1 00:00:01,068 --> 00:00:03,337 NARRATOR: In the sun-baked South of Spain, 2 00:00:03,337 --> 00:00:06,306 between Europe's only desert 3 00:00:06,306 --> 00:00:10,777 and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains... 4 00:00:10,777 --> 00:00:14,081 ...lies a man-made Garden of Eden, 5 00:00:14,081 --> 00:00:19,419 a spectacular palace perched above an emerald forest. 6 00:00:21,722 --> 00:00:26,326 This is a castle not just of gold and marble... 7 00:00:26,326 --> 00:00:30,397 ...but of life and water. 8 00:00:30,397 --> 00:00:33,100 A temple to nature's beauty, 9 00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:36,737 and a place where animals find refuge... 10 00:00:37,704 --> 00:00:40,207 ...and fight for survival. 11 00:00:42,576 --> 00:00:46,647 Here, water pulses like blood in the veins, 12 00:00:46,647 --> 00:00:51,718 and the stone walls project permanence and power. 13 00:00:53,353 --> 00:00:58,258 This is a fortress filled with knowledge and art, 14 00:00:58,258 --> 00:01:04,665 a place where human history and the natural world meld into one. 15 00:01:04,665 --> 00:01:08,101 This is the Alhambra. 16 00:01:18,412 --> 00:01:23,684 The castle of Alhambra rises above the plains of Andalucía 17 00:01:23,684 --> 00:01:26,219 on the Iberian Peninsula, 18 00:01:26,219 --> 00:01:30,824 a luxurious haven that has endured for centuries. 19 00:01:30,824 --> 00:01:33,226 They call it "The Red One", 20 00:01:33,226 --> 00:01:37,130 its walls hewn from the red clay on which it sits. 21 00:01:40,267 --> 00:01:43,170 The Moors - Muslims from North Africa - 22 00:01:43,170 --> 00:01:48,175 built this magnificent hilltop fortress in the 13th Century... 23 00:01:49,543 --> 00:01:53,580 ...after conquering the region in 711 AD. 24 00:01:53,580 --> 00:01:57,651 It was a beacon of strength and power, 25 00:01:57,651 --> 00:02:02,222 a fertile jewel in an otherwise barren expanse. 26 00:02:03,623 --> 00:02:08,795 This is an arid and dramatic landscape... 27 00:02:08,795 --> 00:02:12,999 ...wedged between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. 28 00:02:14,768 --> 00:02:16,803 Water is precious here, 29 00:02:16,803 --> 00:02:19,573 and when the Moors built Alhambra, 30 00:02:19,573 --> 00:02:21,775 they celebrated it. 31 00:02:23,777 --> 00:02:26,646 They brought to life descriptions of Eden 32 00:02:26,646 --> 00:02:28,148 from the Quran, 33 00:02:28,148 --> 00:02:32,285 creating a lush and fertile paradise. 34 00:02:32,285 --> 00:02:36,623 Rich garden ponds and fountains transform the hilltop palace 35 00:02:36,623 --> 00:02:39,192 into a life-giving retreat. 36 00:02:44,297 --> 00:02:48,769 The wildlife of the region has taken full advantage. 37 00:02:50,804 --> 00:02:55,342 The Iberian Bluetail dragonfly is queen of these ponds. 38 00:02:57,744 --> 00:03:00,080 With her multifaceted eyes, 39 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,483 she can perceive even the slightest movements. 40 00:03:03,483 --> 00:03:04,384 (Sound of running water) 41 00:03:04,384 --> 00:03:08,288 She sees the world in vivid slow motion. 42 00:03:08,288 --> 00:03:11,658 The action around her appears three times slower 43 00:03:11,658 --> 00:03:13,727 than it actually is. 44 00:03:15,762 --> 00:03:19,266 Her two sets of wings operate independently, 45 00:03:19,266 --> 00:03:22,269 allowing her to maneuver effortlessly. 46 00:03:27,140 --> 00:03:31,478 A single dragonfly can devour hundreds of insects a day, 47 00:03:31,478 --> 00:03:35,015 making her a welcome resident of the castle. 48 00:03:40,353 --> 00:03:41,855 She's not alone. 49 00:03:41,855 --> 00:03:45,692 Dozens of other species of dragonfly and damselfly 50 00:03:45,692 --> 00:03:49,329 call the lush castle grounds home. 51 00:03:49,329 --> 00:03:52,432 They're prolific breeders, 52 00:03:52,432 --> 00:03:56,303 though their anatomy makes for an unusual mating ritual. 53 00:03:58,605 --> 00:04:01,541 First, the male on top uses an appendage 54 00:04:01,541 --> 00:04:06,046 at the end of his abdomen to grasp the female by the neck. 55 00:04:09,483 --> 00:04:15,288 Then she curls her abdomen under him to align their sex organs. 56 00:04:15,288 --> 00:04:18,258 Hers are at the tip of her abdomen. 57 00:04:18,258 --> 00:04:21,528 His are closer to the base of his body. 58 00:04:21,528 --> 00:04:25,499 The result is an awkward heart-shaped mating wheel 59 00:04:25,499 --> 00:04:28,468 that is unique in the animal kingdom. 60 00:04:29,302 --> 00:04:33,340 (Dragonflies buzz) 61 00:04:34,474 --> 00:04:36,409 NARRATOR: After mating is complete, 62 00:04:36,409 --> 00:04:39,079 the female deposits her eggs in the water 63 00:04:39,079 --> 00:04:42,249 while the male maintains his grip on her neck, 64 00:04:42,249 --> 00:04:44,751 just to make sure no other male sneaks in 65 00:04:44,751 --> 00:04:47,320 to mate with her after him. 66 00:04:48,455 --> 00:04:54,561 (Toads croak) 67 00:04:54,561 --> 00:04:59,099 NARRATOR: A nearby toad has his own amorous intentions. 68 00:05:01,301 --> 00:05:06,139 He drapes himself on the back of a much larger female. 69 00:05:06,139 --> 00:05:10,243 then hangs on for dear life. 70 00:05:10,243 --> 00:05:13,747 Where the damselflies rely on finesse and contortion, 71 00:05:13,747 --> 00:05:18,151 the toads opt for bear hugs and spooning. 72 00:05:18,151 --> 00:05:20,787 The maneuvering is less graceful, 73 00:05:20,787 --> 00:05:23,323 but the result is the same. 74 00:05:24,357 --> 00:05:30,730 (♪♪♪) 75 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,302 NARRATOR: When the mating's done, 76 00:05:35,302 --> 00:05:37,370 the fertilized eggs are deposited 77 00:05:37,370 --> 00:05:42,175 into the Alhambra ponds like silky strings of dark pearls. 