Renaissance and Baroque Arch in the City of Granada (extension of Granada)

The triumphant entry of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand V of Aragon (the Catholic Monarchs) into the conquered city of Granada on 2 January 1492 spelled the end of a long military campaign which had begun a decade earlier against the Nazari Kingdom and also the final defeat of the Muslim people in Europe. The conquest would also have other consequences which, in general terms, include the establishment of what was to be a modern Catholic monarchy which, once having updated its infrastructure and political regime, would conclude by reorganising its institutions giving rise to an active and efficient State of which Granada was soon to become its most prized symbol.

The Middle Age in Spain came to a halt in Granada, a city where history was about to be made and which characterised the dynamic nature of the new kingdom uniquely expressed in the enterprise of Atlantic-looking expansion but without losing sight of initiatives taken in Italy, the Netherlands, England and Portugal; expansion which entailed valuable and far-reaching changes which ultimately would revamp not only Spanish but universal history as well.

The Catholic Monarchs as well as their grandson, Emperor Charles V, smiled on the city of Granada which was endowed with important economic resources in an attempt by the monarchy to achieve what has been referred to as the "imperial capitalisation of art". This was an attempt to express royal power using visual and emblematic symbols of the new age while at the same time strengthening a new political society.

In this connection, the city of Granada was to become the ideological representation of the new State and the buildings constructed under the sponsorship of the Catholic Monarchs and the Emperor were meant to be symbolic monuments setting the standard for what was to be a new political discourse. It is within this context that the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation represented the maximum triumph of Christianity over the former Islamic faith and was designed  as the Emperor's pantheon and that of Spain's future monarchs (instead of the Royal Chapel where the remains of the Emperor's parents and grandparents were laid to rest). The Royal Chancellery, the epitome and icon of the reform, was designed for the administration of justice, while the Royal Hospital represents the social concern of the Royal Family for the less privileged classes.

All of these buildings emerged within the framework of a pre-existing city and as differentiated objects unified in their discourse and instrumental in giving new meaning to the city's Islamic image. Indeed, in contrast with the old Muslim city symbolised by the fort, the Alhambra palaces and the Albayzin district, the new Christian city externalised the new era through the construction of these emblematic buildings. It was all part of an ideological programme to be topped off with the construction of the morada or royal home, the Palace of Charles V in the Alhambra which has been recognised as World Heritage by the UNESCO. 

This fruits of this ideological construction project are the buildings mentioned in the foregoing where we can distinguish the different plastic styles characterising the first half of the 16^th century in Spain ranging from traditional architectural solutions to the renewed gothic forms and new decorative models and repertoires gradually ushered in by the first Renaissance during the course of the century. This would entail stylistic innovation giving Spanish art a clear sense of modernity. This trend was likewise reflected in other religious and civil buildings throughout the rest of Andalusia and from there the style would be transferred to America where it sparked other undertakings by the Church and noble class. A good example of this is the San Jerónimo Monastery commissioned by the widow of Gonzalo Fernández of Cordoba ("El Gran Capitán") for the burial of her distinguished husband who died in 1515. In accordance with Renaissance criteria, the Monastery features an entire iconographic programme alluding to the virtues, fame and immortality of the hero.

Following a century of lethargy (the 17^th ), the Baroque of the 18^th century was destined to re-embrace the discourse of power and the need to individualise this city so characteristic of the Former Regime. A new concept of city, as a symbol of religious or political power, was in the making. From the very beginning the faithful had to be convinced of the undeniable supremacy of the Church and hence Granada once again deployed all of its architectural splendour to leave us with two further magnificent monuments: the San Juan de Dios Hospital and the old Cartuja Monastery. In light of their architectural quality, these buildings are comparable with the best of European and Latin American Baroque. The first, a spectacular site for the venerated relics of San Jaun de Dios (St. John of God). The second, initially a 16^th century church, is one of the most complete baroque ensembles which Spanish art has to offer, its dynamic interior decoration a superb example of architecture, painting and sculpture.

All of the heritage sites mentioned in the foregoing are protected by Spanish historical heritage legislation (the Spanish Historical Heritage Act, Law 16/1985 of 25 June and the Andalusian Historical Heritage Act, Law 1/1991 of 3 July.

