Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel), Granada

Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel), Granada (must see)

When Queen Isabella moved into Granada, she was a woman who had found her new home. She was determined to fix it up, to make it her own. Among the first things on her list was to make an addition to that new cathedral that was sitting on the old mosque. The add-on would be her very own chapel, not a little one either. It would be her Main Chapel.

The Main Chapel was constructed at last by 1517. It was built in the new Isabelline style. It is a transition from Gothic to early Renaissance architecture. Isabella planned to stay. By royal decree the chapel was declared to be the future burial site for herself and King Ferdinand. The King did not object.

The chapel is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. The interior is reminiscent of the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo. It has four side chapels in the form of a cross and a Gothic vault. In the center of the transept are the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand. The tombs are sculpted and raised.

Spoiler alert. The tombs are empty. The royal remains are actually in the crypt below. Since the church is still used for services, the crypt is not always open to visitors. The Catholic kings and queens are joined in this chapel. Their memorials mark the emergence of the coming power and glory of Spain and the brilliant renaissance of Europe.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Granada. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel) on Map

Sight Name: Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel)
Sight Location: Granada, Spain (See walking tours in Granada)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Granada, Spain

Create Your Own Walk in Granada

Create Your Own Walk in Granada

Creating your own self-guided walk in Granada is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Granada Introduction Walking Tour

Granada Introduction Walking Tour

The story of the city of Granada does not properly begin until the Umayyad conquest of 711 AD. The Iberian peninsula fell under Moorish rule that would last 700 years and the Jewish settlement of Garnata al-Jahud grew to become Granada of Al-Andalus.

The long Reconquest of Spain finally ended when the Emirate of Granada was ceded by Mohammad XII to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Alhambra Walking Tour

Alhambra Walking Tour

One of the first places a tourist wants to visit in Granada is Alhambra, the region’s most iconic sight. By far not a typically Spanish attraction, this enormous fortress encompasses palaces, gardens, courtyards, and is the greatest surviving relic of Andalusia’s 800 years of Moorish rule. The sprawling complex sits forbiddingly atop the Darro valley, against a dramatic backdrop of the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Albayzín Walking Tour

Albayzín Walking Tour

The Moorish quarter of Albaycín is a world of its own inside Granada. Mainly, this is due to a strong Islamic vibe still present in the area. The city's oldest district was established by Arabs in the 11th century and to date has retained much of its original charm, manifested in the neat maze of narrow Medieval lanes, shady, intimate courtyards and squares, plus a multitude of well-kept,...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Granada's Architectural Jewels

Granada's Architectural Jewels

Over the course of centuries, Granada's architecture has been influenced by four major styles – Moorish, Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque. The city’s most impressive buildings date from the period of Arabic rule and the subsequent Catholic epoch which started after the Moors were displaced in 1492.

From the dazzling majesty of the Alhambra to the awe-inspiring churches and the subtly...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles