History
According to tradition, the Carmen de los Mártires was built over the old dungeons where Christian captives were held in Nasrid times. After the city was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs it became a Carmelite convent, where Saint John of the Cross was prior for some years. Its present appearance dates from the 19th century and reflects the Orientalist taste of the time. The gardens are a successful blend of French and English models with the aesthetics of Andalusian gardens.
Known to the Arabs as the "field of Ahabul", the Carmen de los Mártires was the place from which Boabdil set out to hand over his beloved city to the Christians. Queen Isabella built a hermitage here to commemorate that day. Later a convent was built and, on its ruins, a small palace surrounded by a garden.
Buildings and green spaces that hold the ups and downs of a place with several centuries of history, where the garden that surrounds and embellishes it has come down to us with a rich mix of events embedded in its layout. Fragments of history, splendour and ruin, an orderly chaos. Garden, orchard, island, lake, courtyard: a garden of gardens.
The Carmen de los Mártires stands on the Alhambra hill: a magnificent small palace, romantic gardens and Nasrid orchards above the city of Granada.
If you would like to visit the Carmen de los Mártires, you may be interested in the following guided tour:
Carmen de los Mártires guided tour - Private guide
- Book a guide just for you or your group.
- Opening hours:
November - March:
Monday - Friday: 10:00-14:00 and 16:00-18:00
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: 10:00 - 18:00
April - October:
Monday - Saturday: 10:00 - 14:00 and 18:00 - 20:00
Sundays and public holidays: 10:00 - 20:00 - Click the 'Enquire' button and tell us which monument you would like to visit, how many people you are and the date of your visit. We will reply to your email address as soon as possible.
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