Abadía del Sacromonte

"On Monte Valparaíso, at the end of the Sacromonte neighborhood, lies one of the most unknown monuments in Granada: the Sacromonte Abbey. This important religious complex was built following the discovery of the remains of the martyr Saint Cecilio, a key figure in the history of Granada. In 1954, excavations in ancient Roman ovens on Monte Valparaíso revealed the remains of the martyr and patron saint of the city: Saint Cecilio. This event provoked a wave of pilgrimages to the site, where thousands of people from Granada went to venerate the first bishop of the Roman era. Due to this massive commotion, it was decided to build an abbey over the remains of the saint to preserve them. Lead tablets written in Arabic, known as leaden books, were also found. From there, the abbey and the entire religious complex that surrounds it were built. One of the most interesting parts of the visit to the Sacromonte Abbey is entering the Holy Grottoes, the underground area where the remains of Saint Cecilius and the leaden books were found. This is a route underground that unfolds into several corridors that lead to several chapels, an altar and a grotto where the remains of the martyr are found. The importance of this discovery lies in the uniqueness of these circular plaques with inscriptions in Arabic. Very few people in the world can read these ancient notes that recount the martyrdom of Saint Cecilius and his companions. These books were an attempt by the Moors to save their lives during the Christian persecutions, inventing a divine revelation that approved the union of Christianity and Islam. The Vatican confirmed the falsity of the supposed revelations, although the historical importance of these 16th century books is undeniable."

"An impressive cave church with gorgeous architecture accessible via a long walk uphill or a bus. "