Brief analysis of each of the proposed sites:

Royal Hospital: This is an important service-oriented building conceived as royal charity. It was founded by the Catholic Monarchs (Privilege Charter issued by the Catholic Monarchs in Medina del Campo on 15 September 1504).  Work began in 1511, was interrupted following the death of Ferdinand the Catholic Monarch, and was restarted in 1522 by the Emperor Charles V. Enrique Egas, the creator who had designed the Hospital of Santiago de Compostela a few years earlier, was commissioned for this building. He based his work on the simplified model used by the Italian Antonio Filarete for the Ospedale Maggiore of Milan who disseminated his ideas in a treatise on architecture. The building was also modelled on the Ospedale romano del Santo Spiritu built by Baccio Pontelli for Sixtus IV. The structure is nothing more than two halls forming a cross inserted into a rectangle formed by four others marking its outer boundaries. Figuratively speaking, the Royal Hospital of Granada is the Gothic representation of a renaissance structure which incorporates building techniques characterising the Spanish Mudejar. Granada's Royal Hospital was later used as a model for other Spanish hospitals built under both royal and private sponsorship. Today it serves as the administrative building and main library of the University of Granada and is also frequently used for exhibits and ceremonies making it an important cultural centre.

The Royal Chapel: Isabella and Ferdinand decided on 13 September 1504 that their remains would be interred in Granada and for that purpose built the Royal Chapel. It is the burial place of the mortal remains of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand V of Aragon. It is also the resting place of Juana I and Phillip I, the parents of Emperor Charles V. The building was constructed in Gothic style between 1505 and 1517. Work commenced one year after the death of the Queen and concluded one year before the death of Ferdinand. The latter's grandson was responsible for decorating the temple and glorifying it as an Institution. This effort was particularly meaningful because it meant laying a dynasty to rest and marked the emergence of the Renaissance and the humanist manifestation of the dimensions of this historical event.  After the Alhambra and the Cathedral, the Royal Chapel ranks third as the most powerful image of the city of Granada. Its visitors include Hispanics from both sides of the Atlantic who are attracted by this small sanctuary of Universal History. The historic meaning of the site transmitted by the legacy of 16^th century humanism, its religious significance and the temple's great artistic value all contribute to making the visitor an accomplice to a shared history.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation: Founded on 21 May 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs, this is one of the master works, not only of the Spanish Renaissance, but of the world. It took 181 years to build. The Gothic-style architect Enrique Egas drew up the blueprints and began work around 1521. However, Diego de Siloé who was put in charge seven year later, radically changed those plans adapting them to the re-emerging Roman style, giving it a design which would make it the most complex of all the cathedrals in Spain. Using a combined basilica (five naves) and central sanctuary layout (a rotunda in the best Roman tradition and especially used in commemorative sepulchral buildings and here forming the main altar), he sought architectural solutions modelled on the earliest paleochristian buildings. This makes sense considering that the Emperor's plan was to build another family pantheon alongside the Royal Chapel more in tune with the times and to keep the Crown eternally linked in death to the city of Granada. As of the second third of the 16^th century, Granada's immense cathedral became the benchmark for all new metropolitan churches that were built and its Main Chapel can be described as one of the most daring works of universal architecture. The main façade is also a master work of Baroque art designed by Alonso Cano in 1667 who divided it into three spectacular arches with coffers which are reminiscent of those of the Main Chapel or even Roman arches of triumph.

The Royal Chancellery: The institution called the Real Audiencia y Chancillería (the Royal Tribunal and Chancellery) of Granada dates back to the judicial reform undertaken by the Catholic Monarchs who, in 1495, instituted a tribunal in Ciudad Real modelled on the Tribunal de Oidores or Chancellery with headquarters in Valladolid, giving both the status of High Courts of Justice. This institution was transferred to Granada in 1505 where it remained active until 1834 when it was replaced by the Territorial Tribunal of Granada. Its archives are among the most important in Spain given that its jurisdiction covered all of Andalusia, the kingdom of Murcia, the provinces of Extremadura, La Mancha and the Canary Islands. Records are so detailed that it is fair to say that nearly all of the lines of hidalgo are accounted for; in other words, nearly all surnames of Spanish origin (and by extension, Latin American origin as well) from south of the Tajo river as from the 15^th century are found there. The building dates to the first half of the 16^th century exhibiting a clear classicist influence. It was the first building to house a Court of Justice. Construction commenced in 1531 and important similarities can be traced back to the Italian mannerists. While the Royal Chancellery was originally commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs, it was Charles V who was responsible for the location and actual construction of the building. Today it serves as the main building of the Andalusian High Court of Justice.

