No, the Royal Chapel of Granada and the Cathedral of Granada are not the same. They are two distinct monuments, although they can be considered part of a whole. In this post we explain what leads to this common confusion and other useful details to help you decide how to organize your visit: enter both or just one, and in the latter case, which one. Whatever your choice, we remind you that Andalucía Exclusiva can provide you with guided tours of these and other monuments, as a premium service within your tour of the region, also organized by us.
What Leads to Confusing the Royal Chapel and the Cathedral
What leads many tourists to confuse the Royal Chapel of Granada and the Cathedral of Granada is that one is attached to the other. It’s that simple. In fact, both buildings are connected to each other, so one could enter from one to the other without going outside. But this only happens on very rare occasions and is reserved for authorized persons.
They are two distinct temples, built at different times and, therefore, in different styles. Managed by the same institution (the Archdiocese of Granada), but with different purposes, their own schedules, and other specific regulations. So the tickets are also different, although it is possible to purchase combined tickets for both monuments, as well as others managed by the archdiocese, such as the Cartuja monastery, the Sacromonte abbey, the San Jerónimo monastery, and the San Nicolás church.
A Brief Overview of Each Temple
To understand why the Royal Chapel of Granada and the Cathedral of Granada are not the same, it is useful to know their origins. In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs (Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon) concluded the War of Granada with the conquest of this city. They considered this city to have great symbolic power, as it was the last Muslim kingdom on the peninsula, and chose it as their burial place.
To this end, they commissioned the construction of a funerary temple, namely the Royal Chapel, where the remains of their daughter Joanna I of Castile and their son-in-law, Philip I also rest. The project was entrusted to Enrique Egas, with the collaboration of other great architects, in the Gothic style so favored by the monarchs.
But the newly conquered city needed a new cathedral. And after using some churches as the cathedral seat temporarily, the construction of a new temple was decided, also initially commissioned to Enrique Egas. The work was carried out simultaneously with that of the chapel, but for much longer, as its size is much larger. Therefore, although the cathedral has some Gothic elements (such as, precisely, the doorway connecting both temples), it features other styles, mainly Renaissance and Baroque, such as the Baroque façade by Alonso Cano, in 1667.
How to Visit the Royal Chapel and the Cathedral
To visit the Royal Chapel of Granada, here is the information to keep in mind:
- Access location: Calle de los Oficios, s/n
- Price: adults €7. Students and persons with disabilities €5. Children under 12 free
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Sundays and other holy days of obligation, 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Closed December 25 and January 1
On the other hand, to visit the Cathedral of Granada, this is the information you should know:
- Access location: Calle Pie de la Torre, next to Plaza de las Pasiegas, s/n
- Price: adults €12. Students and persons with disabilities €10. Children under 12 free
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:15 PM. Sundays and other holy days of obligation, 3:00 PM to 6:15 PM
In any case, we recommend checking this information before your visit, as it may be subject to changes and price updates. And if you prefer the most convenient and at the same time most comprehensive option, place yourself in the hands of Andalucía Exclusiva to arrange the visits: we will do everything for you and provide you with the best guides for the interior tour, as the agencies of our Mandala Tours group always do.
