Sacromonte Abbey Entrance is a photograph by Joan Carroll which was uploaded on May 4th, 2015.
Sacromonte Abbey Entrance
The bus driver of the bus that said 'Sacromonte' said he didn't go to 'Sacromonte' so I was left puzzling over what to do and how to get to the... more
by Joan Carroll
Title
Sacromonte Abbey Entrance
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Digital Art
Description
The bus driver of the bus that said 'Sacromonte' said he didn't go to 'Sacromonte' so I was left puzzling over what to do and how to get to the Sacromonte Abbey. The map of Granada that I had didn't cover that area, being too far out of the prime tourist area. Luckily I had looked it up on google maps ahead of time so I had an idea in my head on where I was going. I knew at some point I had to take a squiggly road to the Abbey, off of the main road. But every time there was something that looked like it might be THE squiggly road, it wasn't! Finally, I found some people hanging about, pulled out a picture of the abbey, and asked in my best Spanish where the abbey was. I was relieved to find out I hadn't passed it yet. Hand signals indicated that I still had to find that left turn to the squiggly road. So on I went! Eventually, I did find a left turn and a sign for the abbey! At least I knew I was on the right road! Up and up I went, back and forth along the switchbacks, in and out of the dappled sunlight. Not a soul in sight. Then finally around a corner and THERE IT WAS! The entrance! How excited I was! (Fast forward, after touring the abbey, and on my way down the mountain, guess what passed...you guessed it...THE BUS TO SACROMONTE! But I think I may have had more fun.) Sacromonte Abbey was founded in 1600 on the hill of outside the old city, and is built over catacombs (originally mine workings of Roman date). They abbey acts as a key instrument for the preservation, propagation and dissemination of the pious legend of Saint Caecilius, by which the city of Granada in the 17th century sought to redefine its historic identity, replacing its Moorish past with fabricated (or re-discovered) accounts of Christian origins. The legend states that the catacombs are the site of Saint Caecilius's martyrdom, and the abbey preserves the supposed relics of Caecilius and eleven other saints' bones, ashes and the oven in which they were believed to have been burned. It also possesses the inscribed lead plaques and books that were found with the supposed relics, but which were subsequently officially dismissed as forgeries. These are known as the Lead Books of Sacromonte. I had learned before I went that there were tours offered on the hour in the late afternoon. On the day of my visit, there were 3 of us waiting in a vestibule, and at 4 pm precisely someone opened an inner door, admitted us, and closed and locked the door behind us. If you arrived at 4:01 you'd have been out of luck!
FEATURED PHOTO, Landscape and Landmark Photography group, 5/5/15
FEATURED PHOTO, The Road To Self Promotion group, 5/4/15
Uploaded
May 4th, 2015
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