78 00:05:43,777 --> 00:05:45,478 Over the next few weeks, 79 00:05:45,478 --> 00:05:49,249 the eggs divide and slowly transform. 80 00:05:56,489 --> 00:06:00,794 Alhambra too has transformed over the centuries... 81 00:06:00,794 --> 00:06:02,696 ...from a small Muslim stronghold 82 00:06:02,696 --> 00:06:05,765 built on Roman ruins in the 8th century 83 00:06:05,765 --> 00:06:08,468 to an imposing and beautiful fortress 84 00:06:08,468 --> 00:06:12,539 that provided protection for humans and animals alike. 85 00:06:15,709 --> 00:06:20,747 Moorish poets described it as "a pearl set in emeralds." 86 00:06:25,452 --> 00:06:29,489 In the sheltered castle ponds, the dividing toad pearls 87 00:06:29,489 --> 00:06:33,760 eventually become clusters of sluggish proto-tadpoles. 88 00:06:41,434 --> 00:06:43,303 Still unable to swim, 89 00:06:43,303 --> 00:06:47,540 they hide under vegetation near the surface as they grow. 90 00:06:53,446 --> 00:06:55,382 The ponds are a perfect nursery, 91 00:06:55,382 --> 00:07:00,020 and they develop quickly into plump, mobile tadpoles. 92 00:07:03,189 --> 00:07:06,159 The dragonfly eggs are hatching as well, 93 00:07:06,159 --> 00:07:10,030 and the sinister-looking larvae are eager for action. 94 00:07:12,465 --> 00:07:15,368 Known as nymphs, they lack wings, 95 00:07:15,368 --> 00:07:18,738 and breathe by pumping water in and out of their abdomen 96 00:07:18,738 --> 00:07:22,309 and over their internal gills. 97 00:07:22,309 --> 00:07:26,212 The resulting water jets also work like an afterburner, 98 00:07:26,212 --> 00:07:28,515 for quick acceleration. 99 00:07:30,216 --> 00:07:32,786 The nymph initially sits motionless 100 00:07:32,786 --> 00:07:35,322 as a tadpole wanders by. 101 00:07:35,322 --> 00:07:38,425 But he won't let the potential meal get away. 102 00:07:42,062 --> 00:07:44,431 Like a leopard, he stalks, 103 00:07:44,431 --> 00:07:47,100 blending into his surroundings. 104 00:07:52,706 --> 00:07:56,343 His kill shot is quick and lethal, 105 00:07:56,343 --> 00:08:00,380 a flick of his powerful, extendable lower jaw. 106 00:08:02,148 --> 00:08:04,718 Caught in the nymph's vice-like grip, 107 00:08:04,718 --> 00:08:08,955 the tadpole is helpless as it's eaten alive. 108 00:08:11,691 --> 00:08:14,127 These seemingly tranquil waters 109 00:08:14,127 --> 00:08:17,030 belie the battles that go on within them, 110 00:08:17,030 --> 00:08:22,469 and the constant struggle for dominance among predators. 111 00:08:22,469 --> 00:08:27,374 It doesn't take long for hunter to become hunted. 112 00:08:27,374 --> 00:08:29,175 Observing the hungry nymph 113 00:08:29,175 --> 00:08:32,312 is an even stranger and more deadly creature: 114 00:08:32,312 --> 00:08:34,047 a water stick, 115 00:08:34,047 --> 00:08:38,752 which hides in plain sight by masquerading as a twig. 116 00:08:45,525 --> 00:08:48,261 The water stick is an air breather 117 00:08:48,261 --> 00:08:49,763 that uses a long tube 118 00:08:49,763 --> 00:08:53,433 that extends up from its abdomen like a snorkel. 119 00:08:56,469 --> 00:09:01,241 It watches quietly as the nymph polishes off the tadpole. 120 00:09:01,241 --> 00:09:03,243 Then, belly full, 121 00:09:03,243 --> 00:09:07,013 it heads straight into the water stick's target zone. 122 00:09:09,349 --> 00:09:13,453 With a reflexive snap of its spring-loaded front legs, 123 00:09:13,453 --> 00:09:17,223 recent diner becomes reluctant dinner. 124 00:09:22,328 --> 00:09:25,131 The water stick stabs the nymph with its beak, 125 00:09:25,131 --> 00:09:29,569 injecting toxic saliva that liquefies its insides. 126 00:09:34,674 --> 00:09:39,345 Such is the natural pecking order of predator and prey. 127 00:09:45,118 --> 00:09:47,353 That same power hierarchy existed 128 00:09:47,353 --> 00:09:51,090 with the human inhabitants of the castle as well. 129 00:09:51,090 --> 00:09:54,194 In its prime, the fortress housed soldiers 130 00:09:54,194 --> 00:09:57,297 and court officials. 131 00:09:57,297 --> 00:09:59,666 But the most spectacular structures 132 00:09:59,666 --> 00:10:03,603 were reserved for the rulers and their families. 133 00:10:04,571 --> 00:10:11,177 (♪♪♪) 134 00:10:20,220 --> 00:10:23,189 NARRATOR: These stunning masterpieces were commissioned 135 00:10:23,189 --> 00:10:26,693 in the mid-13th century by the Moorish ruler, 136 00:10:26,693 --> 00:10:29,729 Mohammed ibn Al-Ahmar. 137 00:10:31,464 --> 00:10:34,701 Prohibited by Muslim law from creating images of Allah, 138 00:10:34,701 --> 00:10:38,771 he instead embraced repeating geometric patterns 139 00:10:38,771 --> 00:10:41,140 and decorative calligraphy. 140 00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:49,482 It was Moorish Arabesque design at its zenith. 141 00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:57,156 Nature was ever-present and embraced. 142 00:10:57,156 --> 00:11:01,394 Alhambra's architects took inspiration from the Quran. 143 00:11:01,394 --> 00:11:03,496 It depicts the Garden of Eden 144 00:11:03,496 --> 00:11:07,200 as a peaceful place for humans and animals. 145 00:11:09,402 --> 00:11:11,337 (Insect buzzes) 146 00:11:11,337 --> 00:11:14,541 NARRATOR: The Moors wanted Alhambra to be that Eden, 147 00:11:14,541 --> 00:11:18,478 symbolically, but in real life, as well. 148 00:11:18,478 --> 00:11:21,381 (Birds sing, insects buzz) 149 00:11:21,381 --> 00:11:24,317 NARRATOR: The gardens were lush and peaceful. 150 00:11:24,317 --> 00:11:26,286 Central to their design 151 00:11:26,286 --> 00:11:29,322 were representations of Eden's four rivers, 152 00:11:29,322 --> 00:11:31,591 as described in the Quran. 