The Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife and the Archbishopric of Granada have signed a Settlement Agreement allowing the holding of weddings in the church Santa María de la Alhambra

María del Mar Villafranca, the director of el Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife, and Manuel Reyes, the general vicar of the Archbishopric of Granada have signed this morning a collaboration agreement to regulate the religious celebrations of weddings in the church Santa María de la Encarnación de la Alhambra. The different activities and functions carried out in the Monumental Complex are expected to be reconciled with the cultural activities and the religious worship.
This agreement allows –after 15 years– the marriage in this temple of up to 20 wedding couples per year. The Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife has drawn up some rules for the wedding couples and an application form to control the access of vehicles due to the wedding celebrations.
The combination of the religious weddings with the visits to the monument and other events will be achieved by allowing the weddings in the following periods and time slots: from the 16th October till the 31st March, Saturdays at 1 p.m.; and from the 16th October till the 31st March, Fridays and Saturdays at 5.30 p.m. During the high season, that is, from the 1st April till the 15th October, weddings will be hold at 7.00 p.m., only Fridays and Saturdays.
The heritage is to be protected by applying the wedding couples several restrictions to access the complex, since they are allowed to come in only by car. Those attending the wedding should only have access through the Puerta de la Justicia (Gate of Justice) or the Puerta de los Carros (Gate of Chariots). The public transport is recommended in any case.
The wedding couples encouraged to leave the church and its surroundings in the same condition in which they found it, according to the appropriate cleaning conditions existing in the Monument Complex of the Alhambra and the Generalife. Therefore, the use of any kind of fireworks, any other material such as rice, confetti, etc., are forbidden at any point of the Monument.
The observance of this agreement will be fulfilled with the settlement of a monitoring commission made up of members from the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife and from the Archbishopric of Granada.