All about the Cartuja Monastery in Granada

The Carthusian Monastery of the Charterhouse of Granada, also known as the Monastery of Our Lady of the Assumption ‘La Cartuja', built on the hills of Aynadamar, is one of the most representative works of Spanish Baroque architecture.

It is located a few kilometres from the centre of the capital and is a large religious complex that housed the Carthusian monks for three centuries. Would you like to know all about its history? We'll tell you all about it below!

The history of the Carthusian Monastery of the Charterhouse of Granada

The monks from the Castilian Carthusian monastery of El Paular arrived in the capital of Granada at the end of 1514. They saw the desirability of creating a new seat in the city and it was Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdova who wanted to be the benefactor of the new monastery.

It was at the beginning of the 16th century that the Gran Capitán ceded part of his land, although he finally dissociated himself from the project and, in 1516, work was resumed with designs by Fray Alonso de Ledesma. It lasted three centuries.

The monastery was built in a variety of styles, as the initial project was never completed and only part of it remains. This is because the cloister and the monks' cells were destroyed in 1842.

Until 1835, the Carthusian Monastery of Granada was inhabited. Today it is considered an Asset of Cultural Interest and a Historic-Artistic Monument, having been declared so in 1932.

The interior

The entrance to the complex is through a Plateresque doorway built in the 16th century by Juan García de Pradas. It is built by a semicircular arch, which houses a niche that holds an image of the Virgin. 

The Monastery of the Cartuja de Granada consists of several rooms, which we will see below.

• Courtyard: Courtyard: it has a Moorish style and presides over the centre of the monastery. It has a central fountain and is surrounded by orange trees.
• Refectory: this is the room par excellence where the monks ate. It currently houses an important collection of paintings by Juan Sánchez Cotán.
• Church of Asunción: it has three access doors, one for the faithful and the other two, which communicate with the cloister, for monks and laymen.
• The chapel: built by Francisco Hurtado and corresponds to one of the most decorated areas. Inside, there are frescoes by the painter Antonio Palomino.
• The sacristy: located to the left of the presbytery. Arab influences can be seen in the decoration of the dome, as it is decorated with plasterwork and inlaid tiles.
• Chapter House: this is the oldest room in the monastery and is notable for its ribbed vault.

Buy your tickets to the Carthusian Monastery of Granada

As we have just seen, the Carthusian Monastery of the Charterhouse of Granada is one of the greatest examples of Spanish and Andalusian Baroque architecture. Its construction is a fusion of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

If you would like to visit this beautiful temple, you can buy your tickets to the Cartushian Monastery of Granada through our official website of the Archdiocese of Granada.

Let yourself be surprised by this site and enjoy its great beauty!