Granada is the jewel of southern Spain. The sparkling precipice of the Alhambra seems to take precedent over all other sites in the city; however, the neighborhoods of Granada are equally charming to visit, and in many there are views back over the Moorish palace. Sacromonte is one of the neighborhoods that are popular to visit. The culturally significant Sacromonte Abbey gives the neighborhood its name.
Founded in 1600 on Valparaiso hill, the Abbey is a vast complex with a particularly important history for the town of Granada. After the Reconquista, during which the Christian Spaniards reclaimed land long before lost to Muslim invaders, the Granada locals sought to reattribute the founding of their city to Christianity.
The Sacromonte Abbey itself was built over what was once ancient Roman mines. The mines had been converted to catacombs before the Abbey was built. Those catacombs are said to be the locale where the purported patron saint of Granada was martyred. The saint was named Caecilius of Elvira, and his remains, along with the remains of eleven other saints, are said to be guarded within the Abbey walls.
The approach to the Abbey takes visitors up the Camino Del Sacromonte. Beside the Santo Sepulcro chapel is a giant cross carved of stone, marking the way toward the Abbey. The Abbey, the College and the Seminary make up the whole of the complex.
Inside, the caves where the saints were martyred lay just beyond the arched courtyard. Visitors will see a wonderful Madonna across from the caves as well. From the Abbey’s perch visitors can appreciate views of the Rio Darro, the Alhambra and other famous districts.
On February 1st of every year, the slopes of the Sacromonte neighborhood burst into life for the Fiesta of San Cecilio, celebrating Granada’s patron saint. The Sacromonte slopes, where the party takes place, form the neighborhood of the Gitanos.
The Gitanos are the gypsies who have roots in the city since the 18th century. It is in this neighborhood that Flamenco, the emotion-packed dance and music of that culture, propagated. The Gitano homes were carved into the smooth pliable sandstone of the cliffs, and can still be seen today.
A visit to Granada is simply incomplete unless Sacromonte is on the itinerary.
September 22, 2011
Tourist Attractions