Built between the 16th and 18th centuries by the Carthusian monks themselves, this monastery features an imposing sandstone exterior and some incredibly lavish baroque decor. A highlight is the sagrario (sanctuary) behind the main altar in the church, a dizzying ensemble of coloured marble, columns and sculpture capped by a beautiful frescoed cupola.
To get to the monastery, take bus LAC or N7 from the city centre.
Also in the church, to the left of the main altar, the sacristía (sacristy) offers another blast of late-baroque effusion with its ‘wedding-cake’ stucco and brown-and-white Lanjarón marble. The sacristía’s cabinets, veneered and inlaid with mahogany, ebony, ivory, shell and silver during the 18th century, represent a high point of Granada’s marquetry art.
San Bruno, founder of the Carthusian order, can be seen everywhere; a few of his bones are embedded in the gilt and mirrored altar.
