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The El Escorial Monastery is a monastery, palace and residence of King Philip II of Spain.

Located one hour from Madrid at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

Building

El Escorial's story begins on August 10, 1557, when the armies of Philip II defeated the French at the Battle of Saint-Quentin in Flanders. This happened on the day of St. Lorenzo (San Lorenzo), and Philip II decided to erect a monastery in honor of this saint.

The new palace complex was supposed to personify the strength of the Spanish monarchy and Spanish arms, recalling the victory of the Spaniards at San Quanten. Gradually, plans grew, as did the significance of the structure.

In it, it was decided to embody the covenant of Charles V - the creation of a dynastic pantheon, and also, by combining the monastery with the royal palace, to express in stone the political doctrine of Spanish absolutism. The king sent two architects, two scientists and two stonecutters to find a place for the new monastery so that it was not too hot, not too cold, and not too far from the new capital.

After a year of searching, they ended up where El Escorial is now.

In addition to his addiction to St. Lorenzo Philip II was distinguished by self-absorption, melancholy, deep religiosity and poor health. He was looking for a place where he could rest from the worries of the king of the most powerful empire in the world.

He wanted to live surrounded by monks, not courtiers; in addition to the royal residence, El Escorial was to become primarily a monastery of the Order of St. Jerome. Philip II said that he wanted to "build a palace for God and a shack for the king."

Philip did not allow anyone to compose his biography during his lifetime: in fact, he wrote it himself, and wrote in stone. The victories and defeats of the empire, the succession of deaths and tragedies, the king's obsession with teaching, art, prayer and government - all this was reflected in El Escorial.

The central position of the huge cathedral symbolizes the king's belief that all political actions must be guided by religious considerations.

The first stone was laid in 1563. Construction lasted 21 years. The main architect of the project was initially Juan Bautista de Toledo, a student of Michelangelo, and after his death in 1569, the completion of the work was entrusted to Juan de Herrera, who came up with the ideas for the final decoration.

The complex was an almost square structure, in the center of which there was a church, to the south - the premises of the monastery, to the north - the palace; each part had its own courtyard.

Philip oversaw all stages of design and construction. From a conceptual point of view, the choice of the architectural style was of great importance. Philip II needed to emphasize the break with the medieval past and the European significance of his power. The style of archaized Renaissance architecture most closely corresponded to this requirement.

The best materials were used for the interior decoration and the best craftsmen of the peninsula and other countries were collected.

Wood carvings were made in Cuenca and Avila, marble was brought from Aracena, sculptures were ordered in Milan, bronze and silver items were made in Toledo, Zaragoza, Flanders. On December 13, 1584, the last stone was laid in the building of the complex. After that, artists and decorators took up the work, among whom were the Italians P. Tibaldini, L. Cambiaso, F. Castello and others.

And after the completion of construction, Philip II did not leave El Escorial with his worries. Here he collected a large number of works of Spanish and European painters, valuable books and manuscripts were brought here. After the death of Philip II, the collections continued to be replenished by his heirs, and now Escorial keeps the works of Titian, El Greco, Zurbaran, Ribera, Tintoretto, Coelho.

The king's chambers, in contrast to the luxury of the large military halls and the gloomy splendor of the pantheon, were extremely simply decorated. Brick floors, smooth whitewashed walls - it was sustained more in the traditional spirit of Spanish dwellings and, moreover, corresponded to the created image of Philip the monarch.

Architecture

El Escorial brilliantly embodied the ideas laid down in him. Erected from light sandstone in clear and austere forms, it rises against the backdrop of mountain greenery as calmly and confidently as Philip II looks at us from the portrait of Coelho.

The correspondence of the form of each of the buildings to its purpose is surprising: the simplicity of the royal chambers, the light and high interior of the church, the light structure of arcades in the library, the gloomy splendor of the tomb.

Courtyards with greenery, as it were, cut the stone and let in mountain light to the chambers. No wonder Philip II loved his brainchild so much. Here he ordered to transport him at the approach of death.

El Escorial became an example of palace complexes, which was imitated or repelled by subsequent Spanish kings.

El Escorial is a rectangle of 208 × 162 m. It has 15 galleries, 16 patios (courtyards), 13 chapels, 300 cells, 86 staircases, 9 towers, 9 organs, 2673 windows, 1200 doors and a collection of more than 1600 paintings.

