The Chapter House of the Cartuja Monastery of Granada

The Charterhouse of Granada is one of the most emblematic monuments of the city, due to its history, its rooms, its beauty and the numerous works of art that can be found inside. Today we will tell you all about one of its fundamental spaces, the chapterhouse of the Monasterio de la Cartuja de Granada.

Would you like to know what is the composition and what sculptures can be seen in the chapterhouse of the Monasterio de la Cartuja de Granada? Stay and read our post, we show you everything you need to know below!

Composition of the Chapter House of the Monastery of Granada

The first thing you notice before entering the chapter house of the Cartuja of Granada is a simple doorway with Doric columns and a pediment divided by the coat of arms of Castile. Here we also find a beautiful doorway made by the lay carpenter Friar Juan Martín.

It has a rectangular floor plan and was built between 1565 and 1567. Although vaults were used throughout the nave, which were derived from ribbed roofs, the evolution towards the Renaissance is present, with a glimpse of Mannerist aesthetics.

A ribbed roof can be glimpsed throughout the nave, followed by a barrel vault with coffered ceilings in the last section, finishing off the octagonal vault with square coffered ceilings and Romanesque pendentives.

It should also be noted that there was a second entrance to the hall through the passageway that opened behind the altarpiece, which led to the old sacristy.

Sculptures in the chapterhouse of the Cartuja de Granada Monastery

In the chapterhouse of the Monasterio de la Cartuja de Granada there are two sculptures that catch the eye as soon as you enter the room. These are the Christ of Sorrows and the Virgin of the Rosary.

Christ of the Sorrows

This work is considered to be the most outstanding work of the García brothers, sculptors from the city of Granada during the first decades of the 17th century, who have come to be established as one of the initiators of the great Andalusian Baroque.

The sculpture is larger than life-size and the image depicts Christ in his last prayer on Golgotha, immediately before the crucifixion, and includes an engraving by Albrecht Dürer.

The head has an astonishing expressive power, leading the viewer to commune with the pain Christ is suffering. In addition, there is a marked physiognomy with large eyes, a pronounced nose and a split beard, as well as a balanced anatomical build.

Christ's nudity is only interrupted by the perizonium, which is knotted on itself without the need for cordage. Likewise, a thick rope compresses his neck and binds his folded hands in a prayerful pose.

Virgin of the Rosary

The work of the Granada sculptor José Risueño, this Virgin wears a tunic, cloak and headdress that covers her head, sweetly holding the Child, which makes a fusion between the two figures with a masterly exquisiteness.

On the one hand, the image ascends vertically, interrupted by the communion between Mother and Child. Furthermore, the axial point is closed by the 2 heads and the rhythm of the Virgin's arms.

Similarly, we can see that the mantle plays with a broad balance of folds, recalling the works of Alonso Cano.

After the last restoration, which took place in 2019, its original polychromy was recovered, highlighting the greenish blue mantle enriched with a matt gold gallon painted with a brush. Also noteworthy is the decoration of the tunic on the red and the Virgin's headdress, appropriately white.

Buy your tickets to the Cartuja Monastery of Granada

As we have seen throughout this article on the chapterhouse of the Cartuja Monastery in Granada, this room became the most important after the church, as a result of its varied functions. Moreover, it is especially important because of the sculptures it contains.

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

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