The Corral del Carbón is Granada's oldest building and one of the most remarkable survivals of the Nasrid period. Built in the early 14th century as a merchant's inn (fonduk), it later served as a coal storehouse (giving it the name "carbon" — coal), then a theatre, and eventually apartments. The horseshoe-arched gateway leads into a galleried interior courtyard that shows the building's Islamic origins clearly.
The Corral sits right in the city centre, a few minutes' walk from the cathedral, yet few visitors find it. Entry is free and the building is open most of the day. The courtyard is still used for occasional concerts and cultural events, which is fittingly close to its medieval purpose.