153 00:11:33,293 --> 00:11:36,496 (Birds sing) 154 00:11:36,496 --> 00:11:41,167 NARRATOR: Here they're man-made, but tranquil nonetheless. 155 00:11:44,337 --> 00:11:47,473 Alhambra sits on the mountain called Sabika, 156 00:11:47,473 --> 00:11:50,610 which rises above the city of Granada. 157 00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:55,281 From here, the Moors ruled over their Iberian Kingdom. 158 00:11:55,281 --> 00:11:58,451 The shaded galleries and watered gardens of the castle 159 00:11:58,451 --> 00:12:02,455 provided respite from the stifling Andalusian heat. 160 00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:06,693 Residents outside the walls 161 00:12:06,693 --> 00:12:09,696 must find other ways to stay cool. 162 00:12:24,143 --> 00:12:26,846 A female scorpion shelters underground 163 00:12:26,846 --> 00:12:29,115 in the heat of the day. 164 00:12:32,151 --> 00:12:34,587 She normally hunts in the cool of the night, 165 00:12:34,587 --> 00:12:37,523 but at the moment, she's got other concerns. 166 00:12:37,523 --> 00:12:40,460 Scorpions give birth to live young, 167 00:12:40,460 --> 00:12:42,562 and her hundred or so babies 168 00:12:42,562 --> 00:12:45,365 climb onto her back for safekeeping. 169 00:12:54,374 --> 00:12:57,377 She'll protect them there for 10 to 20 days, 170 00:12:57,377 --> 00:13:00,213 until their exoskeletons harden. 171 00:13:00,213 --> 00:13:04,751 Unless times are tough, in which case, she'll eat them. 172 00:13:11,424 --> 00:13:13,226 Another of the desert locals 173 00:13:13,226 --> 00:13:16,729 is the deceptive Iberian worm lizard. 174 00:13:16,729 --> 00:13:20,600 It looks like a worm with its blunt head and ringed body, 175 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,568 but it's actually a reptile, 176 00:13:22,568 --> 00:13:27,140 a lizard with eyes, lungs, a spinal cord, 177 00:13:27,140 --> 00:13:31,444 and a set of tiny sharp teeth, but no legs. 178 00:13:36,716 --> 00:13:40,386 It eats insects and larvae, but out here 179 00:13:40,386 --> 00:13:43,356 it has its own predators to be wary of. 180 00:13:48,661 --> 00:13:50,763 The false smooth snake is a small, 181 00:13:50,763 --> 00:13:53,433 venomous lizard-hunter. 182 00:13:53,433 --> 00:13:55,835 It uses its keen sense of smell 183 00:13:55,835 --> 00:13:58,771 to locate prey in the craggy rocks. 184 00:14:12,752 --> 00:14:15,455 The snake usually stays above ground, 185 00:14:15,455 --> 00:14:18,524 but it's caught wind of the worm lizard. 186 00:14:23,229 --> 00:14:26,099 The lizard retreats into its narrow tunnel, 187 00:14:26,099 --> 00:14:29,302 using chemical markers to find its way around. 188 00:14:34,373 --> 00:14:39,579 (♪♪♪) 189 00:14:41,748 --> 00:14:44,317 NARRATOR: Deeper they go. 190 00:14:44,317 --> 00:14:47,520 But the snake is perhaps a little too well-fed, 191 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,189 and his girth stops him up. 192 00:14:55,461 --> 00:14:58,731 It's a narrow escape for the lucky lizard. 193 00:15:00,233 --> 00:15:02,034 Outmaneuvered underground, 194 00:15:02,034 --> 00:15:05,204 the snake regroups in the warm sun... 195 00:15:11,477 --> 00:15:14,714 ...waiting for easier prey to wander by. 196 00:15:17,049 --> 00:15:20,286 The serpent blends into the terrain... 197 00:15:21,587 --> 00:15:24,624 ...just like Alhambra blends into the rock 198 00:15:24,624 --> 00:15:27,794 that forms its foundation. 199 00:15:27,794 --> 00:15:30,463 The red bricks in the unadorned walls 200 00:15:30,463 --> 00:15:33,299 were made from the iron-rich earth... 201 00:15:38,638 --> 00:15:41,107 ...and the castle perches on Sabika 202 00:15:41,107 --> 00:15:43,576 as if it was carved from the mountain itself. 203 00:15:43,576 --> 00:15:48,614 (♪♪♪) 204 00:15:48,614 --> 00:15:53,252 It's one of the ways the Moors embraced the nature around them. 205 00:15:53,252 --> 00:15:56,756 That commitment carries through to the inside as well. 206 00:15:58,591 --> 00:16:00,593 The buildings of Alhambra showcase 207 00:16:00,593 --> 00:16:02,795 exquisitely-detailed artwork 208 00:16:02,795 --> 00:16:05,598 that is grounded in symmetry and mathematics, 209 00:16:05,598 --> 00:16:08,434 yet seems uncannily organic. 210 00:16:10,203 --> 00:16:12,438 A poem on the walls describes: 211 00:16:12,438 --> 00:16:15,541 "A palace of grandest beauty and perfection... 212 00:16:18,678 --> 00:16:22,315 ...with embroideries similar to the flowers of the garden." 213 00:16:25,318 --> 00:16:28,654 The designs were not intended to be ultra-realistic, 214 00:16:28,654 --> 00:16:31,624 but the Moors intentionally pulled from the patterns, 215 00:16:31,624 --> 00:16:34,493 the shapes, the color pallets, 216 00:16:34,493 --> 00:16:38,464 and even the textures of the natural world. 217 00:16:38,464 --> 00:16:42,468 The flora and fauna helped breathe life into the castle, 218 00:16:42,468 --> 00:16:46,572 connecting nature and man-made, inside and out. 219 00:16:50,543 --> 00:16:55,081 (Bird sings) 220 00:17:09,228 --> 00:17:10,730 NARRATOR: In the gardens, 221 00:17:10,730 --> 00:17:14,200 the tadpoles have transformed into tiny toads, 222 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,037 and are preparing to leave the ponds in search of food. 223 00:17:19,338 --> 00:17:25,711 (♪♪♪) 224 00:17:28,281 --> 00:17:31,217 NARRATOR: But the pond walls are as steep and forbidding 225 00:17:31,217 --> 00:17:35,187 as those of the red cliffs on which the castle sits. 226 00:17:36,622 --> 00:17:43,162 (♪♪♪) 227 00:17:48,501 --> 00:17:51,304 NARRATOR: Persistence eventually pays off. 228 00:17:51,304 --> 00:17:54,540 The toads will spend the rest of their lives on land. 229 00:17:54,540 --> 00:17:56,142 Many stay in the gardens. 