Royal Chapel of Granada, Granada, Guide du visiteur et quoi faire à proximité

The Royal Chapel of Granada (Capilla Real) is the burial place of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the Catholic Monarchs who completed the conquest of Granada in 1492. It stands beside the cathedral in the old centre of Granada, and it is one of the most important royal monuments in Spain.

The story behind it

Isabella and Ferdinand chose Granada as their resting place to mark the end of the Reconquista and the fall of the last Muslim kingdom on the peninsula. Isabella died in 1504, and work on the chapel began soon after, in a late Gothic style by the architect Enrique Egas. It was finished in the years after Ferdinand's death in 1516. The couple were first buried in a convent on the Alhambra hill and moved here in 1521.

The marble tombs were carved in Italy by Domenico Fancelli, in Renaissance style, and show the two monarchs lying side by side. Beside them is the tomb of their daughter Joanna and her husband Philip, a later work in the same chapel. The coffins themselves lie in a plain crypt below.

What to look for

• The two white marble effigies of Isabella and Ferdinand, whose carved faces and the detail of their robes show the skill of Italian Renaissance sculptors.
• The tomb of Joanna and Philip beside them, which is more elaborate than the royal couple's and worth comparing.
• The wrought iron screen that closes off the chapel, a fine piece of craftsmanship that frames the tombs as you approach.
• The sacristy museum, which holds royal objects associated with the monarchs, including Isabella's crown and sceptre and Ferdinand's sword, along with paintings from Isabella's own collection.

Tips for your visit

• Allow around 45 minutes to an hour to see the chapel, the crypt and the sacristy museum without rushing.
• Entry is ticketed and the chapel is a working place of worship, so check current opening hours and dress and photography rules before you go.
• Go early in the day, when the streets around the cathedral are quieter and the small chapel is less crowded.
• The cathedral is right next door and the lively Alcaiceria and Plaza Bib-Rambla are a short walk away, so you can combine them in one outing.

See it on a quest

The chapel is one stop on Medieval Granada: Secrets of Dynasties and Royals, a self-guided walk through the city's royal and dynastic past. You reach the chapel on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join.