The grandson of Hernando de Zafra, the former royal secretary for Catholic Monarchs, commissioned architect Sebastián de Alcántara to design an elaborate mansion. When Casa de Castril was finished in 1539, it displayed one of the most ornate facades in Granada. The style of this incredible ornamentation is called plateresque (plateresco in Spanish). This means intricate, silversmith-like details. In the semi-arch embraced by two lion regardants is a Phoenix rising from the ashes. This is now the Archaeological Museum of Granada. The exhibits include artifacts from the Stone and Bronze Ages through the start of the Middle Ages.
