Since the late nineteenth century, the Nogal Baths have been known by the name of “Bañuelo”, diminutive used to describe because of its size, the smallest of the royal baths in the “Alhambra”.
The Bañuelo of Granada, is the oldest, the largest and most complete conserved in Spain. It was declared a National Monument in 1918. It is considered the oldest works of Muslim Granada. Its has a rectangular layout with concrete walls, the various chambers are covered by brick vaults with octagonal star-shaped skylights to provide light.
In times of the Catholic Kings, the Arab baths were considered as brothels, so it’s amazing that this Bañuelo has been so well preserved. Scholars fail to agree as to when it was built. However, it seems this occured during the zirí dynasty somewhere between XI and XII.
Its location was and is a privileged one, found on a very important thoroughfare, a well populated area and near the Bab al-Bunud gateway, known as the Gate of the Banners.