Tales of the Alhambra Pedro Alonso Pablos made an animated mini-series featuring some of the Tales of the Alhambra: "The Arab Astrologer", "The three beautiful princesses" and "The rose of the Alhambra". Tales of the Alhambra Tales of the Alhambra is a collection of essays, verbal sketches, and stories by Washington Irving. Shortly after completing a biography of Christopher Columbus in 1828, Washington Irving travelled from Madrid, where he had been staying, to Granada, Spain. At first sight, he described it as "a most picturesque and beautiful city, situated in one of the loveliest landscapes that I have ever seen." Irving was preparing a
Alhambra from the beginning of the 14th century but has been restored several times. The "Villa de los Martires" (Martyrs' Villa), on the summit of Monte Mauror, commemorates by its name the Christian slaves who were forced to build the Alhambra and confined here in subterranean cells. The "Torres Bermejas" (Vermilion Towers), also on Monte Mauror, are a well-preserved Moorish fortification, with underground cisterns, stables, and accommodation for a garrison of 200 men. Several Roman tombs were discovered in 1829 and 1857 at the base of Monte Mauror. Among the other features of the Alhambra are the "Sala de la Justicia"