Convento de Santa Catalina de Zafra, cultural property in Granada, Spain
The Convento de Santa Catalina de Zafra is a monastery in Granada completed in 1540, featuring multiple buildings organized around courtyards and gardens throughout its complex. The church displays mudéjar architecture blending Christian and Moorish elements, with a Renaissance-style entrance portal decorated with an image of Saint Catherine and family crests.
Construction was completed in 1540 after the Catholic Monarchs granted lands and houses to Hernando de Zafra, their secretary, which passed to his widow who funded the monastery's construction. The builders preserved portions of earlier Muslim-era structures and connected them with new courtyards.
The convent is named after Saint Catherine of Siena, its patron saint, whose image appears above the main entrance. The courtyard displays both Moorish and Christian architectural details, reflecting how different cultures shaped the space over time.
The convent is accessible only during religious services, mainly on Sunday mornings and weekday afternoons, so checking exact times beforehand is recommended. Admission is free, and the nuns sell homemade sweets through a small rotating window, adding a local touch to your visit.
The complex contains a 13th-century Arab house preserved within its structures and integrated into the new construction by medieval builders. This hidden architectural element provides visitors a direct link to Granada's Muslim past embedded beneath Christian-era spaces.
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