230 00:17:56,142 --> 00:17:57,743 Others escape the castle 231 00:17:57,743 --> 00:18:00,046 through tiny gaps in the walls. 232 00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:06,352 (Insects chirp) 233 00:18:06,352 --> 00:18:10,189 (Sound of running water) 234 00:18:16,228 --> 00:18:18,364 NARRATOR: A dragonfly nymph is undergoing 235 00:18:18,364 --> 00:18:22,201 an even greater transformation than the toads. 236 00:18:22,201 --> 00:18:24,770 Attached to a reed above the water, 237 00:18:24,770 --> 00:18:29,241 it starts breathing air and pumping its body up. 238 00:18:30,676 --> 00:18:34,413 The nymph's exoskeleton has provided sturdy armor, 239 00:18:34,413 --> 00:18:38,117 but is now a straightjacket that must be shed. 240 00:18:40,786 --> 00:18:47,393 Slowly, the adult dragonfly emerges, soft and fragile. 241 00:18:52,798 --> 00:18:58,537 Its wings begin to unfurl as it pumps fluid into tiny vessels. 242 00:19:06,012 --> 00:19:08,547 The abdomen elongates. 243 00:19:08,547 --> 00:19:12,518 If any of these steps are interrupted mid-molt, 244 00:19:12,518 --> 00:19:15,521 the dragonfly will die. 245 00:19:17,289 --> 00:19:23,596 (♪♪♪) 246 00:19:27,199 --> 00:19:32,705 NARRATOR: Finally, after about 3 hours, it's done. 247 00:19:32,705 --> 00:19:35,341 The dragonfly leaves the tiny husk 248 00:19:35,341 --> 00:19:40,546 of its former self behind and spreads its wings. 249 00:19:40,546 --> 00:19:43,215 The adult will only live for a few weeks, 250 00:19:43,215 --> 00:19:45,051 enough time to breed, 251 00:19:45,051 --> 00:19:47,553 and then the cycle will begin again 252 00:19:47,553 --> 00:19:50,489 in the life-giving waters of Alhambra. 253 00:19:54,326 --> 00:19:56,529 The ponds and fountains are integral 254 00:19:56,529 --> 00:19:59,498 to the aesthetic wonders of the palace. 255 00:19:59,498 --> 00:20:02,635 It's no accident that the reflections in the water 256 00:20:02,635 --> 00:20:05,004 add beauty and calm. 257 00:20:06,839 --> 00:20:10,543 But bringing water to the castle was no easy feat. 258 00:20:11,710 --> 00:20:13,679 The plateau of Sabika rises 259 00:20:13,679 --> 00:20:17,316 more than 150 feet above the city. 260 00:20:17,316 --> 00:20:21,587 The city lies within one of the most arid regions in Spain. 261 00:20:24,457 --> 00:20:27,460 But the Moors had learned from the Romans. 262 00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:30,296 They built a series of raised aqueducts 263 00:20:30,296 --> 00:20:32,298 that fed into the castle. 264 00:20:37,603 --> 00:20:40,206 The aqueducts channel water more than 265 00:20:40,206 --> 00:20:42,775 4 miles from the Rio Darro, 266 00:20:42,775 --> 00:20:45,277 which is itself fed by snowmelt 267 00:20:45,277 --> 00:20:47,646 from the Sierra Nevada mountains. 268 00:20:52,618 --> 00:20:55,654 The majestic Sierra Nevada, 269 00:20:55,654 --> 00:20:59,625 where barren hillsides 270 00:20:59,625 --> 00:21:02,261 become forests 271 00:21:02,261 --> 00:21:05,664 that give way to snow-capped peaks. 272 00:21:13,339 --> 00:21:17,476 Above the peaks, a Eurasian griffon soars, 273 00:21:17,476 --> 00:21:20,646 riding thermals as it scans for food. 274 00:21:20,646 --> 00:21:24,316 Iberian ibex dot the hillside below. 275 00:21:24,316 --> 00:21:28,087 But the vulture is a scavenger, not a hunter. 276 00:21:28,087 --> 00:21:29,722 It uses its acute eyesight 277 00:21:29,722 --> 00:21:34,527 to spot any creature that's fallen ill or died. 278 00:21:34,527 --> 00:21:36,795 Ibex were hunted almost to extinction 279 00:21:36,795 --> 00:21:40,132 in Spain and Portugal in the 19th century. 280 00:21:40,132 --> 00:21:45,037 But here in the Sierra Nevada, the species has persevered. 281 00:21:49,408 --> 00:21:52,444 (Birds squawk) 282 00:21:52,444 --> 00:21:57,249 NARRATOR: The ibex are skittish. When anxious, they follow 283 00:21:57,249 --> 00:22:00,386 a mature member of the herd, who knows which slopes 284 00:22:00,386 --> 00:22:03,222 provide the best protection. 285 00:22:03,222 --> 00:22:05,724 The griffons keep one eye to the ground, 286 00:22:05,724 --> 00:22:08,260 but they're also watching each other. 287 00:22:14,233 --> 00:22:16,802 When one spots the remains of a dead ibex, 288 00:22:16,802 --> 00:22:20,506 they all swoop in to vie for the meal. 289 00:22:24,443 --> 00:22:26,312 They can pick a carcass clean 290 00:22:26,312 --> 00:22:30,216 with their sharp beaks and powerful talons. 291 00:22:35,754 --> 00:22:38,490 (Griffons squawk) 292 00:22:38,490 --> 00:22:41,627 NARRATOR: Birds will fight for the juiciest morsels 293 00:22:41,627 --> 00:22:45,397 and defend their prime positions on the corpse. 294 00:22:49,401 --> 00:22:50,836 It's tiring work, 295 00:22:50,836 --> 00:22:53,372 and after a hearty tussle and a good meal, 296 00:22:53,372 --> 00:22:54,807 the griffons hit the showers 297 00:22:54,807 --> 00:22:57,743 to wash the blood and dust from their wings. 298 00:23:07,453 --> 00:23:11,423 The Spanish sun dries them in a heartbeat. 299 00:23:11,423 --> 00:23:16,128 Then, with bellies full, it's time for a siesta. 300 00:23:24,270 --> 00:23:26,605 That's just what the other scavengers 301 00:23:26,605 --> 00:23:28,307 have been waiting for. 302 00:23:28,307 --> 00:23:30,776 The foxes are too timid - and clever - 303 00:23:30,776 --> 00:23:33,512 to challenge the griffons head-on. 304 00:23:38,083 --> 00:23:39,618 But they're quick to scamper over 305 00:23:39,618 --> 00:23:42,788 for some fast food when no one is looking. 