San Jerónimo Monastery. This building may very well be the first example of classicism in the city of Granada. This was perhaps due to the initial participation of two Italian masters in its construction, Francisco and Jacobo Florentin "El Indaco" who commenced building in 1525, and that of the master architect Diego de Siloé who took over in 1528 following the death of Jacobo. The church was first conceived by María Manrique, with the authorisation of Charles V, as a pantheon for her deceased husband Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, "El Gran Capitán", possibly the most famous military personality in the history of Spain and veritable revolutionary of war art.  Granada built this fabulous church in honour of a man who instilled terror in the hearts of Turks and French but who was idolised by his soldiers and admired by his enemies. Initially of Gothic style, it was the cross-vault, transept and main altar which marked the beginning of classicism in architectural design (pilasters, coffered vaults, medallions, figures, fleurons, monsters). The sculpted decoration of the vaults constitutes a veritable emblematic discourse, the cross vault featuring a mixture of both masculine and feminine characters from antiquity and the Bible preaching the virtues of the temple's patrons (Gonzalo and María). It is a full iconographic programme with deep humanistic roots on "immortality" and in which uomini famosi are interspersed on the chancel with representations of Christ, the Apostles, saints and angels.

San Juan de Dios Hospital: authentic quintessential Baroque complete with altar pieces, murals, silver cornucopias and lights, this church is the spectacular depositary of the venerated relics of St. John of God. One of the last major works commissioned by the contra-reformist orders it is, beyond a doubt, one of the most important Baroque temples in all of Spain and is on a par with the best of western Baroque. Construction of the church, now a Basilica thanks to the Papal Bull "Extat Granatae" issued by Benedict XV in 1916, began in 1737 and concluded in 1759, at the behest of the Prior Alonso de Jesús y Ortega. Its floor plan was designed by José de Bada, master of the Granada and Malaga cathedrals. It follows a Latin cross design: nave with side chapels - two on each side - cross vault, main chapel and choir. Of all of the elements comprising the rich interior, special mention should be made of the main chapel's altarpiece done by José Francisco Guerrero between 1744 and 1753. 

La Cartuja Monastery: The reforms undertaken in the 18^th century of the old 16^th century Cartuja Church have left us with one of the most complete Baroque ensembles to be found in universal art. Very special mention should be made of the sacrarium (Sancta Santorum) and the Sacristy. In both cases, the dynamics of the architecture is only rivalled (and harmonised) by the paintings, sculpture and other decorative elements providing us with an admirable artistic balance. The sacrarium was the work of the great master of Andalusian Baroque Francisco Hurtado Izquierdo. The layout, done independently of the church, was conceived as an alcove, a closed area to house the tabernacle made of marble and jasper which holds the Sacred Form and whose sides are decorated with golden sculptures of the virtues. The dome covering this space was decorated with frescos by the Cordovan artist Antonio Palomino who portrayed the triumph of a militant Church, of faith and religious life. Sculptures by José de Mora, Pedro Duque Cornejo and José Risueño round out this amazing ensemble. While we are unsure about the designer of the sacristy, it could be the later work of Hurtado; with its simple and very traditional proportions, its scope is broadened thanks to the use of light which produces effects from the entrance to the transept. This is a work of discontinuous lines completely dressed with marble plinths, chests of drawers with inlaid work and plaster work with curved and straight lines all giving great energy to the ensemble which reaches its pinnacle and Baroque exuberance in the vaults. In short, a work whose quality puts it on an equal footing with the best of European art.

Satements of authenticity and/or integrity

In them we find a cultural inter-relationship between Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque movements, the thread common to all being the vernacular artistic solutions of the Mudejar. These architectural creations, considered within the framework of one of the richest historic and heritage ensembles which is Granada, are enormously important in their own right from both an historic and artistic point of view. They are unique sources whereby to gain an appreciation of the religious practices of the time and to understand the social mentality which would later give rise to the birth of modern European nations such as Spain. It is also important to take due note of the influence of the different buildings with their complex architectural solutions on Latin American art; an exercise which would surely point to the universal and historic vocation of the city of Granada.

All of the cites mentioned meet authenticity requirements in terms of their character and each of their elements.

All are likewise protected by historical heritage legislation currently in force in Spain: the Spanish Historical Heritage Act, Law 16/1985 of 25 June and the Andalusian Historical Heritage Act, Law 1/1991 of 3 July.

All of these sites, owing to their outstanding historic and artistic value and the role they play in Spanish and universal culture, are in an excellent state of conservation and are cared for by the different public administrations (Regional, Provincial and Local) which are constantly undertaking initiatives in the areas of protection, conservation and dissemination thus guaranteeing their upkeep.