The Monasterio de la Cartuja sits quietly in Granada's northern outskirts, away from the tourist crowds that pack the Alhambra. I stumbled upon it almost by accident during my third visit to the city, and it turned out to be one of those discoveries that makes you wonder why more people don't talk about it.

Construction began in 1516 and dragged on for three centuries, which explains the wild mix of architectural styles you'll encounter inside. The Carthusian monks who lived here until 1835 clearly had ambitious plans. What they left behind is genuinely spectacular, though much of the original complex was demolished in the 1800s.

The exterior won't prepare you for what's waiting inside. The church itself is impressive enough, with paintings by Juan Sánchez Cotán lining the walls and a beautifully crafted altar separating the different choir areas. But then you reach the sacristy, and everything changes.

I've seen plenty of ornate religious buildings across Spain, but this sacristy operates on a different level entirely. Built between 1727 and 1764, it's a masterpiece of Spanish Baroque excess. Every surface explodes with intricate stucco work in brilliant white, creating geometric patterns that seem to shift as you move through the space. The play of light and shadow here is extraordinary. Antonio Palomino's frescoes on the dome add another layer of visual richness without overwhelming the delicate balance.

Francisco Hurtado Izquierdo designed the sagrario, and his mastery of the Churrigueresque style is evident in every carved detail. The whole ensemble feels more like stepping inside a jewel box than entering a traditional monastery room.

The refectory offers a quieter contrast, with its Gothic vaulting and more Sánchez Cotán works depicting Carthusian history. The chapter house, the oldest surviving part of the complex, maintains that austere medieval atmosphere the monks would have known.

At seven euros for entry, with an audio guide included through their app, it represents excellent value. The visit to Monasterio de la Cartuja typically takes about an hour, depending on how long you spend absorbing the sacristy's visual feast. Photography is allowed without flash, which is helpful given how photogenic every corner proves to be.

Granada has many architectural treasures, but this monastery offers something genuinely unique - Spanish Baroque artistry at its most uninhibited, preserved in an intimate setting where you can actually appreciate the craftsmanship up close.