View from Plaza Mirador de San Nicolás in SE direction. The Alhambra represents a complex of palaces and fortresses. Smaller fortifications built in Roman times and in the late 9th century were followed by the palaces of the Nasrid Dynasty in the 14th century and a Renaissance palace in the 16th Century. Later, the ensemble fell into disrepair. After recovery, it evolved into a major tourist attraction and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.