Palacio de los Olvidados de Granada
The Palace of the Forgotten is a museum in Granada, Spain, dedicated to the Spanish Inquisition, Jewish history, and the heritage of Granada and Andalusia. The palace is located in the Albaicín, a neighborhood declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 as an extension of the monumental complex of the Alhambra and the Generalife.
The museum occupies the emblematic Casa-Palacio de Santa Inés, a restored 16th-century building declared a Site of Cultural Interest. Its façade features an unidentified coat of arms, whose characteristics suggest it belonged to a converso Jew who wanted to demonstrate their purity of blood. The museum, inaugurated in 2014, offers guided tours by prior reservation.
Historical Context
Only remnants of the Jewish Granada remain, but they were an important community with great poets, statesmen, scientists, and philosophers who contributed to enriching the city of the Alhambra. The Palacio de los Olvidados was conceived as an exhibition space dedicated to the Sephardic culture of Granada, its name stemming from "a people that became forgotten after the Inquisition and their expulsion from Granada with the arrival of the Catholic Monarchs." This aims to fill that historical gap and raise awareness about the Sephardic presence in the city
Description
With over 700 square meters, the Palace allows visitors to enjoy its stately rooms and offers stunning views of the Alhambra and the Albaicín from its lookout point and terraces. In recent years, the museum has featured two permanent exhibitions:
INQUISITION, ANCIENT TORTURE INSTRUMENTS
This permanent exhibition presents a selection of torture and capital punishment instruments used by various inquisitorial courts, both ecclesiastical and civil, throughout Europe. It is important to note that Spanish ecclesiastical courts were sparing in their use of torture instruments, with the garrucha, toca, and potro being the most commonly used. However, civil courts, both in Spain and the rest of Europe, were particularly cruel towards certain groups deemed dangerous to society, from which most of the exhibited machines have been sourced.
INTERACTIVE FLAMENCO
Discover the entire flamenco universe in an exclusive space designed for you to experience the multiple sensations that flamenco offers. Learn about its history and present, internalize its rhythms and beats, familiarize yourself with its songs, and identify the types of voices. Recreate its dances and the influences received from other dance forms. We provide you with the necessary tools to identify and enjoy this art. Everything is at your fingertips. A unique interactive multimedia exhibition where you will learn to appreciate and participate in the fantastic world of this original music from the South.
