Why visit the Sacromonte Abbey?

The Sacromonte Abbey is an imposing monument of great beauty located in Granada, making it one of the most important sites in the city. For this reason, you should know why to visit the Abadía del Sacromonte.

Would you like to discover all that the Sacromonte Abbey of Granada has to offer? Stay and read this post, we show you everything you should know below!

For its history

The Sacromonte Abbey is located in a privileged place in Granada, offering unbeatable views of the Albaicín, the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada.

Its location is due to the discovery of the remains of San Cecilio and the Libros Plúmbeos, which caused hundreds of people to make a pilgrimage to this area, and construction began in the 17th century.

It is worth noting that the discovery of the Libros Plúmbeos was a great milestone, as there were hardly any inscriptions of this type. In them, the Moors mentioned a divine revelation based on the religious union between Christianity and Islam.

The Abbey of Sacromonte became an institution of spiritual, intellectual and educational life, promoting numerous activities of a social nature and founding one of the first university colleges in Europe in 1610.

For its Holy Caves

Between 1595 and 1597 excavations were carried out which led to the discovery of the Holy Caves, the exact place where the Plombic Books and the remains of Saint Cecilius were found.

They were delimited by a brick wall with curved and decorated battlements and, nowadays, we can see in the chapels such important elements as the cross that belonged to San Juan de Dios, altars from Rome and a series of niches where the remains of the disciples of San Cecilio were found.

For the beauty of its church

The Church of the Abadía del Sacromonte is consecrated to the Virgin of the Assumption and between the 18th and 19th century it was enlarged to have a Latin cross plan with 3 naves, a main chapel, a transept and a choir. It is Baroque in style and its walls are full of paintings and sculptures of great artistic value.

It is also necessary to mention its altarpiece, which occupies the entire front of the church and reaches up to the ceiling. The sculpture of the Cristo del Consuelo, better known as the Cristo de los Gitanos (Christ of the Gypsies), used in one of the most impressive and followed processions during the Holy Week in Granada, is also outstanding.

For its museum

In 2010 the Abadía del Sacromonte inaugurated a museum structured in 4 rooms where there is a permanent exhibition of artistic works. Among these jewels we can see the original map of Granada in the 16th century drawn by Ambrosio de Vico, the "Renaissance" canvas owned by Isabel la Católica or the Tratado de Medicina by Averroces, among others.

The museum also houses objects of worship, historical vestments and sculptures such as the Calvary carved in ivory from the school of Alonso Cano, an Immaculate Conception by Pedro de Mena or the Virgin and Child by Duque Cornejo.

For its cloister and courtyards

Finally, in order to know why to visit the Sacromonte Abbey, we could not forget to mention its cloister and its patios.

The cloister is full of Tuscan columns, semicircular arches and a central courtyard with orange trees. It was built between 1614 and 1621 and has a central fountain with a cobbled floor and four warriors representing each of the continents known at the time.

With regard to its courtyards, in the Sacred Heart courtyard we can see works by Venancio Blanco, with the Holy Supper taking centre stage due to its large dimensions. In the courtyard of the Star, we can see the drawing of Solomon's seal on the paving.

Get your tickets to the Abadía del Sacromonte in Granada

As you have seen throughout this article on why to visit the Sacromonte Abbey, this location manages to convey a sense of peace and harmony, allowing tourists to admire great works of art and enjoy the delicacy and splendour of its decorative elements.

If you would like to know more about this monument, do not hesitate to buy the tickets for the Sacromonte Abbey on the official website of the Archdiocese of Granada. Discover the charm of its temple, be amazed by its rooms and enjoy its incredible views!