Granada Cathedral: Virgen de las Angustias Chapel

The 3rd chapel that we find in the Cathedral of Granada, if we go up towards the chancel on the Gospel side, corresponds to the Virgen de las Angustias, patron saint of the city. Due to its beauty and spectacular nature, we have created an article to explain the iconography and decoration of the Virgen de las Angustias Chapel.

If you would like to obtain rigorous information about the Chapel of the Virgen de las Angustias in the Cathedral of Granada, stay and read this post, we will show you everything you need to know below!

Iconographic development

The chapel as a whole deals with the Marian, Christological, hagiographical and Christian historical theme of the city of Granada.

The white marble image of Our Lady of Sorrows and the four statues on the walls of the chapel, representing the three Marys and the apostle Saint John, are the main features. In addition, in the central stained glass window we can see the Annunciation of Mary.

The Christological sphere can be seen mainly in 2 works, an anonymous mosaic of the Holy Face or Holy Face and an oil on canvas attributed by some to José Risueño and by others to Pedro Atanasio Bocanera. This second work shows Our Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world.

With regard to hagiography, the chapel has 4 saints: two wooden carvings representing Saint Paul and The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, a 19th century oil on canvas showing Saint Francis Caracciolo adoring the Eucharist and a hard stone mosaic with The Temptation of Saint Peter, Abbot.

Finally, the iconographic development linked to the Christian history of Granada can be seen in four statues of bishops carved in stone, the work of Agustín Vera Moreno. These correspond to San Cecilio, San Gregorio Bético, San Pedro Nicolás Pascual and Santo Tomás de Villanueva.

Altarpiece

The design of the altarpiece dates from 1736 and it was not completed until 1741. A material very characteristic of the High Andalusian Baroque style was used, polychrome marble, in this case, red in colour with inlays of other colours.

The altarpiece is crowned with finials that extend the height of the stipes and, in the centre, with the vase of lilies, the motto and seal of the Metropolitan. At the base, on the central marble area, there is a heart symbol in relief with the daggers of the seven sorrows.

In the central area of the altarpiece is the Virgin of the Anguish, and on the sides are the images of the bishops mentioned above.

Stained glass

To complete the decoration of the chapel, Cardinal Casanova himself paid for a set of three upper stained glass windows. The set was made by the Mumejean company between 1925 and 1930 to designs by Ricardo García Guereta.

The side stained glass windows are rectangular in shape and have a geometric design with Passionist symbols. In addition, the theme of the central stained glass window shows the Gospel scene of the annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary.

Half-grille

The half-grille in the Chapel of the Virgen de las Angustias in Granada is 10.21 metres high. It has ornamental details such as balls, points and flowers.

One element that stands out in the half-grille is the display at the top with a Latin text from the Old Testament Book of Lamentations which, distributed letter by letter, reads: 'O vos omnes qui transitis per viam attendite et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus', which means, 'O all you who pass by the way, pay attention and see if there is pain like my pain'.

Burials

Finally, in order to know everything about the Chapel of the Virgen de las Angustias in the Cathedral of Granada, we could not forget to mention the personalities who are buried here.

Thus, the burials correspond to 3 archbishops who ruled the diocese of Granada during the 19th and 20th centuries. We find José Moreno Mazón in the centre, at the foot of the altar, Balbino Santos Olivera aligned with the previous one but closer to the entrance of the chapel and, on the right, Rafael García y García de Castro.

Why visit Granada Cathedral?

As you have seen throughout this article on the Chapel of the Virgen de las Angustias in the Cathedral of Granada, its composition and decorative elements are great works of art made by important painters and sculptors of the time, highlighting the value and delicacy of this important Cathedral.

If you would like to visit this monument, you can buy your tickets to the Cathedral of Granada on our official website of the Archdiocese of Granada. 

Enjoy the history and charm of this temple!