Granada · Spain
Royal Chapel of Granada
A practical guide to the Royal Chapel of Granada: the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs, the crypt, Isabella's crown, how much time to give it and how to get in free on Wednesday afternoons.
Small, quiet and well worth it. It takes 20 or 30 minutes, and on Wednesday afternoons it costs nothing if you book.
The Royal Chapel is the mausoleum of Isabella and Ferdinand, the Catholic Monarchs: the ones who took Granada in 1492, funded Columbus and expelled the Jews that same year. They’re buried here, under two pairs of marble figures, alongside their daughter Joanna and their son-in-law Philip. It’s a small building, a 20- or 30-minute visit.
Our visit
We visited on Wednesday, May 20, at 17:40, the day we drove in from Seville. At first we had it planned for our Alhambra day, but we moved it to Wednesday for the free entry from 14:30 to 18:30. That also took some weight off the next day.
We went before the Cathedral, which is right next door and which we entered at 18:00 for about 20 minutes. We decided that based on what we’d read: the chapel is intimate and quiet, and it’s better to see it first. Coming from El Bañuelo and the Carrera del Darro, the walk to Calle Oficios took ten minutes.
A little history
In 1504, shortly before her death, Isabella and Ferdinand put in writing that they wanted to be buried in Granada, the city that closed out the Reconquista. Isabella died that same year and was buried temporarily in a convent inside the Alhambra; Ferdinand followed in 1516.
Enrique Egas built the chapel between 1505 and 1517 in the Isabelline Gothic style. In 1521 their grandson, Charles V, had the remains moved to the crypt. The monarchs’ tomb was carved in Italy by the Florentine Domenico Fancelli; the one for Joanna and Philip was begun by Bartolomé Ordóñez and took so long to arrive that it was installed in 1603.
The chapel was Spain’s royal pantheon until Philip II built El Escorial. Isabella’s collection of Flemish and Italian painting stayed in the sacristy.
How it fits into your day
It’s two minutes from Plaza Nueva and ten from the lower Albaicín, so it pairs well with an afternoon along the Carrera del Darro. See our first day in Granada.
What to see, in order
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The main grille
The gilded iron grille by Maestro Bartolomé, from 1520 and about five meters tall. It separates the nave from the transept where the tombs are.
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The marble tombs
Two pairs of reclining figures in Carrara marble: Ferdinand and Isabella, by Domenico Fancelli, and their daughter Joanna with Philip the Handsome, by Bartolomé Ordóñez. Notice the scepter on Isabella's chest.
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The crypt
A few steps down are the actual lead coffins, marked with initials: F, Y, J, F, and a small one for Prince Miguel. The contrast with the marble upstairs is what stays with you most from the visit.
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The main altarpiece
Commissioned by Charles V between 1519 and 1521, with the Catholic Monarchs praying on either side and pomegranates everywhere.
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The sacristy museum
Ferdinand's sword, Isabella's crown (14 cm, gilded silver) and scepter, and her painting collection: Botticelli's Agony in the Garden, Memling, Perugino and Van der Weyden.
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The pomegranates
The city's symbol (granada means pomegranate) appears more than a hundred times on friezes, capitals and the altarpiece. Counting them turns into a game.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Photos are forbidden inside and silence is requested. If you accept that from the start, the visit works better.
- Shoulders and knees covered, no hats or sunglasses.
- The audio guide is included with the regular ticket. No need to pay extra or hire a guide.
- The Chapel and the Cathedral share a wall, but they have separate entrances and tickets. The Cathedral entrance is on Plaza de las Pasiegas.
Do
- Visit it before the Cathedral: after all the gold in the Cathedral, the chapel doesn't land as well.
- Go down to the crypt and stay half a minute in front of the coffins.
- Set a reminder to book the free Wednesday a day ahead.
Don’t
- Don't hire the "official guides" with lanyards on Calle Oficios: they're not licensed by the chapel.
- Don't buy "skip-the-line" tickets on booking platforms; at the door there's almost never more than a 5- or 10-minute wait.
- Don't eat at the tourist set menus around the chapel; Plaza Nueva is two minutes away.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Royal Chapel of Granada free?
On Wednesdays from 14:30 to 18:30, if you reserve your time slot on the Archdiocese of Granada website at least 24 hours ahead.
How much time do you need?
Between 20 and 30 minutes for the chapel, the crypt and the sacristy museum.
Can you take photos inside?
No. It's forbidden and they enforce it. Photos are taken outside, in the Lonja and of the facade on Calle Oficios.
Who is buried in the Royal Chapel?
Isabella and Ferdinand, the Catholic Monarchs, their daughter Joanna I, their son-in-law Philip I and Prince Miguel, grandson of the Catholic Monarchs.