The Carthusian Monastery of Granada

History of the Carthusian Monastery of Granada

In 1459, the Monastery of Santa María de El Paular agreed to found another convent without knowing where it would be located. In late 1514, the first monks arrived in Granada from the Castilian Carthusian monastery of El Paular. Here they found the ideal model for building the new monastery, and Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdova, the Great Captain, wished to serve as a benefactor for the new monastery. Ultimately, he withdrew from the project, and In 1516, construction resumed based on plans by Fray Alonso de Ledesma, and it would continue for three centuries.

The project's unity is complemented by a diversity of styles. The original project was never completed—only part of it remains—because the cloister and the monks' cells were destroyed in 1842. The monastery was inhabited until 1835. Today, it is designated as a Site of Cultural Interest and a Historic-Artistic Monument.

What to See at the Cartuja Monastery in Granada

The Carthusian Monastery of Granada is entered through a Plateresque-style portal, designed by Juan García de Pradas in the 16th century. The façade features a semicircular arch that houses a niche containing an image of the Virgin Mary. Inside, there is a large courtyard paved with Granada-style cobblestones, with a wide staircase leading to the church entrance.

The church has three entrance doors: one for the faithful and the other two for the monks and lay brothers, all of which lead to the cloister. The door at the foot of the building has a neoclassical portal with a semicircular arch, framed by Ionic columns; above the entablature is a niche containing an image of Saint Bruno.

A single-nave layout divided into four sections, featuring elements such as the altar screen that separates the lay choir from the monks' choir. Highlights of the nave include the altarpieces by Sánchez Cotán, *The Rest on the Flight into Egypt* and *The Baptism of Christ*, both from the 17th century.

Topped by an elliptical dome, the chancel features a striking high altar: a gilded wooden baldachin altar through which the large glass pane is visible, set within a semicircular arch that separates the chancel from the Holy of Holies.

The Sacristy of the Carthusian Monastery

The sacristy of the Cartuja de Granada is located to the left of the presbytery and has a rectangular floor plan divided into four sections; the first three are covered with semicircular vaults, and the last with an elliptical vault.

Marble, stucco, woodwork, and paint… brought together by light. It is conceived as a true temple, with a space so vast that it defies the logic of any sacristy.

Abstract and geometric shapes, carved into stucco, cover the walls entirely. This exquisitely crafted work creates a beautiful optical illusion for visitors… The sense of grandeur is heightened by the central void, the whiteness of the walls, the interplay of volumes, and the rhomboidal pattern of the floor, which gives the room a sense of depth. And, to achieve this, light—an essential element of its architecture—always plays a key role.

The Refectory and the Chapter House of the Carthusian Monastery

The Refectory, the friars’ dining hall, has a rectangular floor plan and is covered with pointed arches; hanging on its wallsar n paintings by Sánchez Cotán depicting the origins and beginnings of the Carthusian Order.

The Lay Chapter House is the oldest room in the entire Carthusian monastery of Granada; it has a rectangular floor plan and is covered by a ribbed vault. Inside, there are Paintings depicting scenes from the lives of the Carthusians by Vicente Carducho.

Now you can purchase your Entrance to the Carthusian Monastery online at the Official ticket sales page for the Archdiocese of Granada. Book your visit to this wonderful Christian monument today.