Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo is a 13th century Nasrid palace in Granada that was used as a royal country estate residence by the Arab queens. It later became a part of the Dominican convent after the conquest of the city by Catholic monarchs. The qubba of the palace is an architectural icon and is now used to house temporary exhibitions.
Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo, located in the heart of El Realejo neighbourhood in Granada, is a noteworthy historical monument that is a popular tourist attraction in Spain. Enhanced by exploring Europe trip packages, The Royal Room of Santo Domingo was once a palace of the Nasrid dynasty built during the reign of Muhammad II. It is one of the few remarkable monuments in Andalusia and is synonymous to the great Alhambra in terms of cultural significance, architecture and decoration. The palace flaunts an authentic and artistic Nasrid Moorish architecture with a large square hall, a lofty tower, a rectangular garden and an octagonal pool. The main hall was adorned in zellij tiles, carved stuccos and a coffered wood ceiling with geometric motifs.
After the conquest of Granada by Catholic monarchs, the Christian missionaries added the palace as a part of the Dominican convent of Santa Cruz and the main hall of the palace became the Royal Hall of Santo Domingo. The palace was declared as a Heritage of Cultural Interest in 1919 and only the remains of its tower and qubba stands today. The building that houses the qubba was rehabilitated in 2015 and was made an Exhibition Hall to host events and programs, thus turning the palace into a cultural space of Granada.
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Highlights
• Visit Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo, witness its royal Nasrid architecture and explore its historical significance during the Islam dominance in Spain.
• Marvel at the ornately designed palace, the lavish garden in the facade, the entrance arch with the verse ‘God is One’ from Holy Quran, plaster panels on the walls and plaster latticework on the arches.
• Take a walk to the three balconies of the main hall from where you can capture amazing views of the landscape and the hanging central arch.
• Witness excavations of military buildings around the qubba and participate in the temporary exhibitions organised at the Reception Hall of the palace to learn about the history and culture of Granada.
How To Reach
By bus: The nearest bus station to Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo is Acera Del Darro 1 - Fuente De Las Batallas and transit lines F1, S2, 8, 9 and 11 stop here. Buses on lines C30 and C32 stop at Plaza Realejo bus station from where the palace is just 2 minutes away. You can also take the bus on route C35 to Plaza Fortuny - Realejo station and then walk to the palace.
By metro: Take a metro train on Line M to Andres Segovia station from where you can walk to the palace in 8 minutes.
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Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo is during the morning and mid-noon hours from 10:30 AM to 1 PM when the place is free from tourist crowds. You will require at least 45 minutes to fully explore the palace. It is advisable to visit on weekdays as weekends and holidays tend to be busier than usual.
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Other Essential Information
Tips to Visit Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo
- The entrance fee to Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo is 2 Euros per person for adults and 1 Euro per person for students, children and pensioners on all working days of the week while entry is free on Sundays.
- You can get entry to the palace with Granada Card and La Dobla de Oro.
- Entrance fee should be paid by credit card at the box office
- The palace is closed on all Sunday afternoons, Mondays, Christmas and New Year.
- Visit the palace during the morning hours as soon as it opens to explore the place without the hustle of tourist crowds.
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Observation Deck
Albaicin is well-known for the gorgeous landscape and the panoramic views of the scenery it offers. It houses many observation decks and viewpoints from where visitors can witness a labyrinth of narrow streets and squares. Some of the best vantage points are San Cristobal Viewpoint, Cruz de la Rada Viewpoint, and Saint Nicholas’ lookout.
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Exhibitions
Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo was renovated in 2015 and its qubba was made into an Exhibition Hall to host temporary exhibitions on various fields of work like literary, art and science. These exhibitions are organised by Granada City Council and Albaicín-Granada Public Agency. These exhibitions discuss various topics like Andalusian Astronomy, Al-Andalus Mathematical Walk, Fandango Club which talks about the artworks by Julio Juste, making of the graphic novel ‘The spider of Oblivion’ and historical flags of Spain.
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Cultural Heritage
The Albaicin neighbourhood is the home to a plenty of landmarks that portray the rich cultural heritage of Granada and the authentic Moorish architecture. You can find several different types of buildings like domestic civil monuments, public civil establishment, religious buildings, ramparts and hydraulic infrastructure.
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Tourism Board Alliances
Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo FAQs
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