Monastery sights in Andalucía

1. A Map

   Monasterio de la Cartuja

   • Granada, Spain
   • Sights › Monastery

   Built between the 16th and 18th centuries by the Carthusian monks themselves, this 16th-century monastery has an imposing sand-coloured stone exterior, but it is the lavish baroque monastery church that people come to see, especially the sagrario (sanctuary) behind the main altar, a confection of red, black, white and grey-blue marble, columns with golden capitals, profuse sculpture and a beautiful frescoed cupola.

   To the left of the main altar lies the sacristía (sacristy), the ultimate expression of Spanish late baroque, in effusive ‘wedding-cake’ stucco and brown-and-white Lanjarón marble (resembling a melange of chocolate mousse and cream). The sacristía’s…

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2. B Map

   Monasterio de San Jerónimo

   • Granada, Spain
   • Sights › Monastery

   One of the most stunning Catholic buildings in Granada is a little out of the centre. At the 16th-century Monasterio de San Jerónimo, where nuns still sing vespers, every surface of the church has been painted – the stained glass literally pales in comparison.

   Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, known as El Gran Capitán and the Catholic Monarchs’ military man, is entombed here, at the foot of the steps, and figures of him and his wife stand on either side of the enormous gilt retable, which rises eight levels. Almond cookies, baked by the nuns, are for sale at the front desk, to stop your head from spinning.

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