Granada was the last bastion to fall to Christian armies in 1492 after almost seven centuries of Muslim rule in Al-Andalus. It is therefore not surprising to find grand churches in Granada. It was an expression of newly acquired power. Christopher Columbus also discovered the American continent in 1492 and in time that brought much wealth to the Spanish monarchy. New wealth and new power led to an unprecedented building spree, which is seen nowhere better than in Granada and Sevilla.
The Cathedral de la Anunciacion (also called the Metropolitan Cathedral), dated 1522-1704, is one of the most impressive examples of Spanish Renaissance. Emperor Charles V decided to turn it into a royal mausoleum. In the building five naves are juxtaposed to a rotunda with a double ambulatory, and presents a multiple symbolism. The circular cimborrio (central tower) is also the royal vault, alluding to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The central alter indicates a very precise ideology – the sacred sacrament of the Eucharist irradiating over a city that was still Muslim. After the death of its primary architect Diego de Siloe, the main façade was completed by Alonso Cano. It was conceived as a triumphal arch whose tripartite design disguises the interior structure of the five naves and intensifies the play of light and shadow.
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| Cathedral de la Anunciacion |
The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) was commissioned by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1504 for their burial site; work started in 1506 and finished in 1521. The Chapel is an example of the late Castilian Gothic style: Latin cross plan, with an apse and a choir, ribbed vaults and decorative emphasis in the upper part of the wall. On the inside, the most outstanding features are the Renaissance grate located in the transept, the sepulchers of the monarchs and those of Felipe the Handsome and Queen Juana, and the alterpiece of the Holy Cross. On the outside, the Chapel has only one façade, with a front dated to 1526 and rebuilt in 1733 to unite it to the Cathedral complex. At the bottom of the nave, another front leads into the Iglesia del Sagario.
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| Capilla Real, Granada |
The Iglesia de Sacrario, dated 1705-1722, is in the Baroque style and occupies the site where the Major Mosque of Granada used to stand. The building follows on a smaller scale the Basilica of Saint Peter – Greek cross inside a square. A hemispherical dome covers the central part and domical vaults cover the four sides of the transept. The front is divided into two parts, with sculptures by Augustine Vera Moreno in the second part – Saint Peter in the middle, flanked by Saint John Nepomuceno and Saint Ivo.
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| Iglesia de Sacario, Granada |
In the immediate vicinity of the Cathedral are two educational institutions – Antigue Universidad Literaria and La Madrazza. The University building is dated 1527-1544 and is in the Renaissance style. Emperor Charles founded it in 1526 to indoctrinate the Muslims who remained under Christian power after the conquest of Al-Andalus. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, the teaching was transferred to the old Colegio de San Pablo de la Compania de Jeus and the building became a heritage site. La Madrazza (The Madrasa) was established in 1349 by Sultan Yusuf I as a school and university. It is stated to have a splendid prayer hall and mihrab, but sadly it was closed for repairs.
Puerta del Pardon is a cathedral in the Renaissance style dating to 1537, with the second part done in 1810. Its name comes from a convicted criminal who sought refuge in the cathedral and was later pardoned. Roman triupmphal arches provided inspiration for its design, signifying the victory of Christian forces. Above the spandrels of the lower arch are the allegorical figures of Faith and Justice, which suggest that the land was given to Christian monarchs because they acted with faith and justice.
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| Puerta del Pardon, Granada |
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| Puerta del Pardon, Granada |
The Hospital Real (Royal Hospital) is as grand as any early to mid-16th century church in Granada. It is built on a Greek cross plan with each quadrant consisting of a fountain courtyard and rooms in the surrounding verandah. The transept is crowned by a central tower. The construction of this hospital is dated 1511-1599; the frontispiece dated 1632 is one of the finest in Granada. Hospital Real was built on the orders of King Fernando V, as part of a public service programme undertaken by the Crown following the conquest of Granada. This building is now part of the University of Granada and houses a large library. Strangely, this was the only building in Granada in which we had to pass through metal detectors and our bags were also screened through X-ray.
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| Frontispiece, Hospital Real |
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| Fountain Courtyard, Hospital Real |
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