Map - Granada, Nicaragua (Municipio de Granada)

Granada is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 104,980 (2021), it is Nicaragua's ninth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, economically and politically. It has a rich colonial heritage, seen in its architecture and structure.

Granada had a thriving Indigenous population. In 1524, the city was renamed Granada, by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, ostensibly the first European city in mainland America. Unlike other cities that claim the same distinction, the city of Granada was not only the settlement of the conquest, but also a city registered in official records of the Crown of Aragon, and the Kingdom of Castile in Spain.

Granada is also known as La Gran Sultana, in the reflection of its Moorish and Andalusian appearance, unlike its sister city and historical rival León, which displays Castilian trends.

The settlement of Granada was established by Spanish conquistador Hernández de Córdoba, who named it after the city of the same name in Spain. This was done in honor of the city's capture by the forces of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I from the Emirate of Granada, which completed the reconquista. During the colonial era, Granada was a sister city to the settlement of Antigua Guatemala, maintained a flourishing level of commerce with ports in the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Cocibolca and the San Juan River, and was subject to attacks from English, French and Dutch pirates who unsuccessfully attempted to take control of the settlement by sailing up the San Juan River.

For many years Granada disputed with León its hegemony as the major city of Nicaragua. The city of Granada was favored by the Conservatives, while Léon was favored by the Liberals. For many years there was conflict that at times became quite violent between the cities' families and political factions. In the mid-19th century a compromise site was agreed on and the capital was finally established at Managua between both cities. As of 1850, Granada had a population of approximately 10,000.

On 29 May 1834, Cándido Flores, head of the military forces of Granada, revolted against the Government in León led by José Núñez, demanding the reform of the federal Constitution. After being defeated in Managua he could not organize a resistance in Granada, so he left the city to a disorganized mob that committed lootings and robberies, especially in the houses of foreigners.

Granada was also the site where American filibuster William Walker took up residence and attempted to take control of Central America and create independent colonies with economies based on slavery. One of Walker's generals, Charles Frederick Henningsen, set the city ablaze before escaping, destroying much of the colonial-era architecture and inscribed the words "Here was Granada" on the ruins before he left.

Granada avoided much of the tumult of the Sandinista Era in the 1970–80s.