Cartuja Monastery in Granada - The Best Spanish Baroque

The Cartuja Monastery, also known as the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, is one of the finest masterpieces of Spanish Baroque architecture.

A Glimpse into History of the Monastery of Cartuja in Granada

Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdova, the Great Captain, donated the land for the construction of the Royal Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de la Cartuja in Granada to serve as his family mausoleum.

The area chosen was Aynadamar or Fuente de las Lágrimas, near Alfacar.

The founding monks, who came from the Monastery of Santa María del Paular, decided to change the location and chose the current one, which annoyed the Gran Capitán who then abandoned the project.

The works began in 1506, although it took three centuries before it was finally finished. Hence, the variety of styles present in this wonderful monumental work.

Here you will enjoy true masterpieces of the Late Gothic, Renaissance and Spanish Baroque. The best artists of the time decorated its interor, including Diego de Siloé, José de Mora, the García brothers, Antonio Palomino and Hurtado Izquierdo, among others.

What to See in the Cartuja Monastery of Granada

The monastery is accessed through a Plateresque doorway, typical of the Renaissance Spanish, 16th century.

From the large 17th century cobblestone courtyard, where you can park, you can see the facade of the church and the staircase that leads into the monumental complex.

During the visit, two very different parts are distinguished by their style and decoration, all determined by the use given to these rooms.

In the part where the rooms for the daily tasks of the Carthusian monks are located, the style and decoration are simple and austere, although they contain important works of art.

This part of the monastery was built in the first half of the 16th century.

In the church, however, the imagination runs wild. The exuberance of the church, the Sanctum Sanctorum and the Sacristy contrasts greatly with the rest of the monastery. This spectacular work of art was built in the second half of the 17th century.

The Cloister

The visit begins in the cloister: a haven of peace and tranquillity with its orange trees, fountain and aromatic plants.

Of the large Cloister, which disappeared a long time ago, only the entrance door remains in one corner of this small cloister.

The only function of this cloister was to connect the different common rooms of the monks.

The Refectory

We enter the Refectory, the friars' dining room: here you will find one of the most important series of monastic paintings in Spain, works by Fray Juan Sánchez Cotán. Most of them are tenebrist paintings.

The one depicting the Holy Supper and the Martyrs of England stand out, in which, depending on where you look at the painting, the horses seem to be going in that direction.

Next to the Refectory is the small room of the De Profundis or room of St. Peter and St. Paul, of classicist style. Here the friars did penance.

There is an altar painted on the wall and a painting of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. In this painting Sánchez Cotán once again plays with optical illusion as he already did with the cross painted in the Refectory.

The Lego Room

The lego room is covered by a Gothic-style pointed vault, which is the oldest of the monumental complex.

Here we find important works by Vicente Carducho and José de Mora.

Chapter Room

Chapter Room is meeting place of the Carthusian monks and the only place where they spoke, since they had a vow of silence.

The seats in this room are made of austere bricks. Here they met regularly to discuss community issues, both everyday problems and theological issues.

In this enclosure we can contemplate the transition from the Baroque to the Renaissance.

The magnificent wooden door and the works of José Risueño and the García brothers, the greatest exponents of Granada and Andalusian Baroque, stand out.

We return to the cloister and go to the opposite wing, where there are a series of small side chapels dedicated to individual worship, dating from the 16th - 18th centuries.

The Church

We enter the church through the door reserved for laymen, simpler than that of monks. Here we discover the enormous treasures that this majestic temple contains.

Carthusian churches are not cross-shaped. The order broke with the established models and, although they are adapted to the construction styles of the time, they always have a single nave divided into three parts.

We first come across the part of the faithful, a small anteroom limited by a fence that prevents access.

The second part is the choir of lay brothers, separated from the friars' choir by two beautiful altars and an impressive transparent inlaid door.

The Fathers' Choir is more luminous and spacious, as the monks gather there daily for chanting and mass.

The center of attention is the Main Altar, where the Tabernacle is located. A glazed triumphal arch announces the existence of something superior.

The Sanctuary

Go around the altar to reach the Sancta Sanctuary with its impressive Lanjarón marble baldachin in the center.

This is a true Baroque masterpiece by the great Hurtado Izquierdo, who brought together here to the best stonemasons, painters and sculptors of the time. the best stonemasons, painters and sculptors of the time.

It conveys the seclusion of a holy place. The visitor feels small before the exuberance of the decorative elements.

The marvelous celestial dome painted by Antonio Palomino is one of his great works.

The Sacristy

You leave the Tabernacle with the feeling of having already seen the best of the monumental complex but when you enter the Sacristy you will understand why it has been called 'the most beautiful sacristy in the world'.

It is the last place of our visit, and it seems that it has been reserved to leave us speechless on our departure.

The sacristy is especially important in the Carthusian Order, being the place where the friars prepare for the most important moment of the day: the community mass. It is the prelude to the sacred.

This is a highpoint in Spanish baroque style believed to be the work of Hurtado Izquierdo.

The precious inlaid chests of drawers used to store the vestments and ornaments for mass They were carved by the lay brother Jose Manuel Vázquez who took 34 years to finish them.

On the white walls the stucco harmonizes perfectly with the reddish color of the marble of the High Altar, presided over by San Bruno.

Look at the veins in the marble and for the figures: the fish, the dog, the Spanish lady.

The diamond-shaped black and white tile floor and the absence of furniture in the center enhances the feeling of spaciousness and helps the other decorative elements to stand out above all.

Entrance Prices and Opening Hours

Entrance Prices of the Cartuja Monastery

Opening Hours of the Monastery of the Cartuja Monastery

The ticket office closes 30 minutes before closing time.

Location, Telephone and How to Get to the Monastery

The Cartuja Monastery is located in the area called Cartuja, very close to the university campus, about two kilometers from the center.

One of the advantages of this wonderful place is the free parking and right at the door.

If you want to go on the Grenada urban bus, line 8 will take you there.

The U1 or U3 (university) bus routes, also stop at the Monastery, but these only work during the academic year.

The stop at the Cartuja Monastery is 'Ciencia de la Educación' or 'Paseo de Cartuja'.

Address: La Cartuja Monastery, Paseo de Cartuja, Granada. Telephone: 958 161 932.

Shop for Gifts and Books on the Monastery of Cartuja

In the entrance courtyard, where the monastery car park is, there is a cute craft and gift shop called "Artesanía Contreras".

Here you can buy books, postcards and other souvenirs from your visit to the Cartuja Monastery.

The star gift is the rosaries scented with rose or jasmine petals, handmade by Carthusian monks.

They also sell fresh water, calendars, handicrafts and other souvenirs from Granada.

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