Museo de la Vera Cruz Caravaca de la Cruz

The Museo de la Cruz within the walls of the medieval castle of Caravaca

The Basílica de la Vera Cruz in Caravaca stands on the top of the hill behind the city, within the walls of the castle and alongside the museum dedicated to the True Cross which provides the suffix to the name of the city.

The Basilica was built in the 17th and 18th centuries in the baroque style which is common to many of the main religious buildings in the Region of Murcia, including the cathedral in the regional capital, its purpose being to provide a grander home than the previous relatively modest premises in which the “Lignum Crucis”, or fragment of the cross on which Christ died, was housed.

Then as now it was arguably the most important building in Caravaca, and in the 21st century is the destination for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to see and pay homage to the Lignum Crucis. It was officially designated a minor basilica in 2008 on the order of Pope Benedict XVI, five years after the first Holy Jubilee Year in which plenary indulgence was granted to pilgrims reaching Caravaca had taken place, and the third of these Jubilees is being held in 2017.

As with so much of the city of Caravaca, the history of the Basilica is practically inseparable from that of the True Cross, a fragment of which is said to have been brought by angels to a priest named Ginés Pérez Chirinos in 1232, when he was required by his Moorish captor Abu-Zeit to demonstrate the rite of Holy Mass and found himself without a cross on the altar.

Not long afterwards, in 1243, the area of Murcia was conquered from the Moors by the Christian forces of northern Spain, and this prompted a strengthening of the castle over the following centuries: Caravaca was in frontier territory, close to Al-Andalus, for the following 250 years. (see History of Caravaca de la Cruz)

The cross of Caravaca was kept within the castle in a small church, for which Pedro Fajardo, the Marqués de los Vélez, ordered an altarpiece in 1521 from Hernando de Llanos, a disciple of Leonardo Da Vinci. This altarpiece is now kept in the museum alongside the basilica.

However, in the early 17th century work began on a far more impressive church, using wealth which had been confiscated from Moors who had chosen to remain in Spain after the Reconquista, and there is evidence to suggest that by 1617 the construction work was well advanced. This is when the Holy Cross of Caravaca was first kept inside its new home, although construction was not declared complete until 1703, and in the meantime worshippers used the tiny chapel dedicated to Santa María la Real, also inside the castle walls.

In 1677 the holy relic was transferred to the chapel of the Conjuratorio in the highest part of the new sanctuary, and it was not until 3rd May 1703 that it was installed in the church itself.

Although the Basilica itself and the structure alongside it which houses the reliquary of the True Cross dominate the skyline of the town, the walls surrounding it date back to an earlier period.

Buildings of one kind or another are known to have existed at the site since the time of the Iberians, dating back to at least six centuries BC, as the location provides not only the safety of high ground but also the strategic advantages inherent in being able to observe the fertile agricultural land on the plain of the River Argos below and the communications routes which for millennia have linked coastal settlements with the northern trade routes and what is now Andalucía.

Although the Iberians occupied the site, the foundations of the castle which can be seen today date from the time of Moorish rule between the 8^th and 13^th centuries AD, a period from which very little documentation has been found. However, from the 11^th century onwards references to a fortified structure in Caravaca exist, and the writings of Al-Yacut specifically talk about a “hisn”, or a centralized fortification to protect the local population and offer shelter to their livestock at in times of attack. This ties in with the layout of what can be seen today, which shares many features in common with other Moorish fortifications throughout the Region of Murcia.

The 12th century fortress walls have undergone much transformation throughout their history, but they still retain their basic design, with 14 fortified towers. The oldest of these is the Torre Chacona, which was regarded as the keep of the fortress and is part of the group of buildings which now include the Basilica and the museum: at one point this was the centre of the fortification, and had six towers of its own as well as a direct route out of the fortress without passing through the exterior courtyards.

Following the Reconquest of the area in the mid-13th century, the land came under the control of the Knights Templar and Caravaca became a frontier town on the edge of the territory of Andalucía, which was still under the control of the Nazarid dynasty in Granada. The Templars stayed until 1312, after which the city passed into the hands of the Knights of the Order of Santiago.

Over the following 200 years there were several military skirmishes between Moorish and Christian forces, and by the 15th century the fortifications had been increased considerably, records indicating that there were probably 31 towers at this point. Similarly, as the fame of the Vera Cruz grew, increasing numbers of pilgrims were attracted to Caravaca, and the mediaeval chapel in which the cross was housed became inadequate.

Thus, in the 17th century the impressive Basilica-Santuario of the Vera Cruz was constructed, replacing the old mediaeval chapel: work began in 1617, partly funded with money confiscated when the Moors were expelled from Spain, and the building was completed and the Cross re-housed in 1703. The impressive baroque entrance was added in the 18th century, and further improvements were made in the following century in an attempt to protect Caravaca from the forces of Napoleon during the Peninsular War: the bulwark at the northern end of the castle dates from this time.

What was formerly the chaplain’s house on the side of the chapel has now been converted into the Museo de la Vera Cruz.

The Museum of the Holy Cross of Caravaca de la Cruz

The museum is dedicated to telling the story of the Vera Cruz, and contains documentation, paintings, robes and artifacts which formed the basis for the old museum of sacred art and the Vera Cruz.

An interesting audio-visual (available in English) explains the history of the cross, and the story is vividly recounted in a series of 16th century oil paintings by Hernando de los Llanos, a painter who studied as a disciple of Leonardo da Vinci.

There are several important pieces on display, including the original case which contained the 13th century reliquary in which the pieces of the true cross were stored and the robe said to have been worn by Ginés Pérez Chirinios at the moment of the apparition of the True Cross, and beneath the building it is possible to visit the lower chambers of the original structure in which, so legend has it, the priest languished after being summoned by the Moorish ruler Abu-Zeit.

Also on display here are the robes worn by Cardinal Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, when he visited Caravaca in late 2002. Pope John Paul II was scheduled to make the visit but was too ill to undertake the journey at the time, and photos of the event are displayed next to those of footballing icons in bars and homes throughout Caravaca!

There are also a number of other artifacts related to the cult of the cross, and the museum is well worth visiting as a part of the experience of the city.

Inside the building is a harmonious central patio with views of the surrounding countryside.

The Basilica itself may be visited only during and after Mass, but it is worth exploring carefully. Outside its status as a place of pilgrimage is denoted by the gold scalloped roof and scallop decoration, and the interior is beautifully but not excessively decorated.

The cross itself – a replacement provided by the Vatican after the original was stolen in 1934 - is kept in a tiny little side chapel and may be visited following Mass. It is displayed in an exquisitely worked case, and pilgrims may venerate the cross at the end of Mass, many kissing it, or touching it with replica crosses or rosaries.

Museum Opening Hours

During the 2017 Holy year the musuem is open from Monday to Saturday between the hours of 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00.

On Sundays the museum closes at 14:00 and does not re-open in the afternoon.

Entry fee is 3 euros for adults and a reduced tariff of 2 euros is applied for pensioners or groups.

Access and location of Museum of the Cross in Caravaca

Located at the top of the old town, the Santuario can be approached by road or on foot, although parking is limited and the best way to reach it is by walking!

A further deterrent to motorists is that the Policía Local are very strict in enforcing parking regulations on the hill up to the castle and the sanctuary, making sure that the tourist train, which runs from the Plaza del Arco below, is able to make its way up the hill, thus providing relief for those who cannot make the climb on foot.

There are steps leading up into the Museum and Sanctuary so it is not the easiest museum for those with disabilities or restricted movement.

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