What to do · Caravaca de la Cruz
Vera Cruz Castle and Basilica
Information
- From
- €3 per person, museum
- Duration
- 1 h 30
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- For everyone
What it is
The castle crowns the hill on which Caravaca stands. Its walls are of Islamic origin; the enclosure belonged to the Templars and then to the Order of Santiago, keeps 14 towers, the oldest being the Torre Chacona, and has been a Site of Cultural Interest since 1944. Inside, from 1617, the Basilica-Sanctuary of the Vera Cruz was built, opened in 1703 and finished in the 18th century with its façade of red and black marbles, one of the pieces of international Baroque in the region. It is the church that holds the Cross of Caravaca, the reason for the pilgrimages.
The museum
In the former Chaplain's House, within the enclosure, the Vera Cruz Museum has three rooms: the history of the relic, liturgical vestments and the sanctuary's archaeology. Highlights are six 16th-century oil paintings on panel by Hernando de los Llanos, the monstrance of the Cross from the early 16th century, the Chirinos Chasuble (a Muslim tiraz turned into a liturgical vestment) and part of the layout of the old castle, with a medieval dungeon.
Hours and price
The basilica opens Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00, and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00; there is Mass on Sunday at 12:00 and 18:00. The museum opens Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 19:30, Saturdays from 10:30 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 19:30, and Sunday only from 10:30 to 14:00. It costs €3, €1.50 for ages 6 to 14 and €2 for over-65s; under-6s do not pay. Tickets are bought online or on the museums' booking phone, 968 70 56 20.
How to get up
On foot from the centre by the Cuesta del Castillo, the same one the Wine Horses gallop up every 2 May. From the esplanade you see the whole town.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to enter the basilica?
No. You only pay for the Vera Cruz Museum: €3 general admission.
Is it open on Sunday afternoon?
The basilica is, from 16:00 to 19:00. The museum, on Sunday, only in the morning.
How much time do you need?
An hour and a half for the church, the museum and the walk back along the walls.
As a family
