Morocco claims half the tourist income from the Alhambra in Granada

http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_31612.shtml


The Moroccan Culture Minister said 'it would build bridges between the two countries'


Morocco is claiming half the income from tourists who visit the Alhambra Palace in Granada.

The Moroccan Culture Minister, Bensalem Himmich, has proposed that a mixed company be established between both countries to run the Granada monument, considering it would be justice for Boabdil.

Boabdil, the last Moorish King of Granada, who was expelled by the Catholic Kings, spent the last years of his life in North Africa, and according to the Minister, said he wanted to see a shared management of the Granada palace.
‘Boabdil’s descendents were Moroccan’, said the Culture Minister.

The Minister has made his demand to both the Spanish Government and the Junta de Andalucía, according to the internet site ‘Guin Guin Bali’ and the web ‘Nador City’, and considers the mixed company could manage both the visitors and conservation. He claimed that such an arrangement could ‘open bridges of cooperation and friendship between our two countries’.

Later on Wednesday however, the Moroccan Embassy denied that their Culture Minister had called for income from the Alhambra.
'After consulting with the Ministry, we have no data to verify these declarations'.

References to the story have disappeared from the two Moroccan sites.

Hi mara_thon,

Iv"e been to the Alhambra Palace, it really is worth a visit and was built by the Moors who occupied the area at the time, so maybe Morocco feels
justified because the Palace has made so much money for Spain.

It is indeed very lovely there Panda, I was there last year. Unfortunately for the Moors they eventually had to leave Spain, a bit late to want to start claiming their "property" back now.

mara thon wrote:It is indeed very lovely there Panda, I was there last year. Unfortunately for the Moors they eventually had to leave Spain, a bit late to want to start claiming their "property" back now.

Especially now , when Spain is broke. Morocco is a poor Country and could feel aggrieved that Spain has benefitted so much from the Palace,

but as they say, the spoils of War and all that. Where I live there is a Norman Castle , built in the 12th Century, it too is a Tourist attraction , no sign
of the French making a claim on it.