306 00:23:45,291 --> 00:23:48,727 (Crows caw) 307 00:23:51,563 --> 00:23:54,400 NARRATOR: Crows, too, sneak in for a bite. 308 00:24:05,144 --> 00:24:07,079 But as with all things in nature, 309 00:24:07,079 --> 00:24:09,381 there's a hierarchy to scavenging, 310 00:24:09,381 --> 00:24:14,053 and the final arrivals scare the smaller petty thieves away. 311 00:24:17,156 --> 00:24:21,093 Bearded vultures eat almost nothing but bone marrow. 312 00:24:21,093 --> 00:24:23,462 Like the griffons, they're aggressive. 313 00:24:23,462 --> 00:24:26,699 They'll fight vigorously over the best cuts. 314 00:24:30,602 --> 00:24:32,071 The dark-headed juveniles 315 00:24:32,071 --> 00:24:35,307 aren't intimidated by the larger adults. 316 00:24:40,212 --> 00:24:43,148 But when a young gun grabs a nice bone, 317 00:24:43,148 --> 00:24:46,352 he weighs the competition and decides he's better off 318 00:24:46,352 --> 00:24:48,454 taking this meal to go. 319 00:24:53,258 --> 00:24:56,795 The bearded vultures' beaks are strong enough to crack bones, 320 00:24:56,795 --> 00:24:59,832 and they've learned a trick for cracking the toughest. 321 00:24:59,832 --> 00:25:03,268 They drop them from great height and shatter them 322 00:25:03,268 --> 00:25:06,605 on the rocks to get to the marrow inside. 323 00:25:13,212 --> 00:25:16,382 Between them, the scavengers of the Sierra Nevada 324 00:25:16,382 --> 00:25:19,051 make sure nothing goes to waste. 325 00:25:20,586 --> 00:25:23,489 (Birds squawk) 326 00:25:23,489 --> 00:25:29,762 (♪♪♪) 327 00:25:34,566 --> 00:25:36,702 NARRATOR: Higher up in the mountains, 328 00:25:36,702 --> 00:25:39,304 even the vultures can't find food. 329 00:25:39,304 --> 00:25:42,141 At over 2 miles above sea level, 330 00:25:42,141 --> 00:25:45,644 the only thing here is snow and ice. 331 00:25:47,246 --> 00:25:52,151 (♪♪♪) 332 00:25:53,485 --> 00:25:56,054 NARRATOR: But this is not just any ice. 333 00:25:59,091 --> 00:26:01,527 These sparkling crystals 334 00:26:01,527 --> 00:26:05,697 become the water that brings Alhambra to life. 335 00:26:09,735 --> 00:26:12,304 The lush gardens and rich wildlife 336 00:26:12,304 --> 00:26:16,341 would not be possible without the mountains nearby. 337 00:26:16,341 --> 00:26:18,444 The aqueducts carry it here, 338 00:26:18,444 --> 00:26:21,280 but that's only part of the challenge. 339 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,081 Within the walls of the castle, 340 00:26:23,081 --> 00:26:26,718 the Moors used their engineering prowess to create 341 00:26:26,718 --> 00:26:30,756 the complex system of waterways that fed the ponds and gardens. 342 00:26:32,324 --> 00:26:38,831 (♪♪♪) 343 00:26:38,831 --> 00:26:42,534 NARRATOR: It was a perpetual flow, and to this day 344 00:26:42,534 --> 00:26:45,671 the castle and the peaks of the Sierra Nevada 345 00:26:45,671 --> 00:26:48,774 are connected by the water they share. 346 00:26:54,279 --> 00:26:56,682 On the far side of the mountains, 347 00:26:56,682 --> 00:26:58,717 little rain falls. 348 00:27:01,253 --> 00:27:04,056 This is Europe's only desert... 349 00:27:04,056 --> 00:27:06,725 ...Tabernas. 350 00:27:09,328 --> 00:27:11,563 The parched earth and desiccated plants 351 00:27:11,563 --> 00:27:14,666 leave no question about the harsh reality 352 00:27:14,666 --> 00:27:17,669 of life without water. 353 00:27:19,505 --> 00:27:22,307 One creature that does manage to survive here 354 00:27:22,307 --> 00:27:25,577 is the darkling beetle, a hard-shelled omnivore 355 00:27:25,577 --> 00:27:28,347 that feeds on fresh and decaying plants, 356 00:27:28,347 --> 00:27:30,616 dead insects, and fungi. 357 00:27:33,085 --> 00:27:37,422 It can live for up to 10 years without ever taking a drink, 358 00:27:37,422 --> 00:27:42,361 extracting all the moisture it needs from its food. 359 00:27:42,361 --> 00:27:45,297 When threatened, the darkling raises its rear 360 00:27:45,297 --> 00:27:47,599 and emits a foul-smelling compound 361 00:27:47,599 --> 00:27:51,336 to discourage would-be predators... 362 00:27:51,336 --> 00:27:55,541 ...predators like the praying mantis. 363 00:27:55,541 --> 00:27:59,511 The mantis is a well-camouflaged killer. 364 00:27:59,511 --> 00:28:03,649 She moves slowly, and only to find a better vantage point 365 00:28:03,649 --> 00:28:06,351 from which to wait for prey. 366 00:28:06,351 --> 00:28:09,454 But when a potential meal wanders within reach, 367 00:28:09,454 --> 00:28:11,590 she's lightning fast. 368 00:28:25,470 --> 00:28:30,142 As she digs in, a male mantis watches closely. 369 00:28:30,142 --> 00:28:31,577 He's looking for a mate, 370 00:28:31,577 --> 00:28:34,446 but has to time his advance carefully. 371 00:28:43,055 --> 00:28:46,091 If he approaches before she's eaten her fill, 372 00:28:46,091 --> 00:28:48,460 he'll become lunch too. 373 00:28:57,269 --> 00:28:59,705 He's a fraction of her size. 374 00:29:04,176 --> 00:29:09,047 Cautiously, he climbs aboard and gets down to business. 375 00:29:22,294 --> 00:29:25,197 While the action takes place down below, 376 00:29:25,197 --> 00:29:28,200 he keeps his eyes locked on her face... 377 00:29:30,268 --> 00:29:32,571 ...for good reason, 378 00:29:32,571 --> 00:29:36,208 female mantises are notoriously hostile, 379 00:29:36,208 --> 00:29:38,610 even to their mates. 380 00:29:51,156 --> 00:29:54,760 Her partner makes an excellent post-coital snack. 381 00:29:59,297 --> 00:30:01,533 After some initial nibbling, 382 00:30:01,533 --> 00:30:05,303 she bites him clean in half, 383 00:30:05,303 --> 00:30:09,708 the ultimate sacrifice for his future offspring in the desert. 