According to the Lonely Planet Guide, construction of the cathedral began in 1521 and lasted until the 18th century. It is located next to the "Capilla Real" (the Royal Chapel), which was commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs (Isabella and Ferdinand) to be their own mausoleum (crypt). However the Capilla Real wasn't completed until 1521, so their remains were stored until the completion in the Alhambra's Convento de San Francisco.