Easily recognisable by the trompe l'oeil on its facade, La Madraza was founded in 1349 by Yusuf I as a school and university – and still belongs to Granada University. Since extensive renovations in the early 2010s, you can wander in to view its interesting, and sometimes contradictory, mix of Moorish, Mudéjar and baroque architecture. Highlights include an elaborate mihrab (prayer niche), a baroque dome and some coloured stucco. Student guides lead 15-minute tours in multiple languages.
Palacio de la Madraza
Granada
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.53 MILES
The Alhambra is Granada’s – and Europe’s – love letter to Moorish culture. Set against the brooding Sierra Nevada peaks, this fortified palace started…
0.02 MILES
The Royal Chapel is the last resting place of Spain’s Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs), Isabel I de Castilla (1451–1504) and Fernando II de Aragón …
0.38 MILES
Built between 1737 and 1759, this spectacular basilica unveils a blinding display of opulent baroque decor. Barely an inch of its interior lacks…
0.48 MILES
This is the stunning centrepiece of the Alhambra, the most brilliant Islamic building in Europe, with perfectly proportioned rooms and courtyards,…
0.51 MILES
The richly decorated Sala de Dos Hermanas (Hall of Two Sisters), in the Palacios Nazaríes section of the Alhambra, sits on the northern side of the Patio…
0.52 MILES
The celebrated Patio de los Leones (Lion Courtyard) sits at the core of the Palacio de los Leones, the palace built in the Alhambra in the second half of…
0.51 MILES
This is one of the star rooms in the Alhambra. Boasting a mesmerising octagonal stalactite ceiling, it's the legendary site of the murders of the noble…
0.49 MILES
The Chamber of the Ambassadors is where the emirs would have conducted negotiations with Christian emissaries on the Alhambra. Located in the Torre de…
Nearby Granada attractions
0.02 MILES
The Royal Chapel is the last resting place of Spain’s Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs), Isabel I de Castilla (1451–1504) and Fernando II de Aragón …
0.03 MILES
An exhibition space and gallery named after the Granada-born abstract painter (1914–91) who went to live in the US. Exhibitions are temporary and with a…
0.06 MILES
From street level it’s difficult to appreciate the immensity of Granada’s cavernous, boxed-in cathedral. But it’s nonetheless a monumental work of…
0.07 MILES
This skinny street lined with gaudy souvenir shops is all that's left of what was once Granada's great bazaar (the Alcaicería), a claustrophobic warren of…
0.08 MILES
Just east of Calle Reyes Católicos, an elaborate horseshoe arch leads through to the 14th-century Corral del Carbón, a cobbled, much-restored courtyard…
0.1 MILES
A lively, pedestrian-only square ringed by 19th-century townhouses, lime trees, kiosks and cafes. Ornamental lampposts stand around the baroque…
7. Centro Federico García Lorca
0.13 MILES
This modern, purpose-built cultural centre, the home of the Lorca foundation, provides a contemporary stage for events ranging from art exhibitions to…
0.14 MILES
Linking the upper and lower parts of the Albayzín, Calle Calderería Nueva is a narrow street famous for its teterías (teahouses). It's also a good place…