Royal Chapel of Granada
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Royal_Chapel_of_Granada_%28Spain%29.jpg/324px-Royal_Chapel_of_Granada_%28Spain%29.jpg)
The Royal Chapel of Granada (
History
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The
First we ordain that in the Cathedral of the city of Granada it made an honest chapel in which are, when the will of Our Lord be, our bodies buried. This chapel will be called Of the Kings under the invocation of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist.[1]
The Royal Chapel was built between 1505 and 1517 in
Construction occurred during the lifetime of King Ferdinand, and the Chapel flourished under his successor Emperor
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Weeks_Edwin_Lord_Market_Square_in_Front_of_the_Sacristy_and_Doorway_of_the_Cathedral_Granada.jpg/220px-Weeks_Edwin_Lord_Market_Square_in_Front_of_the_Sacristy_and_Doorway_of_the_Cathedral_Granada.jpg)
The Royal Chapel became one of the top tourist attractions in Granada in the latter half of the twentieth century.[citation needed] Recently there has been a restoration with the collaboration of the Ministry of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía and the Foundation Caja Madrid, along with other public and private contributions.
Architecture and sculpture
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Granada_Cathedral_rear_%288169710093%29.jpg/220px-Granada_Cathedral_rear_%288169710093%29.jpg)
The interior of the chapel follows the same model as the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo. It has four side chapels, creating the form of a Latin cross[5] and a nave with a Gothic ribbed vault. The choir has a centered arch down to its base, and a crypt.
The passage to the presbytery creates a luminous effect to symbolize the sun and the light of justice (in an Albertian, Neo-Platonic sense). There is a hierarchy of the transept dedicated to mausoleum, which is separated by a monumental decorated grille forged by Bartolomé Ordoñez.
In the center of the transept lie the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand by Domenico Fancelli and Joanna and Philip (by Bartolomé Ordóñez).[4] The tombs are set high and mark their priority and are almost at the height of the altar (symbolizes the closeness of the kings to God).
Content
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Granada-Capilla_Real-7-Sepulcro_de_los_Reyes_Cat%C3%B3licos_%28Domenico_Fancelli%29.jpg/220px-Granada-Capilla_Real-7-Sepulcro_de_los_Reyes_Cat%C3%B3licos_%28Domenico_Fancelli%29.jpg)
In the Royal Chapel can be seen the graves of:
- Isabella I of Castile, Queen of Castile, and of her husband
- Ferdinand II of Aragon, King of Aragon.
In another tomb, by Bartolomé Ordóñez, is represented:
- Joanna of Castile "the Mad", Queen of Castile and Aragon, and her husband:
- Philip I of Castile "the Handsome", King jure uxoris of Castile; his heart is buried in the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, Belgium.
In the crypt is also the sarcophagus of the
The most important parts inside the temple are its main altar and reredos, the wrought-iron rood screen and the crypt with the five lead coffins containing the remains of kings and the little Infante, each recognizable by the initials of their names.
The chapel is still dedicated to Catholic worship, and at certain times it is closed to tourists.
One may also visit the Sacristy-Museum, with the legacy of the Catholic Monarchs. Highlights of its gallery of paintings are works of the
In the angle between the Royal Chapel and the Sagrario is the
Maestros (music directors)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Capilla_real_reliquary_left03.jpg/220px-Capilla_real_reliquary_left03.jpg)
From its foundation and for centuries, the Royal Chapel emplyed masters who were entrusted with composing music for liturgical functions, and direction of all matters relating to its interpretation. Between services these musicians had to attend to the education of the choirboys (known as infantillos or seises) and care of the archive.
Applicants for the post of maestro had to undergo competitive examinations testing their prowess at composition and musical knowledge. Success in the process could only be achieved by genuine artists. Among the files that make up the music catalog of this institution stand out for their number and their extraordinary chronological extension, those corresponding to the work of Antonio Cavallero, who was appointed to post in 1757, replacing Pedro Furió and officially it leaves to die around 1822, closing an interesting relationship of tenured masters. Other notable chapel masters of the Royal Chapel included:
- Bernardino de Figueroa – later bishop at Brindisi in Italy 1571–1591.[6]
- Rodrigo de Ceballos (1561–1581)
- Ambrosio Cotes (1581–1596)
- Alonso de Mena (1587-1646) born in Granada.
Notes
- Spanish Monarchs since Escorial in Castile.
- Prior to Isabella I, royal families were buried in cities across the Iberian peninsula.
References
- ^ "Royal Chapel of Granada – The Royal Chapel of Granada houses the mortal remains of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand V of Aragon, called the Catholic Kings".
- ^ "Royal Chapel", España es Cultura
- ^ "Royal Chapel of Granada", Religiana
- ^ a b "Royal Chapel of Granada: Royal Tombs", CurateND
- ^ "Royal Chapel of Granada". andalucia.com.
- ^ Moreno, Antonio Martín. Historia de la música andaluza, 1985 p. 154
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
37°10′33.55″N 3°35′56.53″W / 37.1759861°N 3.5990361°W
Rayo Muñoz, G. Castilian monarchy and dynastic memory: the financing of the Royal Chapel of Granada (1504–1526): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17546559.2021.1972327?journalCode=ribs20