace was still standing.

Years later, it lay in ruins. Squatters and beggars lived in its halls, lighting fires indoors.

Then an American writer moved in. Washington Irving.

His Tales of the Alhambra sent readers across the world looking for it.

This is the story as it is told. We tell it as a story. Below is what the record holds.

But
Part two

The record shows

8 facts, each checked against a source we opened. Tap a source to read the line that carries it.

  1. 01

    In 1812, retreating French (Napoleonic) troops set explosive charges around the Alhambra and blew up eight of its towers

    1en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"
    They successfully blew up eight towers before the remaining fuses were disabled
    2Google Arts & Culture
    During their retreat, they set explosive charges around the complex. Eight towers were destroyed…
    3Legado Andalusí
    eight towers of the ensemble were blown up
  2. 02

    The rest of the charges were stopped, credited to a Spanish soldier (José García)

    3Legado Andalusí
    Thanks to … José García … this barbaric act was brought to a stop
    2Google Arts & Culture
    the Spanish defused the remaining bombs
    1en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"
    the remaining fuses were disabled by Spanish soldier José Garcia
  3. 03

    In the years after, the palace was neglected, in ruins, and lived in by squatters and beggars who lit fires indoors

    1en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"
    occupied by squatters
    3Legado Andalusí
    Gypsies took over the Moorish houses and made bonfires indoors
    3Legado Andalusí
    beggars and disabled people who took advantage of the empty spaces
    4andalucia.com
    in an abandoned state
  4. 04

    The American writer Washington Irving, born in Manhattan, moved into the Alhambra in 1829 and lived there for about three months

    5en.wikipedia, "Washington Irving"
    born and raised in Manhattan
    6en.wikipedia, "Tales of the Alhambra"
    lived in an apartment there for about three months
    4andalucia.com
    took up residence in the Alhambra palace
    3Legado Andalusí
    One fine day in 1829, the American writer Washington Irving arrived at the Alhambra
  5. 05

    He wrote Tales of the Alhambra there; a plaque in his rooms says so

    7en.wikipedia, "Tales of the Alhambra" (the plaque)
    Washington Irving wrote his Tales of Alhambra in these rooms in 1829
  6. 06

    Tales of the Alhambra (1832) was a best seller and drew readers and travellers from abroad to the palace

    1en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"
    brought international attention to the site
    6en.wikipedia, "Tales of the Alhambra"
    instrumental in reintroducing the Alhambra to Western audiences
    4andalucia.com
    A best seller of its day
    3Legado Andalusí
    Irving's tales brought a great variety of foreigners who visited the Alhambra
  7. 07

    His writing on the palace's state embarrassed the authorities

    8Legado Andalusí, quoting Álvarez Lopera
    His writings on the state of the Alhambra caused such an embarrassment
  8. 08

    Today the Alhambra draws millions of visitors a year, Andalusia's most visited monument

    9El Debate, 2026-01-14
    El conjunto monumental de la Alhambra encabeza la lista de los monumentos más visitados con 2.726.871 visitantes
    10El Debate, 2025-07-23
    la Alhambra y el Generalife son el conjunto monumental más visitado de Andalucía
    1en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"
    The Alhambra is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain.

Timeline

On recordTradition only
  1. 1812The French retreatRetreating French troops set charges around the walls and blow up eight towers; the rest of the charges are stopped.
  2. 1829Washington Irving moves inThe American writer lives in the palace for about three months and writes Tales of the Alhambra in its rooms.
  3. 1832Tales of the AlhambraThe book comes out, a best seller of its day, and draws readers and travellers from abroad.
  4. 2025Millions of visitors2,726,871 visitors, the most visited monument in Andalusia.

Left out on purpose

What we chose not to say in the video, and why. If a comment says "you forgot…", the answer is probably here.

"Irving saved the Alhambra" as a plain claim

Restoration work had already started in 1828 under José Contreras (en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"), so the video says he helped bring the world back and that the palace was saved in part by a story, never that the book alone saved it.

"A soldier cut the fuse"

Only one weak source (Komoot) says he cut a fuse. The video says a Spanish soldier stopped the rest, which two sources support, and leaves his name out.

"Eight towers", "three months", the 1832 date and the 2.7 million figure

They would blow the two-number budget. Numbers in the whole video: "1812" and "millions".

Irving's portrait

No real faces. His beat is an empty candlelit room with a desk and a blank book.

Napoleon by name

"The French army" keeps the line to one name.

From DornyxDornyx Stories Interactive history you can live through. Barcelona and beyond.Explore Dornyx Stories →
Read the video's transcript

Leo Soldiers wired this palace to blow it up. A writer from New York helped bring the world back to it.

Sara This is the Alhambra. In eighteen twelve, the French army was pulling out.

Leo On the way out, they set charges all around the walls. Tower after tower went up.

Sara Then a Spanish soldier stopped the rest. The palace was still standing.

Leo Years later, it lay in ruins. Squatters and beggars lived in its halls, lighting fires indoors.

Sara Then an American writer moved in. Washington Irving.

Leo His Tales of the Alhambra sent readers across the world looking for it.

Sara Today, millions come every year, walking the halls they almost blew up.

Leo A palace wired to blow. Saved, in part, by a story.

Sara Stories first, facts follow. Follow Dornix.

Sources

  1. en.wikipedia, "Alhambra"
  2. Google Arts & Culture
  3. Legado Andalusí
  4. andalucia.com
  5. en.wikipedia, "Washington Irving"
  6. en.wikipedia, "Tales of the Alhambra"
  7. en.wikipedia, "Tales of the Alhambra" (the plaque)
  8. Legado Andalusí, quoting Álvarez Lopera
  9. El Debate, 2026-01-14
  10. El Debate, 2025-07-23

Found a mistake? Send us your source. If it holds, we correct this page and note the change here.