Some believe that the shape of the building resembles an inverted brazier in memory of St. Lorenzo, roasted alive.

The northern and western walls of the monastery are surrounded by a large square called lonja (Spanish lonja), and on the southern and eastern sides there are gardens, from where a magnificent view of the monastery fields, orchards and the surrounding area of ​​Madrid opens up.

This view is also admired by the statue of King Philip II in the Frailes garden (Spanish Jardin de los Frailes), where the monks rested after their labors. To the right of the garden is the convalescent gallery.

Museums

There are two large New Museums in Escorial. One of them presents the history of the construction of El Escorial in drawings, plans, building tools and scale models.

In the second, in nine rooms, canvases of the 15th-17th centuries are kept. ranging from Bosch to Veronese, Tintoretto and Van Dyck, as well as the painters of the Spanish school.

The Habsburgs are therefore considered the greatest patrons of the arts of their time. The artists of the Flemish school and Titian, the court painter of Charles V.

Pantheon

One of the goals of the construction by Philip II El Escorial is the creation of a mausoleum for his father, Emperor Charles V, whose remains were transferred here in 1586.

However, a magnificent pantheon in bronze, marble and jasper was built in the crypt of the church only under Philip III in 1617.

The remains of all the kings of Spain, starting with Charles V, rest here, except for Philip V, who could not stand the gloom of El Escorial and asked to be buried in Segovia, and Ferdinand VI, whose grave is in Madrid.

The queens who gave birth to male heirs are also buried here. Opposite is the 19th century Pantheon of Princes, where princes, princesses and queens are buried, whose children did not inherit the throne.

The two tombs in Escorial are empty. The last to be buried here was the only non-king who was awarded such an honor - Don Juan Bourbon.

His son and the current king Juan Carlos I, and the entire people of Spain, felt that he deserved a similar recognition by his support for democracy under Franco and the renunciation of the throne in favor of his son for the sake of a peaceful transfer of power.

The cathedral

While some illustrious visitors rave about the magnificence of El Escorial, others were rather overwhelmed by the cathedral's grandeur.

French writer and intellectual Théophile Gaultier wrote:

"In El Escorial, you feel so overwhelmed, so overwhelmed, so melancholy and overwhelmed by unbending strength that prayer seems completely useless."

The frescoes on the ceiling and along the 43 altars were painted by Spanish and Italian masters. The main retablo (the altar image) was designed by the architect El Escorial, Juan de Herrera; between the jasper and marble columns are pictures of scenes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints.

On the other side are the royal seats and sculptures of Charles V, Philip II and their families at prayer.

Library

The El Escorial Library is second only to the Vatican and contains the manuscripts of St. Augustine, Alfonso the Wise and St. Teresa.

It houses the world's largest collection of Arabic manuscripts, illustrated hymnbooks and works on natural history and cartography dating back to the Middle Ages.

This is the only library in the world where books are placed with the spines inward to better preserve the ancient binding decorations.

Pope Gregory XIII proclaimed that everyone who stole a book from here will be excommunicated. Now most of the books on display are copies of the originals.

Ceiling painting by Tybaldi and his daughter. symbolizes the seven sciences: grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. The end walls are dedicated to the two main sciences, theology and philosophy.

During the reign of the Bourbons, part of the living quarters was rebuilt and two small palaces were erected near the monastery, used as hunting and guest houses.

The famous Spanish Arabist Conde served in the El Escorial library.

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Helpful information

Escorial
Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial
isp. El Escorial, Monasterio de El Escorial

Visit cost

€ 8 + € 3 audio guide, without which you will not be allowed into the pantheon.

Opening hours

• oct-march
• Tue-Sun: 10.00-17.00
• Apr-Sep
• Tue-Sun: 10.00-18.00
• Closed on Mondays

Quotes

As conceived by Philip II, Escorial was built as a "palace for God and a cell for the king."

In the Cathedral of El Escorial, you feel so overwhelmed, so overwhelmed, so melancholy and overwhelmed by unbending strength that prayer seems completely useless.

- Théophile Gaultier

How to get there

Both buses and trains run from Madrid to El Escorial. Travel time is no more than an hour.

It is more convenient to get by bus, since the bus station is located almost in the very center of the city, while you will have to walk 15 minutes from the railway station. on foot, or wait for the bus (the stop is literally 20 m from the station).

