The royal chapel, located in the heart of Granada, is one of the most important historical monuments of the city. This is where the remains of the royal couple Isabella and Ferdinand, whose reign changed the course of world history, are buried.
The unification of Spain, the Conquest of Granada, the last Moorish bastion on the Iberian peninsula, the discovery and conquest of the Americas, the Inquisition and the expulsion of the Jews are just some of the highlights of these monarchs' reigns.
Granada as her final resting place was chosen by Isabella herself. This city has always held a special significance for the Queen of Castile. It was here in 1492 that she was able to achieve her most important mission in life: to "liberate" all of Spain from Muslim rule, and thus end the Reconquista, which had lasted almost 800 years. It was in Granada that she decided on the Columbus expedition, the consequences of which would bring Spain the status of world power.
All the more surprising, instead of a pompous structure, to find here a rather modest room of rather ascetic appearance. Were it not for the queue of visitors, this small chapel could have been seen as just another annex to the Cathedral and not noticed at all.
The simplicity of the exterior continues inside. The beautifully crafted but modest wooden altar of the chapel is separated from the burial ground by a magnificent carved lattice. The chapel itself features near-life-size figures of kings carved in marble. Nearby is the chapel of the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand, Juana delirious, and of her husband Philip the Fair.
The chapel contains a small museum of the monarchs' personal possessions, such as the sword of Ferdinand, his crown, sceptre, prayer book and mirror of Isabella, which she wore on her campaigns. Of particular note is the small but remarkable personal collection of the Queen's paintings. In addition to paintings by famous Flemish masters (Memling, van der Weyden), Sandro Botticelli's Prayer in the Garden stands out here.