Church of Santa María de La Encarnación

Church in Granada

Church Of Santa Maria De La Encarnacion, Alhambra 3

The Church of Santa María de La Encarnación or St Mary’s Church is located in the Alhambra Complex, in Granada, Spain. The Church of Santa María de La Encarnación is large, and not very beautiful church that was built on the site of the Alhambra’s Great Mosque.

The building of the Church took place between 1581 and 1618, was finished by the architect Ambrosio de Vico, who followed Herrera’s and Juan de Orea’s style, although with a much simpler and plainer building style than the original design had been. With it its Latin-cross floor design and side chapels, it is noted for its outstanding Baroque altarpiece framed by large Solomon-style columns from 1671, and the Crucified Christ and the large images of St. Ursula and St. Susan, by Alonso de Mena.

What to see at the Church of Santa María de La Encarnación

The Virgin of Anguish, which is a work of art by Torcuato Ruiz del Peral between 1750 and 1760. At Easter, the Virgin is taken out of the Temple for the procession and borne on a beautiful Grenadian throne depicting the arches of the Court of the Lions embossed silver.

The marble pillar which stands in front of the church, and which bears a plaque telling the story of two monks who entered the Moorish kingdom to preach their faith to the heretics. They were beheaded in this place by the Sultan Mohammed V, the ruler who created the lovely Courtyard of Lions.


The Church of Santa María de La Encarnación appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Granada!

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Visiting Church of Santa María de La Encarnación

Address: Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra Calle Real de la Alhambra, 1-22 18009 Granada Spain
Duration: 5 minutes

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