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Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción "La Cartuja" Overview

A monastery that formerly housed Carthusian monks in Cartuja is the Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción ``La Cartuja". The town's famous baroque church serves as its main draw. Construction on the monastery began in 1516 under the direction of Córdoba architect Don Gonzalo Fernández, and monks occupied the site until 1835.

Cartuja Monastery, a prime example of the fashionable Baroque style, was started in the 16th century but wasn't finished for almost 300 years. Near the front entry is a tiny garden designed as a cloister, and beyond that are several little chapels decorated with paintings of the martyrs.

The site has a stunning church with a single nave and an elaborate interior. On the outskirts of the city in the 16th century, there existed a Carthusian monastery called Monasterio de la Cartuja. Despite its austere façade, the building's sunny courtyard and magnificent interior give it an air of refined simplicity.

One of the most magnificent churches in Spain is located there. The monastery's Baroque Sanctuary is filled with exquisite works of art, including paintings, marble statues, altar items, and more. The most noteworthy aspect of Luis de Arevalo's church design is the sacristy. The Last Supper, painted by Fray Juan Sanchez Cotan, hangs in the refectory.

Suggested Read: Top Things to Do in Granada

Highlights

• Visit the Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción "La Cartuja" which served as home to a group of Carthusian monks from the time it was built until 1835.
• Exploring the austere exterior of this historic monastic complex conceals one of the most magnificently decorated Carthusian monasteries in all of Spain.
• Enter via the doors and admire the enormous courtyard, up the stairs, and into the monastery's ornate main church.
• View the four sculptures, including an effigy of St. Bruno (the founder of the Carthusian Order), standing in front of the church.
• Check out the elaborate canopies made of wood and mirrors that hang over the main altar, and take note of the countless paintings and sculptures that adorn the walls and ceilings.
• Proceed behind the altar and into the Sancta Sanctorum only to find an extravagant tabernacle made of marble and jasper that stands at its heart.
• Look at the paintings in the Refectory by a monk and artist Juan Sánchez Cotán if you wish to learn more about the background of the Carthusian Order. 
• Take a respite at the cloister's center fountain area, surrounded by orange trees.

How To Reach

By bus - About three kilometers outside of Granada's downtown is where you'll find the Cartuja Monastery. It's recommended that you take one of the following city buses: N7, U1, U2, or U3. Places like "Science Education" and "Paseo de Cartuja" are where you should get off and explore. You can expect to pay around €6 for a taxi ride into the heart of the city.

Must Read: Historical Places In Granada

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit La Cartuja is in the early morning hours when there is less crowd and you can explore the infrastructure without any rush. It is advisable to visit the place on weekdays to avoid the crowd.

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Other Essential Information

Tips to Visit Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción "La Cartuja"

  • The remote La Cartuja Monastery provides a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
  • To respect the privacy of those who are worshipping here, please dress modestly.
  • Within the walls of the monastery, recording video or taking photographs is strictly forbidden.
  • It is advisable to book your tickets prior so that you can enjoy your visit without any worries. 
  • Please wear comfortable shoes as visiting the monastery includes lot of walking 
  • Carry a water bottle with you which will keep you hydrated throughout your trip. 

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Point of Interest for Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción "La Cartuja"
Common rooms and Claustrillo
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Common rooms and Claustrillo

The refectory, profundis chamber, layman's, monk's chapter house, and church are all connected to the cloister, a work from the 17th century, through which the monastic community shares its daily meals and worship. Several of the picture series presently displayed here were formerly housed in the claustrillo. The refectory is a small, plain space with a ribbed vault that harkens back to the Carthusians' severe lifestyle. Fray Juan Sanchez Cotin's priceless artwork still hangs there to this day. The Legos room, formerly a chapel, is now the oldest portion of the complex; the Profundis room served as the monks' dining hall and prayer space before meals. Paintings by Vicente Carducho are on display in the chapter house, a building that heralds the Renaissance, even before it arrives.

Recommended Read: Top Tourist Attractions In Granada Spain

Church
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Church

The temple is a single nave structure with three separate sections. The first is aimed at city dwellers, the second at laypeople, and the third at religious leaders like monks. The church has the paintings by Sanchez de Cotán adorn the walls. These six paintings depicting events in the life of the Virgin are surrounded by statues in this elaborately adorned room.The doors were embellished by José Manuel Vázquez with shells, ivory, silver, and ebony. The primary altar is a wooden structure with mirrored embellishments.

Planning a trip to Granada? You can Checkout: Granada Tour Packages

Sacristy
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Sacristy

It is said, José de Bada, an architect born in Granada who worked for firms founded by Cordovan's father. Marble, stucco, furniture, and paintings, everything brought together with the help of illumination. A temple which contains within its walls an expansiveness that defies the rationale of any sacristy. All of the stucco carvings inside and out are abstract and geometric in nature. Exquisitely executed work that has a lovely optical illusion on the viewer. The room's grandiosity is amplified by the void at its centre, the whiteness of its walls, the volumetric play, and the rhomboid pattern of its floor. The constant presence of light is therefore crucial to its design.

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Chapter House
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Chapter House

Taking a vow of silence, the Carthusians met only in the Chapter House and spoke only there. In this space, bricks serve as the seats. There were community issues, both practical and religious, that were often discussed at these gatherings. Our contemplation of the evolution of art from the Baroque to the Renaissance is greatly enhanced by the seclusion of this space.

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Tabernacle
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Tabernacle

This incredible masterpiece, which combines architecture, sculpture, and painting, is unmatched anywhere in Europe. Hurtado Izquierdo assembled an elite team of artisans to create this masterpiece, including some of the finest sculptors, painters, and stonemasons of the era. It's covered in a dazzling array of materials, including marbles in a variety of colours, sculptures, paintings, canopies, and curtains, giving the space a strong dramatic and religious vibe. The marble tabernacle rises in the middle like a stone monstrance, enticing you to gaze skyward by constantly shifting its shapes. Absolutely nothing here moves slowly or in a straight line, but everything has a deliberate home here.

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The Compass, exterior
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The Compass, exterior

It is entered through a doorway built by Juan Garcia de Prada in the 16th century to the tempo of the Monastery, a place that acts as a prelude and is enclosed by a wall that isolates it from the secular world. The entrance to the monastery is reached via a double staircase made of Sierra Elvira marble that dates back to the 17th century and was planned by Cristobal de Vilchez, who also happened to have laid the best surviving example of Granada's 1600s cobblestones at the bottom of the staircase. Architect Joaquin Hermoso is responsible for the church's neoclassical façade, which dates back to the late 18th century. 

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