Photo taken on June 17, 2020 shows a view in the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. The Alhambra Palace in the southern Spanish city of Granada reopened its doors to visitors on Wednesday as the country is slowly returning to normal after the coronavirus pandemic. (Board of the Alhambra and Generalife/Handout via Xinhua)

The Alhambra Palace in the southern Spanish city of Granada reopened its doors to visitors on Wednesday as the country is slowly returning to normal after the coronavirus pandemic.

Once home to the Moorish kings, the Alhambra is one of Spain's most visited monuments, with 2.75 million people visiting its gardens, fountains and palaces every year.

Around 4,500 visitors a day (50 percent of the usual capacity) will now be able to see the monument, which was closed for three months as Spain was in lockdown and freedom of movement was curtailed to stop the spread of COVID-19.

However, those three months have been put to good use, as the absence of visitors allowed for vital work to be carried out on the complex.

"During the lockdown, the employees have carried out incredible cleaning and restoration work. Now we are looking forward to reopening and once again seeing people walk through the patios and gardens of the Alhambra," Rocio Diaz, director of the Patronage of the Alhambra, told the Spanish TV network RTVE.

From now on, the visitors will have to observe strict health and security regulations. Each room in the palace now has signs reminding them of the importance of maintaining a safe social distance and the need to wear a face mask and disinfect their hands. Audio guides cannot be used for sanitary reasons, and no more than 20 people are allowed to stay in a room simultaneously.

"The itinerary means we won't be able to stop and contemplate as we could previously," admitted Diaz, but this is a small price to pay for being able to once again visit this historic landmark.
 

People tour the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, June 17, 2020. The Alhambra Palace in the southern Spanish city of Granada reopened its doors to visitors on Wednesday as the country is slowly returning to normal after the coronavirus pandemic. (Board of the Alhambra and Generalife/Handout via Xinhua)

 

People tour the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, June 17, 2020. The Alhambra Palace in the southern Spanish city of Granada reopened its doors to visitors on Wednesday as the country is slowly returning to normal after the coronavirus pandemic. (Board of the Alhambra and Generalife/Handout via Xinhua)

 

People tour the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, June 17, 2020. The Alhambra Palace in the southern Spanish city of Granada reopened its doors to visitors on Wednesday as the country is slowly returning to normal after the coronavirus pandemic. (Board of the Alhambra and Generalife/Handout via Xinhua)