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It is one of the main monuments of the city of Granada. It is impossible to walk through the old town and not see it raised above the Plaza de las Pasiegas. (By the way, one of the most beautiful squares!) Do you know how to visit the Granada Cathedral?
Undoubtedly one of the places to include in your visit to Granada and that will provide you with great information about the history of the capital.
Let’s see everything you need to know!
How to visit the Granada Cathedral (Prices, schedules, guided visits …)
It is really called “Santa y Apostólica Iglesia Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de la Encarnación de Granada”, but we better call it the Granada Cathedral! 😉
It is a Catholic temple, a masterpiece of the Spanish Renaissance and the seat of the archdiocese of the city.
We are going to locate ourselves in its passage through the extensive history of Granada, but we are also going to know what is the schedule and price to visit the Cathedral of Granada.
The Granada Cathedral constitutes a masterpiece of the Spanish Renaissance.
What is its history?
Its history spans hundreds of years and numerous events, but we can bring you up to speed with a brief historical introduction.
We have to go back to 1523 to talk about the beginning of the construction of this building directed by Enrique Egas and ordered to be built by Queen Isabel la Católica many years before.
Like many other cathedrals in Andalusia, it was built on top of the city’s main mosque.
In that same place, the works of the Royal Chapel had already begun, which in the future would contain the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs.
Until seeing the work as we know it today, it took 200 years and different architects.
Enrique Egas was in charge of the foundations (initially for a Gothic work), Diego de Siloé raised the Renaissance cathedral on the Gothic foundations, after his death, his disciple Juan de Maeda continued with the construction, Alonso Cano continued with the facade in 1664, already introducing baroque elements.
A posteriori, due to economic problems and the death of Alonso Cano, the Granada Cathedral was left with only one tower of the two that it should have.
Finally, in 1706, Francisco Hurtado Izquierdo and José Bada built the current Tabernacle of the cathedral.
Definitely! Several generations and several project changes to achieve one of the most important and visited monuments in Granada, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe and a masterpiece of the Spanish Renaissance.
It is normal that we are very proud of our cathedral! 🤩
Where to buy the Granada Cathedral tickets?
You have several ticket options to visit the Cathedral of Granada:
- Guided visit ticket to the Granada Cathedral: if you want someone specialized to guide you and explain everything you want to know about the monument, we recommend a Granada Cathedral, Royal Chapel and Madraza private guided tour. A higher quality visit with zero worries!
- Individual ticket: if you prefer to visit the Granada Cathedral by yourself, you can buy the ticket at the door of the monument. This ticket does not include the Royal Chapel ticket.
- Tourist voucher: if you want to make a mainly cultural visit to the city, there is a Granada Card, a tourist voucher that includes, in addition to the Alhambra and bus transport, other 16 monuments and museums, including the Cathedral and Royal Chapel.
What is the Granada Cathedral schedule?
The monument is open to the public throughout the year.
Except during hours of worship and other religious celebrations, the hours of the Granada Cathedral for your visit are:
- Monday to Saturday: from 10am to 6:15 pm
- Sunday: from 3pm to 6.15pm
On December 25 and January 1, the monument is closed.
However, it is advisable to confirm the opening hours directly with the monument, by calling +34 958 22 29 59.
And, how long does it take to see the Granada Cathedral?
The duration of the complete visit usually lasts about 2 hours (Cathedral, Royal Chapel and surroundings).
What is the Granada Cathedral price?
The rates for the Granada Cathedral are as follows:
- Individual ticket: € 5
- Group ticket: € 5
- Children with family up to 12 years: free
- Entrance for students (colleges and university students up to 25 years old): € 3.5
- Different capacities: € 3.5
- Schools of Granada and province (under 25 years of age, during school hours and not exchange students): free
- With Granada Card tourist voucher (includes entry to Alhambra + 16 monuments and museums: € 36.40, € 40 or € 43: / person, depending on number of days. Buy Granada Card voucher.
What to see in the Granada Cathedral?
Strolling through the center of the capital, it is inevitable to ignore this monument that stands out over the low-rise buildings and narrow streets.
Almost without warning, you enter the beautiful Plaza de las Pasiegas and come across this amazing monument 😍, beautiful on the outside but also beautiful on the inside.
Although the free tickets only include access to the Granada Cathedral, the cathedral and the Royal Chapel are usually visited together, as they are two attached buildings and related in their history.
But, what does the Granada Cathedral include inside and out?
Inside, very beautiful elements and pieces of great historical value such as:
- Its plant consists of 5 naves, highlighting the central nave, where the Main Chapel is located.
- The Chapels; highlighting the Main Chapel, one of the most beautiful in Spain, which has 2 twin organs from the 18th century and a great ornamental wealth. In the side chapels, the Altarpiece of the Nazarene stands out.
- The Royal Chapel. It is the place where the remains of the Catholic Monarchs rest, who were first buried in the Alhambra until his grandson, Carlos V, finished the Chapel according to the wishes of his grandparents and transferred his mortal remains here, as well as those of his father. , Felipe the Beautiful. In fact, although it is currently a side chapel of the Cathedral, it was built many years before this one. The ideal is to visit both places together, but the entrance to the Royal Chapel is from the outside and the tickets are bought separately from those of the Cathedral.
- Altars, highlighting the Main Altar and its spectacular altarpiece.
- Exhibition room, with a Renaissance door carved in stone and where pieces of various plastic arts are exhibited: painting, sculpture, tapestry, goldsmithing or sacred ornaments.
- Famous sculptures by Alonso Cano and the García Brothers, such as the Immaculate, the Crucified or the Ecce Homo.
- A collection of Flemish tapestries.
- A rich collection of Granada silverware, one of the most unknown and with an indisputable artistic value.
- A rich pictorial heritage, both of Flemish, Italian or Spanish works. Works by Alonso Cano, José Ribera and El Greco stand out.
On the outside it stands out:
- The main facade, one of the main attractions. Baroque work created by the Granada-born architect Alonso Cano and where the main access door is located.
- Side covers; The Puerta del Perdón, Puerta de San Jerónimo and Puerta del Ecce Homo.
- Tower. Although his project consisted of 2 twin towers of 80 meters high, only one was built, which is visible from many points of the city.
With all this information on how to visit the Granada Cathedral, you can start planning your next visit to the city. We also advise you to find out what to see in the historic center of Granada and what to do on a weekend in Granada😉
