Basilica of Saint John of God

History Basilica of Saint John of God

The Basilica of San Juan de Dios is located in Granada, specifically in the street that gives its name to this church, the famous via San Juan de Dios.

This baroque church with a Latin cross plan was built in 1737 in San Juan de Dios street when the Hospitaller Order of San Juan de Dios ordered the construction of this basilica in the middle of the century to protect and keep the remains of the saint.

Inside you can appreciate its decoration made of polychrome wood with sculptures of saints where gilding bathes most of this church.

What will impress you most is the beautiful altarpiece behind the gilded altar where you can´t stop looking at the virgin that stands in the center.

Do you want to know the most interesting thing about visiting this temple?

Here you can see the recumbent remains of San Juan de Dios and in the main wood you will find the famous tomb full of flowers and candles that allude to the patron saint of the sick.

If you want to get to know Granada to soak up its history you can always take a guided tour or a free tour. We assure you that this visit will not leave you indifferent.

In addition to all this, you will see the dressing room at the top of the basilica where you will appreciate the remains of personal objects of the saint himself.

You will not tire of seeing and appreciating the wonderful walls decorated with angels and paintings depicting the life of the saint.

In Granada you can enjoy a guided tour or free tour of the city to learn about its history and walk through it with professionals who can teach you history and facts you didn’t know.

Parts of the Basilica Saint John of God

Before you visit this emblematic church, we will give you some information about the most important parts of the Basilica of San Juan de Dios.

Façade

The façade offers harmony for the set formed by its two Corinthian order bodies with marbles of Sierra Elvira and green jaspers of Sierra Nevada, making a spectacular contrast with the bodies. In the marbles stand out the images of the archangels San Rafael and San Gabriel.

As crowning a high relief representing the Heavenly Father carved by Miguel Pereda and tries to simulate how the Father caresses the world giving it a paternal blessing.

The towers

The towers are not excessively high, but it emphasizes how airy and slender they are to favor the facade.

The main body of the two towers is an artistic body of architecture that has a plinth, pedestal, pilaster, architrave, cornice and frieze.

You should know that the bell tower has four fronts and as many with holes for the bells.

The exact height of both towers is forty-seven rods and four fingers.

Atrium or gate

Completely carved to perfection in pine, walnut, mahogany and cedar. Decorated with pedestal, low, pilasters and capitals with the function of sustaining the architrave and frieze.

To the left you can see a panel with an oil mural depicting the anchorite San Antonio.

Interior of the temple

In the interior of the temple, you can see that the baseboards are a perfect combination of marble adorned with inlaid white marble from Macael, black from Sierra Nevada and Jaspers from Lanjarón and Cabra.

To the right you will appreciate the chapel dedicated to St. Joseph and just to the left you will see that part dedicated to the archangel St. Michael. The pulpit is a real lace where the gilded with many inlaid mirrors stand out.

Vaults

All of them are decorated with oil paintings by Mr. Sánchez Sarabia and represent those of the presbytery: The Assumption of the Virgin Mary; that of the altar of St. John of God: the birth of the Saint; that of the altar of St. Rafael: a passage of the life of St. John of God assisted by the Blessed Virgin; that of the body of the temple: the Triumph of the Virginity.

Visiting hours Saint John of God

The schedules to visit the basilica in question are very varied and flexible so that no one is left without being able to enjoy this emblematic uprising of the eighteenth century.

The schedule is prepared for all audiences, both in the morning and in the afternoon the hours to make the visit are quite broad as they have a very open time slots.

From Monday to Saturday, you will have up to a total of eight hours a day to go and on Sundays you have up to three hours of visit.

Here is a list of opening hours so that you can get organized and do not miss it:

Monday to Saturday: in the morning, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and in the afternoon, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Sundays and holidays: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Please note that opening hours may vary depending on the time of year.

Price of the visit

I hope that with all this information we have provided you so far, you are not left with any doubts. In any case, we will tell you that the general admission has a very affordable price for all audiences.

The general admission ticket is priced at four euros per person and with it you can visit the entire basilica without missing any part of the decor.

In addition, this ticket includes an audio guide that can explain everything you need to know about the temple, decorations, construction, details, curiosities and a host of features that give this church a special touch that you can´t forget it in a long time.

This audio guide will guide you through different parts of the church from the moment you enter the door until you leave it in an orderly fashion and will provide you with the right information at the right time.

If you wish, you can always hire a tour guide to explain this monument in a more personal way.

How to get to the Basilica Saint John of God

Here are some ways to get to the basilica in the most comfortable way:

By bus. There are many lines that take you to this church and you can’t miss it.
On foot, you can get there walking in a comfortable way and taking a nice walk through the city of Granada.
By subway. This way of arriving is very recent since the metro has been implemented in the city, but it will be quite comfortable to use it to get there.
By cab. You can also opt for this means of transport if you like. The price is not too high. It is quite useful for people with reduced mobility.
Bicycle. In Granada it is very common to use a bicycle to go from one place to another and maybe this is a good opportunity to try, do you dare?

With all these options we give you, you can’t say no, dare!

As recommendations we will tell you that the ideal is to do it on foot or by bicycle if you have the possibility. This way you will not miss anything of the city.

Curiosities about the Basilica of Saint John of God

Before making this visit that will not leave you indifferent, we want you to know some curiosities that will make you look at this wonder with even more desire, wanting to explore every corner and savor every moment you spend inside.

In the Basilica you will be able to see the wooden cross that Saint John of God always carried with him, as well as remains, molars of the saint and some small parts of his body.
In the chapel behind the altar, you will see some of the saint’s personal objects.
Visitors comment that once you are inside the church, its beauty will make you dizzy, dizzy and even nauseous.
The sculptures inside the church were made by Diego Sánchez Sarabia.
The sculptures of the altarpieces of the transept were made by the artists Bernardo de Mora and Martín Santisteban.
In 1982 the Basilica of Saint John of God was featured in newspapers and magazine covers due to a virgin that occupied its interior that was found with four tears of blood on her face. As many as 50,000 people passed through the church in a single day to see the one baptized as the “Virgin of Tears.”
Finally, a forensic scientist had to go to disprove this event since it was confirmed that the virgin was manipulated.