Train

Schedule on renfe.es, line C-8 from Atocha station. The stop is called El Escorial and following the Monasterio sign you go up, straight 100 m and through the park, there is a special path. Total walking distance of 10 minutes. Price € 6.40.

Bus

Timetable at ctm-madrid.es, Madrid Intercambiador bus station, above Moncloa metro station, bus 661 or 664, journey time approx. One hour, price 3.20 euros per person. On weekdays, buses leave every 10-15 minutes, on weekends, every half hour. The palace is about 200 m.

El Escorial

Next to the ensemble of the El Escorial monastery arose the city of El Escorial.

The population as of 2003 is about 13 thousand people.

El Escorial is the largest and most beautiful building in all of Madrid, which in its long history has already managed to visit the palace, monastery and residence of the monarch of Spain Philip II. This architectural monument has always caused conflicting assessments in the minds and hearts of many people and there is still no unequivocal opinion of people on this matter, some consider this building "the eighth wonder of the world", while others call El Escorial an "architectural nightmare".

General information about El Escorial

Architectural complex El Escorial, its full name is San Lorenzo de El Escorial, located in the autonomy of Madrid, near the Manzanares River, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama and just an hour's drive from Madrid. V this moment El Escorial is considered the most important museum in Madrid. It is not just an architectural complex, but also a library, national archive and the largest museum.

El Escorial's story

Its history begins in August 1557, when the troops of the Spanish king Philip II completely defeated the French troops at the Battle of Saint-Quentin in Flanders. This battle took place on the day of St. Lorenzo, which is why Philip II decided to build a monastery in honor of the saint. This palace complex was supposed to personify the power and strength of the Spanish monarchy, as well as Spanish weapons and will resemble the victory of the Spanish troops at the Battle of Saint Quentin. Over time, construction plans grew more and more, as did the significance of the structure. In the construction of El Escorial, it was decided to embody the behest of Charles V - to create a huge dynastic pantheon and combine the royal palace with the monastery into one whole. And in the stone structures to express the political doctrine of the absolutism of Spain. King Philip II sent two scientists, two best architects, and two stonecutters to find a place to build a monastery, so that this place was not too cold, too hot and not far from the new capital. After a year of tedious searches, they found exactly the place where El Escorial is now located.

In addition to his addiction to Saint Lorenzo, the king of Spain was distinguished from other rulers by his melancholy, self-absorption, great religiosity and poor health. For a long time he was looking for a place where he could take a break from the royal problems and worries of the most powerful empire in the whole world. He wanted to live surrounded by monks, not his courtiers. El Escorial was to become not only a royal residence, but primarily a monastery for the Order of St. Jerome. He said that he would like to build a "Palace for God and a small shack for the King of Spain." Philip did not want his biography to be compiled during his lifetime, he decided to write it himself and did it in stone. The empire's victories and defeats, the succession of tragedies and deaths, the Spanish king's obsession with art, teaching and prayer, the government of the country - all this was reflected in El Escorial. The central position of the architectural monument symbolizes Philip's belief that political actions must be guided by religious considerations.

The first stone in the construction of El Escorial was laid at the beginning of 1563; its construction lasted for 21 years. the architect of this project was Juan Bautista de Toledo, who was previously a student of Michelangelo, and in 1569 after his death, the construction was completed by Juan de Herrera, who was in charge of the final finishing. The complex is an almost square building, in its center there is a church, in the southern part - the premises of the monastery, in the northern part - a palace, for a large courtyard.

Philip II closely followed the design of El Escorial and its construction. From a conceptual point of view, the choice of the style of architecture was of great importance. Philip II wanted to highlight the break from the medieval past, as well as the European significance of his country. This requirement is best met by the style of the Renaissance archaic architecture.

For the interior decoration of El Escorial, the best materials were used and in addition, the best craftsmen and builders from the entire peninsula and from other countries were collected. Wood carvings were made in Avila and Cuenca, sculptural works were ordered in Milan, marble was brought from Aracena, bronze and silver items were made in Toledo, Flanders, Zaragoza. In 1584, the last stone in the construction was laid, after which decorators and artists began to work, among whom were the famous Italians L. Cambiaso, P. Tibaldini, F. Castello and others.

After the construction was completed, the Spanish king did not leave El Escorial with his worries. Many works of European and Spanish painters were collected here, in addition, valuable manuscripts and books were kept here. Even after the death of the Spanish king, his heirs continued to replenish his collection. And now the works of El Greco, Titian, Ribera, Zurbaran, Coelho, Tintoretto are kept here.

