6. El Escorial

This the picture of the monastery of El Escorial. This photo is taken from : commons.wikimedia.org

Let's move to the sixth top tourist attractions in Spain which is El Escorial. The Monastery of El Escorial, located some 30 miles northwest of Madrid in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama, was built as a monument to commemorate the Spanish victory over the French in the battle of Saint Quentin on 10 August 1557 (feast day of St. Lawrence). Felipe II himself selected the site for the monastery, 1,028 meters (3,372 feet) above sea level, and personally oversaw the progress of the project. The monastery was initially designed by architect Juan Bautista de Toledo, but after his death in 1567, his assistant Juan de Herrera continued the work. Construction lasted 21 years from 1563 to 1584, and for many years after its completion, El Escorial Monastery was the largest building in the world.

The rectangular plant of this colossal building of granite measures 207 x 161 meters (680 x 528 feet). The four towers in the corners are 55 meters (180 feet) high. The two campaniles are 72 meters (236 feet) high, and the cupola of the basilica is 92 meters (302 feet) high. The whole complex has some 24 kilometers (14.9 miles) of corridors.

The building is structured around a main axis that extends eastwards from the main façade through the Library, the Kings' Courtyard, the Basilica, and the Palace of Felipe II. In addition, the complex includes a Monastery, a Seminary, a School, and the Kings' Pantheon beneath the high altar of the Basilica.

This the side of the instructure of the El Escorial. Taken from : beveryhealthy.info

The unique decoration

The decoration of El Escorial was carefully coordinated with the architecture to create a unified artistic effect. The sober statue of San Lorenzo on the main façade and the six statues of Old Testament kings on the façade of the basilica prepare the way for a splendid display of saints and kings inside the basilica.

Philip was difficult to please, but there was a compelling aesthetic reason to restrict individual artistic expression at the Escorial. Decoration needed to be in keeping with the sober, unornamented classicism of the building if it was to bring the triumphant unity of the project to full expression.

How to Get to El Escorial?

The town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial can be reached from Madrid either by bus from Moncloa Interchange (lines 661 and 664), or by train from Atocha and Chamartín Stations. In any case the trip from Madrid takes about an hour. El Escorial Bus Station is only a five minute walk away from the monastery. However, if you arrive at El Escorial by train, you will then have to take a bus or walk for 20 minutes uphill to get to the monastery.

The monastery opens at 10:00 am, and a visit takes about 2 hours. Allow at least another hour to walk through the main esplanade (known as La Lonja), explore the surrounding gardens, and contemplate the beautiful landscapes. Also feel free to visit the tourist information office that is located in Calle Grimaldi nº 2, just in front of the Monastery on the north side.

Monastery Visiting Times:

October-March: From 10:00 am to 18:00 pm.

April-September: From 10:00 am to 19:00 pm.

Mondays closed.

Entrance fees: 10 Euros.

Wednesdays and Thursdays: Free from 15:00 pm to 19:00 pm for EU Citizens with identification card.