Tucked away where the Cuesta del Chapiz meets the road to Sacromonte, Casa del Chapiz stands as one of Granada's most fascinating examples of Moorish domestic architecture. What looks like a single building is actually two separate 16th-century houses that share a connecting space, creating an architectural puzzle that has intrigued visitors for centuries.

The story behind these houses reads like a historical drama. Originally owned by two Moorish converts - Lorenzo el Chapiz and his brother-in-law Hernán López el Ferí - the properties were seized by the Crown in 1571 after their owners participated in the Moorish uprising. By the early 20th century, both houses had deteriorated into near ruins, serving as cramped tenements with small workshops crammed into their rooms.

What saved them was their declaration as a protected monument in 1919, followed by a meticulous restoration led by architect Leopoldo Torres Balbás between 1929 and 1932. His work revealed the true architectural treasures hidden beneath decades of neglect.

The larger house, built by Lorenzo el Chapiz over the remains of a 14th-century Nasrid palace, centers around a rectangular courtyard with an elongated pool. White marble columns support arches on the north portico, remnants from the original Nasrid construction. The wooden galleries with their turned balusters show clear Renaissance influences - a fascinating blend of Islamic and Christian architectural elements.

The smaller house offers something even more special. Its rectangular patio opens toward breathtaking views of the Alhambra and the Darro valley below. The decorative details here mix Nasrid muqarnas with Gothic and Renaissance elements, creating the distinctive Granadan mudéjar style. Beneath the north wing, an ancient cistern once stored water from the Aynadamar aqueduct.

Since 1932, Casa del Chapiz Granada has housed the School of Arabic Studies, part of Spain's National Research Council. This means the upper floors aren't accessible to visitors, but the courtyards and ground-floor rooms provide plenty to explore. An audio guide helps decode the architectural details and historical layers.

The entrance fee is modest at 2 euros, though access is included with the Dobla de Oro pass. Walking through these spaces, you get a rare glimpse into how Granada's wealthy Moorish families lived during the city's final Islamic period and the complex cultural transitions that followed. The peaceful courtyards, with their interplay of water, marble, and carved wood, offer a quiet refuge from the bustling Albaicín just outside.