384 00:30:15,213 --> 00:30:17,549 Coming from the deserts of Africa, 385 00:30:17,549 --> 00:30:20,485 the Moors were unfazed by the harsh landscape 386 00:30:20,485 --> 00:30:23,088 and arid climate of Andalucía. 387 00:30:25,323 --> 00:30:28,460 They adapted well to their Spanish surroundings, 388 00:30:28,460 --> 00:30:32,631 but found plenty of room for improvement. 389 00:30:32,631 --> 00:30:36,168 Building on thousands of years of Muslim learning, 390 00:30:36,168 --> 00:30:38,837 they used their vast understanding of science 391 00:30:38,837 --> 00:30:41,306 to revolutionize the region. 392 00:30:42,808 --> 00:30:45,677 After the Dark Ages, it was the Muslims 393 00:30:45,677 --> 00:30:48,380 who resurrected the knowledge of the Greeks, 394 00:30:48,380 --> 00:30:52,217 and then expanded on it. 395 00:30:52,217 --> 00:30:55,287 They brought the art of paper making to Europe. 396 00:30:58,123 --> 00:31:00,659 They studied the laws of physics... 397 00:31:02,427 --> 00:31:05,397 ...created new fields of mathematics. 398 00:31:07,299 --> 00:31:10,202 They pioneered advances in medicine. 399 00:31:16,308 --> 00:31:19,411 The Muslims expanded the science of optics... 400 00:31:20,712 --> 00:31:23,615 ...and mastered cartography... 401 00:31:23,615 --> 00:31:28,754 ...using instruments like the compass and the astrolabe... 402 00:31:28,754 --> 00:31:31,590 ...which measured the angle from the North Star 403 00:31:31,590 --> 00:31:34,459 to the horizon... 404 00:31:34,459 --> 00:31:38,163 ...to chart amazingly accurate ocean maps. 405 00:31:41,133 --> 00:31:43,635 The Moors put their scientific knowledge 406 00:31:43,635 --> 00:31:47,139 to particularly good use here in Southern Spain. 407 00:31:50,308 --> 00:31:52,544 They used trigonometry and algebra, 408 00:31:52,544 --> 00:31:57,516 both Arab inventions, to revolutionize land surveying. 409 00:31:57,516 --> 00:32:00,318 They built complex irrigation channels, 410 00:32:00,318 --> 00:32:02,687 adopting existing technologies 411 00:32:02,687 --> 00:32:06,625 and inventing new ones to collect, store and lift water. 412 00:32:08,426 --> 00:32:11,429 They used fertilizers and pest control, 413 00:32:11,429 --> 00:32:15,467 and grafting to create new varieties of fruit trees. 414 00:32:18,403 --> 00:32:20,605 According to at least one scholar, 415 00:32:20,605 --> 00:32:24,176 the Moors' agricultural system was "the most complex, 416 00:32:24,176 --> 00:32:26,845 the most scientific, the most perfect, 417 00:32:26,845 --> 00:32:31,349 ever devised by the ingenuity of man." 418 00:32:31,349 --> 00:32:34,386 As they transformed the landscape around Alhambra, 419 00:32:34,386 --> 00:32:38,723 the Moors also created new habitats for the local wildlife. 420 00:32:41,626 --> 00:32:45,764 The spur-thighed tortoise, also known as the Moor tortoise, 421 00:32:45,764 --> 00:32:48,800 was one of the beneficiaries. 422 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,870 It can survive in areas of sparse vegetation, 423 00:32:51,870 --> 00:32:54,706 where it browses on grass and other plants, 424 00:32:54,706 --> 00:32:58,109 but it happily adapted to the more succulent offerings 425 00:32:58,109 --> 00:33:00,745 cultivated by the Moors. 426 00:33:07,485 --> 00:33:09,354 (Bird calls) 427 00:33:09,354 --> 00:33:13,358 NARRATOR: Hoopoes, too, found Moor agriculture to their liking. 428 00:33:15,327 --> 00:33:17,762 These striking crested birds 429 00:33:17,762 --> 00:33:21,733 gravitate to open fields where they can dig for insects. 430 00:33:21,733 --> 00:33:25,270 The Moors ploughed plenty of those. 431 00:33:25,270 --> 00:33:28,506 In other parts of the world, the Hoopoes migrate, 432 00:33:28,506 --> 00:33:32,077 but here, they stay put all year round, 433 00:33:32,077 --> 00:33:35,447 building nests into walls surrounding the fields. 434 00:33:39,851 --> 00:33:43,722 Both parents are responsible for feeding the young. 435 00:33:43,722 --> 00:33:47,125 They're warmly greeted by the hungry chicks. 436 00:33:47,125 --> 00:33:48,693 But if an intruder approaches, 437 00:33:48,693 --> 00:33:53,632 it'll be hit by a carefully aimed stream of feces. 438 00:33:53,632 --> 00:33:55,600 (Birds make hooping noise) 439 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:59,170 NARRATOR: The hoopoes are monogamous for each breeding season 440 00:33:59,170 --> 00:34:02,474 and, thanks to the Moors, the region is so fertile 441 00:34:02,474 --> 00:34:06,111 they may even produce multiple broods in a year. 442 00:34:11,449 --> 00:34:19,557 (♪♪♪) 443 00:34:19,557 --> 00:34:22,794 NARRATOR: The birds, with their distinctive crests and graceful, 444 00:34:22,794 --> 00:34:24,562 swooping flight patterns, 445 00:34:24,562 --> 00:34:27,432 were highly regarded by the Moors. 446 00:34:29,334 --> 00:34:31,336 They're even mentioned in the Quran 447 00:34:31,336 --> 00:34:36,708 as saviors of Moses and confidants of King Solomon. 448 00:34:36,708 --> 00:34:41,713 To this day, they thrive in the fields around Alhambra. 449 00:34:42,847 --> 00:34:45,583 The hoopoes flourished under the Moors, 450 00:34:45,583 --> 00:34:47,719 but from the moment the Muslim invaders 451 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:52,190 seized control of Spain, the Christians fought back. 452 00:34:52,190 --> 00:34:55,760 Battles raged on and off for hundreds of years, 453 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:59,097 a period known as the "Reconquista." 454 00:34:59,097 --> 00:35:03,601 By the 15th century, the conflict was in full force. 