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Secondary sourcePhotograph17 March 2011

Tomb Site of Isabella I of Castile at the Alhambra

Paul Hermans · 17 March 2011

A photograph of the former convent cloister at the Alhambra where Isabella I of Castile was first buried until 1521.

This site was Isabella's first burial place, reflecting her wish to be buried in the newly conquered Granada.

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Interior of an Islamic-style arched hall with carved stucco walls and lattice windows. In the foreground, a marble floor slab is inscribed with Spanish text commemorating Queen Isabel la Catolica, who was buried here, and her later transfer to the Royal Chapel in 1521.
Paul Hermans, photograph of the former tomb site of Isabella I of Castile, Alhambra, Granada, 2011.

About this source

What it is

This photograph shows the interior of the former cloister of Saint Francis at the Alhambra in Granada, now part of the Parador hotel. A marble floor slab commemorates Isabella I of Castile, who was buried here before her remains were moved to the Royal Chapel in 1521.

Why it matters

Isabella wished to be buried in Granada, the city whose conquest she and Ferdinand completed in 1492. Her first burial site shows how deeply her reign was tied to the conquest of Granada and her personal religious devotion.

Look closer

  • What does the Islamic-style architecture of the hall tell you about Granada's history before and after its conquest?
  • Why might Isabella have chosen to be buried in Granada specifically?
  • What does the inscription on the floor slab tell visitors about the history of this site?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Queen Isabella I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Scan of a handwritten Spanish manuscript page in old script, with signatures below the text, a wax seal impression on a diamond-shaped paper flap at lower right, and additional scribbled signatures at lower left.Document

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Alhambra Decree

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Capitulations of Santa Fe

Catholic Monarchs · 17 April 1492

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Treaty of Tordesillas

7 June 1494

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Testament of Isabella I of Castile

Isabella I of Castile · 12 October 1504

Painted portrait of a woman against a dark background, shown from the shoulders up. She wears a white veil covering her head, a white embroidered blouse with black patterned stripes, and a dark gown. A gold cross pendant hangs from a pearl-edged ornament at her chest. Her blue eyes look directly forward.Painting

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Portrait of Isabella the Catholic

Juan de Flandes · c. 1500

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