Today is the first day in the last few months that is cool and not too hot. Normally the heat gets pretty intense by 12pm. I'm thoroughly enjoying this cloudy cool day as I look to the Alhambra from my school's terrace.
This past weekend, I ventured out to El Centro to visit Granada's Cathedral and Capilla Real. The Cathedral is vast with very high ceilings and several large columns in its interior. The Cathedral was built around 1526 in a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles. It is quite easy to see both these styles at work within the Cathedral. Massive gold gothic alters reside next to wooden dull color Renaissance alters. It is always so fascinating to see how much history resides in a place so old. Alfonso Cana, an artist and visionary, created a number of wonderful oil paintings around the Cathedral. He also was the visionary around the very large 3 dimensional wooden doors guarding the backside of the Cathedral entrance.
Whenever I visit places of worship, I usually take a second to reflect and wonder what these walls have seen and heard. After hearing so much about the Cathedral, I'm glad I finally had the chance to go see it for myself.
The Capilla Real is another fascinating place located next to the Cathedral. The Capilla Real holds the bodies of Isabel and Fernanado and a few others, which I can't remember right now. I believe it is Felipe and his wife and a small child named Miguel. The coffins are located underground and can be viewed from a glass door. Above ground there are 4 massive marble carvings of the adults. It is said that Isabel started the building to host their bodies upon death. A massive shrine to themselves is more like it. But the Capilla Real took several years and was not complete when Isabel and Fernando passed away. For this reason, the bodies of Isabel and Fernando were temporarily housed in the Alhambra until the Capilla Real was completed. The intricate marble carvings are beyond words. One of the artist who worked on the carvings was a very talented gentleman from Italy.
It was an afternoon of history, followed by a quick walk through the downtown plaza, with a stop on a nice bench overlooking a beautiful fountain surrounded by greenery. All in all a great way to start the weekend.
