In the historic Andalucian city of Granada, the Palacio de los Olvidados hosts a fascinating museum about the Spanish Inquisition. This guide was updated in January 2026.
The Bull of Phalaris
Well, it’s inventive. You’ve got to give them that. The Bull of Phalaris looks initially like a fairly mundane metal sculpture of a bull. But then you see how it works. It’s hollow inside, with just enough room to fit a human.
And the poor soul that would get a good look around would be stripped naked, while a fire was lit underneath the bull’s belly – making it glow with incandescent heat. The shrieks and moans from the victim inside would come out of the bull’s nostrils, making it seem like the beast was bellowing. A lovely party trick, as long as you’re not the one inside the bull.
Torture devices in the Palacio de los Olvidados
This is one of many torture devices displayed inside Granada’s Palacio de los Olvidados. There are racks, spiky interrogation chairs and corkscrew-esque “head crushers” amongst the grim collection. But what makes this exhibition different from dozens of other torture chamber museums around Europe is that the focus is on who was doing the torturing rather than what they were doing.
When they go to Granada, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. But for a very long time, the Inquisition was a lot more than the butt of a Monty Python sketch.
The history of the Spanish Inquisition
Originally, the Inquisition wasn’t a Spanish thing. It was set up by the Catholic Church, and modified under several popes, in the 12th and 13th centuries. One of these modifications was allowing the use of torture, which the Spanish branch of the Inquisition embraced with gusto. Between 1481 and 1517 alone, 16,376 heretics were burned alive.
This is partly because it was a time of great upheaval in Spain. 1492 is best known as when Columbus discovered the Americas, but it was also the year that Spain expelled the Jews and reconquered Granada – the last holdout of the Muslim kingdoms that once spread across the south of the country.
How the Spanish Inquisition worked
With a lot of people being forced to convert or leave, it’s no surprise that these conversions were treated as suspicious. But it’s when the displays go into how the Inquisition worked that the reign of terror begins to make sense.
The Inquisitors, originally chosen by the Pope but later by the Spanish Crown, weren’t so much the problem as their ‘familiars’. These legal servants had a position of privilege, which was not sold cheaply. So to get back the money they shelled out to win the post in the first place, they’d have to get busy getting money from fines and confiscated goods.
Essentially, they had a vested interested in putting as many people through the courts as possible.
Torture and death as entertainment
And there was little public outcry because the auto de fé – where the guilty heretics had to embrace the faith before learning of their sentence – was designed to be a piece of bombastic public entertainment. Why would anyone want the fun to stop?
Alas, for those tried for heresy, there was not much fun at all. And the ground floor guillotines, water torture set-ups, garrotes and heavily spiked ‘iron virgin’ show just how unenjoyable it was. But in Granada, now everyone can inspect the Spanish Inquisition…
Visiting the Spanish Inquisition museum in Granada
The Spanish Inquistion exhibition is in the Palacio de los Olvidados. At the time of writing, entry costs seven euros. This price was checked and verified in September 2026.
Things to do near Palacio de los Olvidados
- Royal Chapel of Granada – The Gothic chapel contains the tombs of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the Catholic Monarchs who conquered Granada in 1492.
- Granada Cathedral – The large Renaissance cathedral stands beside the Royal Chapel in the centre of Granada, with an ornate interior and substantial chapels.
- El Bañuelo – One of Granada’s best-preserved Arab bathhouses, dating from the 11th century and located beside the Darro River.
- Mirador de San Nicolás – The Albaicín viewpoint overlooks the Alhambra and has views towards the Sierra Nevada on clear days.
- Casa de Zafra – A well-preserved Nasrid-era house in the Albaicín that provides an example of domestic architecture from Granada’s Islamic period.
Alternative attractions
- Alhambra – The extensive hilltop complex contains the Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba, Generalife and other historic buildings and gardens overlooking Granada. Make sure you book tickets in advance to see the Nasrid Palaces.
- Generalife – The former summer palace and gardens of the Nasrid rulers form part of the Alhambra complex, with terraces, fountains and landscaped gardens.
- Corral del Carbón – A well-preserved 14th-century Nasrid building that served as a warehouse and inn for merchants travelling through Granada.
- Monastery of San Jerónimo – A Renaissance monastery near Granada’s historic centre with an elaborate church, cloister and religious artwork.
- Sacromonte – The hillside district east of the Albaicín is known for its cave houses, traditional flamenco venues and views towards the Alhambra.
More Andalucia travel
Other Andalucia travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- A guide to Almeria for first time visitors – including Almeria Cathedral, the Alcazaba and the Guitar Museum.
- Does the Almeria to Granada train make for a viable day trip?
- A first-time visitor’s guide to Seville Cathedral.
- Is the Mezquita in Cordoba the strangest building in the world?
- How the Caminito del Rey tour from Malaga works.
