UpToWhereWhat can you see from Alhambra (Torre de la Vela)?
Granada's Moorish fortress: red towers overlooking Andalusian plains.
From Alhambra (Torre de la Vela), the terrain-limited line of sight reaches up to 69.1 km. The single farthest piece of visible terrain lies 69.1 km to the west (bearing 270°), at 1,000 m elevation. These results account for Earth's curvature and standard atmospheric refraction, computed from 30-meter resolution Copernicus GLO-30 elevation data across 2,029,307 terrain samples.
Open the interactive visibility map →Visibility by direction
The horizon is most open toward the west, where sightlines run 52.7 km on average; terrain closes the view down fastest to the east-northeast, at 0.5 km.
| N | 1.8 km | |
| NNE | 7.3 km | |
| NE | 2.7 km | |
| ENE | 0.5 km | |
| E | 0.6 km | |
| ESE | 18.3 km | |
| SE | 22.6 km | |
| SSE | 16.3 km | |
| S | 15.1 km | |
| SSW | 24.5 km | |
| SW | 37.5 km | |
| WSW | 46.6 km | |
| W | 52.7 km | |
| WNW | 36.0 km | |
| NW | 23.1 km | |
| NNW | 31.1 km |
Farthest named landmarks in view
4 named peaks, hills and headlands stand inside this viewshed. These are the farthest ones you could pick out on a clear day:
| Landmark | Visible distance | Direction | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra del Pedroso | 68.6 km | W · 270° | 1,016 m |
| Cerro de los Majanos | 43.1 km | SW · 225° | 1,747 m |
| Sierra Parapanda | 33.5 km | WNW · 296° | 1,608 m |
| Pico de Mulhacén | 28.0 km | ESE · 119° | 3,479 m |
About Alhambra (Torre de la Vela)
Torre de la Vela crowns the Alhambra, built 1238-1279 by Muhammad I as the fortress's first construction. This 28-meter-high watchtower features 5-meter-thick walls and the iconic bell (1773). In 1492, Catholic monarchs raised their standards from this tower, ending 800 years of Muslim Granada.
Did you know?
- Each year on 2 January, Granada's Día de la Toma, unmarried young women traditionally ring the tower's bell, believing it will help them find a husband within the year.
- The tower's bell also once coordinated irrigation timing for farmers on the plain below, its rings signalling when different fields could draw water.
- Current bell dates to 1773; moved and rebuilt in 1882.
- Each side measures 16 meters; massive square tower.
- Muhammad I chose this specific high point for the fortress's very first structure, before the rest of the Alhambra's palaces and gardens grew up around it over the following centuries.
Frequently asked questions
How far can you see from Alhambra (Torre de la Vela)?
On a clear day the terrain allows a line of sight of up to 69.1 km from Alhambra (Torre de la Vela). The average visible distance across all 360 directions is 21.0 km. Atmospheric conditions (haze, humidity) usually reduce practical visibility below the terrain-limited maximum.
What is the farthest point visible from Alhambra (Torre de la Vela)?
The farthest terrain visible from Alhambra (Torre de la Vela) lies 69.1 km to the west, at an elevation of 1,000 m. Earth's curvature and atmospheric refraction are accounted for in this calculation.
How high is Alhambra (Torre de la Vela)?
The observation point at Alhambra (Torre de la Vela) sits at 821 m above sea level (Copernicus GLO-30 elevation model).
How is this visibility map calculated?
UpToWhere traces lines of sight in 360 directions from the observer using 30 m-resolution Copernicus terrain data, correcting for Earth curvature and standard atmospheric refraction. You can run the same analysis for any point on Earth with the free calculator.
Run your own analysis
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