POLICE in Granada have launched an investigation after a teenager destroyed an archaeological pillar at the world-renowned Alhambra palace, causing an estimated €12,000 of damage to the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The incident took place last Friday afternoon when a group of five youths began performing parkour jumps next to the Palace of Charles V in a zone known as the Casa de Mufti.
The area is not normally open to the public due to the presence of specially-protected archeological remains.
According to local officials, the group entered through the Puerta de la Justicia at 4.09pm and left via the Puerta de Carros and Torre de las Cabezas just 17 minutes later.
READ MORE: Damage detected at iconic Alhambra palace after Granada rocked by earthquake swarm
While performing parkour – an activity in which people move quickly around buildings and objects while performing jumps and other skilful movements – one of the group knocked over and destroyed a valuable archeological pillar.
The incident was witnessed by visiting tourists who alerted staff, with a nearby security camera capturing the entire sequence of events – including the group allegedly setting up a camera to film the stunts.
The body responsible for protecting the site, known as The Alhambra and Generalife Trust, filed an official complaint with the Policia Nacional on Monday, providing CCTV footage as evidence.
Police have opened an investigation to identify the perpetrator, but as of yet no arrests have been made.
The act of vandalism comes after it was confirmed earlier this week that the Alhambra suffered minor damage during a string of recent earthquakes that have rocked Granada and the surrounding area.
Local authorities have cordoned off areas of the Alcazaba, the castle’s landmark fortress, after detecting ‘anomalies’ in some of its battlements.
Experts said the closures were simply a precaution to protect visitors and staff from any potential falling debris, adding that they had detected no significant structural damage.
Staff are now inspecting the affected areas, which include the Alhambra’s historic defensive towers of Torre del Homenaje and Torre Quebrada.
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The damage was spotted after Granada was shaken by a series of powerful earthquakes in August, including two tremors measuring 4.8 in magnitude.
One, on August 15, had its epicentre near the southern Granada town of Alhendin, while the other hit nearby Gojar on August 18.
The second quake forced the Alhambra to be temporarily evacuated as teams carried out emergency safety checks.
The Alhambra is one of Spain’s most famous tourist attractions, drawing in more than 2.7 million visitors in 2025.
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