455 00:35:05,403 --> 00:35:08,740 The Spanish pushed down from the north. 456 00:35:08,740 --> 00:35:11,042 By 1469, Granada, 457 00:35:11,042 --> 00:35:14,212 watched over by the fortified Alhambra castle, 458 00:35:14,212 --> 00:35:18,283 was the last remaining Muslim stronghold in all of Europe. 459 00:35:19,784 --> 00:35:22,287 The castle was well-defended... 460 00:35:25,256 --> 00:35:27,559 ...but the Moors were effectively captives 461 00:35:27,559 --> 00:35:29,627 within their own city. 462 00:35:34,766 --> 00:35:38,470 The sun was setting on the Muslim empire in Europe. 463 00:35:46,311 --> 00:35:49,748 The Moors weren't the only African invaders under threat. 464 00:35:49,748 --> 00:35:52,083 (Owl hoots) 465 00:35:52,083 --> 00:35:56,521 NARRATOR: The North African hedgehog arrived millennia before them. 466 00:35:56,521 --> 00:35:59,224 It too favors the gardens of Alhambra 467 00:35:59,224 --> 00:36:01,359 over the surrounding desert. 468 00:36:05,630 --> 00:36:08,066 Smaller than the European hedgehog, 469 00:36:08,066 --> 00:36:11,102 it's a generalist, foraging at night 470 00:36:11,102 --> 00:36:14,105 and feeding on any small animals it can find, 471 00:36:14,105 --> 00:36:17,542 as well as on seeds, nuts, and fungus. 472 00:36:17,542 --> 00:36:20,512 But it's also quite tender under its quills, 473 00:36:20,512 --> 00:36:25,283 and would make a tasty meal for a lucky genet. 474 00:36:25,283 --> 00:36:28,186 Genets have a keen sense of smell. 475 00:36:28,186 --> 00:36:30,321 This one is following its nose, 476 00:36:30,321 --> 00:36:33,458 trying to find the small hedgehog in the rocks. 477 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:38,596 But the hedgehog has a trick. 478 00:36:38,596 --> 00:36:41,366 The tight ball offers only sharp quills 479 00:36:41,366 --> 00:36:43,768 to the would-be assailant. 480 00:36:43,768 --> 00:36:47,605 There's nothing appealing about a mouthful of quills, 481 00:36:47,605 --> 00:36:51,543 so the genet heads off to look for less prickly prey. 482 00:36:54,846 --> 00:36:58,583 With the threat gone, the hedgehog gets back to work. 483 00:37:01,219 --> 00:37:03,088 She's hunting herself, 484 00:37:03,088 --> 00:37:06,491 in need of a quick meal so she can return to her nest. 485 00:37:10,428 --> 00:37:12,030 She's a new mother, 486 00:37:12,030 --> 00:37:15,133 with a hungry baby waiting to suckle. 487 00:37:17,168 --> 00:37:20,138 She's not as timid as she looks, 488 00:37:20,138 --> 00:37:24,175 quite capable of taking down a plump scorpion. 489 00:37:52,070 --> 00:37:55,740 The scorpion tracks her with its eight beady eyes... 490 00:37:57,275 --> 00:38:00,044 ...its vicious stinger poised. 491 00:38:06,651 --> 00:38:10,054 But she has some built-in immunity to its venom 492 00:38:10,054 --> 00:38:13,591 and she's clever, going straight for the weapon. 493 00:38:17,695 --> 00:38:22,734 The arachnid has no chance once she grabs it by the tail. 494 00:38:24,169 --> 00:38:26,804 Sated, she hustles back to her nest, 495 00:38:26,804 --> 00:38:29,507 just near the castle walls. 496 00:38:29,507 --> 00:38:34,612 Her baby - called a hoglet - is just a few days old. 497 00:38:34,612 --> 00:38:37,582 It was born blind and helpless. 498 00:38:39,250 --> 00:38:45,623 (♪♪♪) 499 00:38:48,226 --> 00:38:52,263 NARRATOR: Its spines are soft and hair-like at first. 500 00:38:52,263 --> 00:38:55,466 They only start to harden after a week or two. 501 00:38:57,335 --> 00:39:03,641 (♪♪♪) 502 00:39:06,144 --> 00:39:09,013 NARRATOR: The hoglet will nurse for about six weeks 503 00:39:09,013 --> 00:39:11,416 before going off on its own. 504 00:39:11,416 --> 00:39:13,151 At about ten weeks, 505 00:39:13,151 --> 00:39:15,753 it'll undergo a process called quilling, 506 00:39:15,753 --> 00:39:20,458 losing its baby quills and growing adult ones like its mom. 507 00:39:38,209 --> 00:39:42,213 While the African hedgehog still thrives in Andalucía, 508 00:39:42,213 --> 00:39:45,116 the Moors' time was almost up. 509 00:39:48,052 --> 00:39:50,121 By the late 1400s, 510 00:39:50,121 --> 00:39:53,057 the only things keeping them from complete annihilation 511 00:39:53,057 --> 00:39:56,995 at the hands of the Christians were the castle fortifications. 512 00:39:59,364 --> 00:40:02,100 The red fortress was the final holdout 513 00:40:02,100 --> 00:40:04,302 for the Muslims in Europe. 514 00:40:08,306 --> 00:40:10,842 While the Christians had been forming alliances 515 00:40:10,842 --> 00:40:14,145 and consolidating their power, the Moors in Granada 516 00:40:14,145 --> 00:40:17,715 had become ever-more isolated. 517 00:40:17,715 --> 00:40:22,020 There was no help coming from other Muslim kingdoms. 518 00:40:30,728 --> 00:40:33,431 On the hillside beneath the castle, 519 00:40:33,431 --> 00:40:36,167 other loners fight for survival. 520 00:40:40,605 --> 00:40:42,740 The Mediterranean banded centipede 521 00:40:42,740 --> 00:40:45,443 is one of the smaller species of centipede, 522 00:40:45,443 --> 00:40:48,246 and its venom is not the most toxic. 523 00:40:50,114 --> 00:40:52,550 But it's an opportunistic carnivore, 524 00:40:52,550 --> 00:40:55,720 and will aggressively attack any animal it can eat 525 00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:59,223 or feels threatened by. 526 00:40:59,223 --> 00:41:02,627 That includes members of its own species. 527 00:41:23,514 --> 00:41:26,417 The two engage in an epic battle. 528 00:41:26,417 --> 00:41:28,519 Each trying to gain access 529 00:41:28,519 --> 00:41:31,422 to the soft underbelly of the other. 530 00:41:35,393 --> 00:41:37,495 The fight is not about food. 531 00:41:37,495 --> 00:41:42,333 It's about direct competition, kill or be killed. 