Capitulations of Santa Fe
Origins
On 17th April 1492, in the town of Santa Fe, Granada, a document was signed between the Catholic Monarchs and Christopher Columbus that would change the history of the world and would allow the Genoese mariner to set sail for the Indies a short time later.
The navigator had already presented to the monarchs at the end of 1491 his risky idea of setting sail for Asia across the Atlantic Ocean. The monarchs received him in Santa Fe (Granada), but refused to grant him their support, which led Columbus to go to the monastery of La Rábida, in Huelva. There, after a few weeks of reflection and with the support of Friar Juan Pérez, a monk of the monastery who had always believed in his enterprise, he made a last attempt to obtain the Monarchs’ permission. Perez had been Queen Isabella’s confessor and trusted she would listen to him if he asked her so.
So the kings, once the Reconquest was over after years of war, received Columbus in Santa Fe. Taking advantage of the kings’ religious ecstasy, the navigator associated his adventurous enterprise with the Christianisation of the place he hoped to reach, since, he claimed, the voyage would allow him to bring aid to the Christians on the continent, undertake the conversion of the infidels and, as if that were not enough, take an economic profit from the enterprise.
The document that allowed Christopher Columbus to travel beyond the confines of the Atlantic Ocean, and which resulted in the discovery of America on 12th October that same year, was signed in La Casa Real de Santa Fe.
Before getting into the festivity itself, it is worth mentioning that Santa Fe is a town that originally emerged as a military camp for the Catholic Monarchs from where they planned to take over the Kingdom of Granada. For this reason, the town has a labyrinthine layout and four monumental arches that were originally the entrance gates to the camp.
Nowadays, the town commemorates the Fiesta de las Capitulaciones in memory of the signing of that document. Every 17th April, the town dresses up to celebrate the festivities of the Capitulations.
For more than two centuries, the festivities of the Capitulations of Santa Fe have been celebrated, preserving nowadays an eminently cultural character. However, it was not until the arrival of democracy in Spain, and the creation of the autonomous regions in 1980, that they really materialised in festivities that have been taking root day by day among the santaferinos (inhabitants of Santa Fe)
During the festivity, Santa Fe celebrates cultural events which highlight the town’s historical past. These include conferences related to the Capitulations and the Discovery of America, painting exhibitions, Spanish-American ceramics, philatelic exhibitions, film screenings, open-air concerts and a colourful medieval market which takes Santa Fe back to the 15th century. In addition, the “Music of the Worlds” concert series is held in the open air and free for the public.
Not to be missed are the medieval dance performances, activities for children such as storytelling, the classical music cycle and the traditional parade.
In 2009 it was declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalusia by the Junta de Andalucía.

Torneo de Justas. Fotógrafos Rayuela. Ayuntamiento de Santa Fe

Baile. Fotógrafos Rayuela. Ayuntamiento de Santa Fe

Representación. Fotógrafos Rayuela. Ayuntamiento de Santa Fe

Mercado Medieval. Fotógrafos Rayuela. Ayuntamiento de Santa Fe

Concierto Música de los Mundos. Fotógrafos Rayuela. Ayuntamiento de Santa Fe.
Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada. (2020). Capitulaciones de Santa Fe: Premio turismo de Granada 2019. [Video File].