Curiosities about the Royal Chapel of Granada

The Royal Chapel is one of the essential places to visit in Granada due to its beauty, its history, its importance and its peculiarities. For this reason, it is necessary to know the best curiosities about the Royal Chapel of Granada.

Would you like to discover the most interesting facts about the Royal Chapel of Granada? Stay and read this post, we show you everything you need to know below!

The Catholic Monarchs ordered its construction

In 1504 Queen Isabella fell seriously ill, showing signs of a notable deterioration in her health. Thus, on 13 September of the same year, she ordered the construction of a chapel in Granada by means of a charter of privilege of foundation.

Construction of the Royal Chapel of Granada did not begin until 1505, a few months after the Queen's death, and it was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist. Enrique Egás was its architect and it was set in a Gothic style.

The completion of the works did not take place until 1517, a year after the death of King Ferdinand.

It is the burial place of the Catholic Monarchs

Initially, the Queen's intention was for her remains to rest in the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo, but, due to the importance of the conquest of Granada during her reign and the great admiration she felt for the beauty of that city, she changed her mind.

Given that the Royal Chapel of Granada was not going to be finished before Isabella's death, in her will she ordered that it be buried in the Convent of San Francisco de la Alhambra. Likewise, Ferdinand II of Aragon stated that he wanted to be buried next to his wife.

As a result, on 10 November 1521, Emperor Charles V ordered the remains of his grandparents to be transferred to the Royal Chapel of Granada. This led to it being established as a family pantheon, as up to 9 members of the royal family were buried here.

Today, the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs, their daughter Juana, her husband Felipe and their grandson the infant Miguel de la Paz are in the Royal Chapel of Granada. However, the body of Isabella of Portugal, Princess Maria Manuela and the infants Don Juan and Don Fernando were sent to El Escorial.

It possesses important belongings of the Catholic Monarchs

Queen Isabella also stated that, when she died, some of her most personal belongings should be transferred to her burial place. Thus, there is a museum annexed to the chapel where we can see a large part of the royal legacy.

Some of the most remarkable objects are the crown, the sceptre and the queen's chest and the king's sword. There are also numerous pieces of goldsmith's work such as crosses and reliquaries, royal textiles, Flemish panels, Italian paintings and books owned by Isabella the Catholic, among others.

In short, objects of the highest historical value that belonged to one of the most important figures of our country.

Why visit the Royal Chapel of Granada?

As you have seen throughout this article on the curiosities of the Royal Chapel of Granada, this place is of great historical wealth due to its links with the Catholic Monarchs, as well as having an exquisite decoration capable of astonishing everyone who enters it.

If you would like to get more information about this monument, do not hesitate to buy tickets for the Royal Chapel of Granada on the official website of the Archdiocese of Granada. 

Let yourself be surprised by this temple and enjoy all its rooms!