532 00:41:45,136 --> 00:41:48,706 The centipedes wield their pincer-like forcipules 533 00:41:48,706 --> 00:41:50,575 like hypodermic needles, 534 00:41:50,575 --> 00:41:54,512 each trying to stab the other with deadly poison. 535 00:41:55,713 --> 00:41:58,216 Finally, a direct hit. 536 00:42:13,398 --> 00:42:16,367 The venom acts quickly. 537 00:42:26,444 --> 00:42:31,149 The victor won't eat his rival, it's too big. 538 00:42:31,149 --> 00:42:34,619 But there is now one less competitor on the forest floor. 539 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:40,758 Nearby, a Spanish funnel web spider lies in wait. 540 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:45,663 The centipede initially rushes right past... 541 00:42:47,231 --> 00:42:50,268 ...then comes scurrying back to investigate 542 00:42:50,268 --> 00:42:53,204 whether the arachnid would make a nice meal. 543 00:43:00,044 --> 00:43:03,648 The spider, one of the largest and fiercest-looking in Europe, 544 00:43:03,648 --> 00:43:06,717 has other ideas. 545 00:43:06,717 --> 00:43:10,788 She misses, but the attack sends him scurrying. 546 00:43:10,788 --> 00:43:15,593 The spider doesn't follow. 547 00:43:15,593 --> 00:43:19,664 The centipede is less of a meal than a potential home wrecker. 548 00:43:19,664 --> 00:43:22,633 The quicker he's gone, the better. 549 00:43:29,240 --> 00:43:32,243 Her webbed nest is an intricate one, 550 00:43:32,243 --> 00:43:35,079 with a deep interior and fine filigree 551 00:43:35,079 --> 00:43:37,615 that act as climate control. 552 00:43:37,615 --> 00:43:39,550 The humidity deep in the web 553 00:43:39,550 --> 00:43:43,087 can be 20 to 25% higher than outside, 554 00:43:43,087 --> 00:43:45,356 and the temperature cooler. 555 00:43:50,127 --> 00:43:52,396 Though she chased off the centipede, 556 00:43:52,396 --> 00:43:55,800 she sits quietly as a grasshopper approaches. 557 00:44:04,308 --> 00:44:08,145 This interloper is definitely welcome. 558 00:44:19,190 --> 00:44:22,393 She liquefies his insides with venom, 559 00:44:22,393 --> 00:44:24,262 and lets him marinate. 560 00:44:40,545 --> 00:44:45,283 By 1492, Alhambra was a tiny Muslim island 561 00:44:45,283 --> 00:44:48,019 in a vast sea of Christianity. 562 00:44:49,387 --> 00:44:51,522 The palace was under siege 563 00:44:51,522 --> 00:44:55,126 and the walls could only keep the Moors safe for so long. 564 00:44:58,195 --> 00:45:01,132 The Moorish leader, Muhammad the 12th, 565 00:45:01,132 --> 00:45:03,367 realized that no reinforcements 566 00:45:03,367 --> 00:45:06,437 were coming from across the Mediterranean. 567 00:45:06,437 --> 00:45:10,675 With no alternatives, he negotiated a surrender. 568 00:45:12,209 --> 00:45:14,111 He turned the keys of the castle 569 00:45:14,111 --> 00:45:17,248 over to Queen Isabella of Castile. 570 00:45:20,484 --> 00:45:22,386 The decision prevented the destruction 571 00:45:22,386 --> 00:45:24,322 of the Muslim masterpiece, 572 00:45:24,322 --> 00:45:27,258 but it also opened the door for a new era 573 00:45:27,258 --> 00:45:29,560 of Christian-inspired construction. 574 00:45:34,231 --> 00:45:36,400 Over the centuries that followed, 575 00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:38,402 whole sections were torn down, 576 00:45:38,402 --> 00:45:41,539 replaced by Renaissance-style palaces. 577 00:45:43,307 --> 00:45:45,676 Below the castle in Granada proper, 578 00:45:45,676 --> 00:45:48,112 the Catholics built a huge cathedral 579 00:45:48,112 --> 00:45:49,780 on the site of the old mosque, 580 00:45:49,780 --> 00:45:53,684 completing the transformation from powerful Muslim emirate 581 00:45:53,684 --> 00:45:56,420 back to Christian stronghold. 582 00:45:59,323 --> 00:46:03,527 Incredibly, it was only a few months after the surrender 583 00:46:03,527 --> 00:46:07,531 that a largely unknown explorer from Italy arrived in Granada 584 00:46:07,531 --> 00:46:11,168 to ask Queen Isabella for support. 585 00:46:11,168 --> 00:46:14,739 Here at Alhambra, he proposed a cockamamie plan 586 00:46:14,739 --> 00:46:17,141 to sail west in the hopes of finding 587 00:46:17,141 --> 00:46:18,476 a new passage to India 588 00:46:18,476 --> 00:46:21,679 in the name of the Spanish crown. 589 00:46:21,679 --> 00:46:25,549 Isabella gave him her blessing and her money. 590 00:46:27,351 --> 00:46:29,620 Christopher Columbus crossed an ocean 591 00:46:29,620 --> 00:46:31,589 and explored the New World, 592 00:46:31,589 --> 00:46:34,392 thanks in large part to the nautical tools, 593 00:46:34,392 --> 00:46:39,096 maps, and navigation skills perfected by the Arabs. 594 00:46:44,301 --> 00:46:46,237 The Moors had gone, 595 00:46:46,237 --> 00:46:49,373 but their legacy helped pave the way to the New World, 596 00:46:49,373 --> 00:46:53,044 and in Spain has endured to this day. 597 00:46:54,378 --> 00:46:58,215 For 800 years, they ruled Andalucía, 598 00:46:58,215 --> 00:47:02,186 leaving behind an unrivaled architectural gem. 599 00:47:03,320 --> 00:47:06,157 Despite changing empires and religions, 600 00:47:06,157 --> 00:47:10,394 Alhambra has stood proudly on its hilltop as a testament 601 00:47:10,394 --> 00:47:14,432 to the Moors' technical ingenuity and creative flare. 602 00:47:18,703 --> 00:47:20,805 They devoted themselves to building 603 00:47:20,805 --> 00:47:23,340 a Garden of Eden here on Earth, 604 00:47:23,340 --> 00:47:28,279 and in so doing created a lasting natural sanctuary 605 00:47:28,279 --> 00:47:31,449 within a man-made masterpiece. 606 00:47:32,650 --> 00:47:39,123 (♪♪♪)