Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo is the setting for this exhibition that opened its doors on December 19 and will be open to the public until March 31, 2020.
Inaugurated by the Mayor of Granada and President of the Albayzin Agency, Mr. Luis Salvador, the director of the Andalusian Public Foundation El legado andalusí, Concha de Santa Ana and the Councillor for Tourism Manuel Olivares, the exhibition was made up of funds from the Andalusian Public Foundation El legado andalusí, among other exhibits belonging to other private collections.
Using diverse exhibition elements, the exhibition brings us closer to a period of unquestionable historical interest, showing us what the customs and traditions of Moriscos were like, clothing, landscape and other elements that provide us with a faithful idea of that period of our history. Thus, illustrative panels, showcases containing fascinating pieces and historical writings, (such as files and books), graphics and old engravings, as well as the different objects on display, show us “the significant imprint that the Moriscos left on daily life aspects, agriculture, economy and the history of the Kingdom of Granada; a footprint that is still alive”, according to the words of the director of the Foundation, Concha de Santa Ana. She also thanked for the support of the City Council and the Albayzin Agency to the Foundation activities for this new stage, as there are already three exhibitions currently open to the public: El legado andalusi, a plastic proposal, in Casa de Zafra, The Baths of al-Andalus, in Casa de Los Tiros. Thus, what the Foundation aims is to give content to these spaces, so emblematic within Granada’s monumental heritage. In this case, Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo, one of the most beautiful and symbolic Nasrid monuments in Granada, has been chosen to house this exhibition.
El monumento es si cabe uno de los grandes desconocidos del patrimonio arquitectónico granadino, pues desde que lo adquiriera el Ayuntamiento de Granada en 1990, ha estado en restauración durante años, hasta abrirse al público en 2015. It was a royal property in the period of al-Andalus, and after the Conquest of Granada the property was ceded to the Dominican order to found the Convent of Santa Cruz la Real. At present it is a monument where the visitor can enjoy both the inside and its gardens -part of the original structure of the building is under the current ones-, and an opportunity to enjoy the city diverse cultural offer, as it is the case of this exhibition. In this sense, the mayor of Granada, Luis Salvador, recalled the wealth of Granada’s cultural heritage and its importance in order to be appointed as European capital of culture in 2031.
The event was attended by the Rector of the University, Mrs. Pilar Aranda and the president of UNESCO Andalusia Mr. Ángel Bañuelos, who showed their unconditional support to the Foundation in its new journey, as well as numerous representatives of the academic, institutional and business spheres of the Nasrid capital.