In contrast to the luxury of El Escorial's decoration, the king's chambers were very simply decorated. Smooth whitewashed walls, brick floors and was kept in the traditional style of Spanish dwellings.

Cultural significance of El Escorial

Ever since the reign of Philip II, El Escorial has been considered the embodiment of Christian traditions. For the inhabitants of Spain, he became what the temple of Solomon was, for people who worshiped the Old Testament. The exterior of El Escorial was considered a bold innovation by architects in the country. Contemporaries admire the skill and skill of the talented architect, who managed to capture the spirit of his time and deeply comprehend its ideals.

Juan de Herrera is a talented architect, thoughtful mathematician who combined strict military discipline with the dispassion and endurance of a courtier; these qualities left their mark on the whole ensemble he built.

The work of this architect determined the emergence of a stylistic trend in the art of Spain: the popular style of "without ornament" (desornomentado), otherwise called by the name of the creator of the Herresco style.

The architect found a good balance between corner towers and the dome of the cathedral. The walls of the facades are unusually expressive - flat, smooth and seem to go to infinity.

All buildings of this ensemble were sustained in the same monumental style. All details and shapes are reduced to ordinary geometric bodies - a cube and a ball, and because of this, people think of Escorial as music that froze and at the same time sounds proudly, in Spanish.

El Escorial's current state

El Escorial is a rather complex complex, which includes a monastery, a palace, a cathedral and a theological school. Some ideas of the greatest scale can be given by such dry figures: 86 stairs, more than 16 courtyards, 1500 inward-facing and 1000 outward-facing windows, in the Escorial perimeter reaches 700 meters. The walls of this ensemble were built from large blocks of gray granite, which give the structure a slightly gloomy, but, at the same time, majestic appearance.

The external austerity of the building is redeemed by the luxurious decoration of the interior rooms and other rooms, the walls of which are decorated with frescoes and paintings, antique rarities and sculptures. Philip attracted "Varangians" from Italy, as well as famous Spanish artists to design El Escorial.

In general, the entire structure of El Escorial has not changed at all since the reign of Philip II. But it was restored several times after severe fires in 1671, 1731, 1763, 1825. A major reconstruction of this complex was carried out in 1953. In the middle of 1963, a museum was added to the royal wing of the castle, made of the same granite and it was sustained in the same architectural style... El Escorial still functions as a monastery. Previously, the monks of the Order of St. Jerome lived here, and after 1885 they were replaced by the Augustinians.

Where is El Escorial and what can be seen near him

Escorial is small town, which is located just 50 kilometers northwest of the capital of Spain - Madrid. And he became known to many tourists thanks to the ancient monastery known all over the world, which is also called Escorial and officially it is called the monastery of St. Lawrence.

Not far from El Escorial and just 60 kilometers from Madrid, there is at least famous place in Spain, a monumental complex - Valley of the Fallen. The complex was built in 1940 at the direction of the ruler of Spain, Francisco Franco, as a memorial to soldiers who died in the civil war. During its construction, the local authorities used the low-paid labor of prisoners who expressed a voluntary desire to take part in the work.

All elements of this monumental complex are simply gigantic in size, and especially the basilica, which was carved into the rock. Behind a huge rock is the Benedictine monastery.

Not far from the entrance gate, a mountain road begins, which leads to the foot of the Holy Cross in the Valley of the Fallen, and the road ends on a large explanaad with a total area of ​​30,600 square meters.

Royal Palace of Pardo, located near Madrid. It was built in the 16th century on the huge Pardo Hill in the middle of the royal hunting grounds, and gets its name from the hill. At first, it was an ordinary hunting lodge, but over time it began to expand and got its modern look at the beginning of the 18th century. During the reign of dictator Francisco Franco, the palace was his residence. And after his death, the Royal Palace became a museum. Nowadays, it has become a residence that receives especially important guests.

The Retiro Park was created in the 17th century especially for the walks of the royal family. Retiro is the most beautiful park all over Madrid. During the reign of the Habsburgs, only nobles were allowed into the park. Nowadays, the park is considered a favorite place for residents of Madrid and many tourists. Retiro Park covers a total area of ​​150 hectares. In the center of the park there is a picturesque lake, which opens onto amazing beauty view of the mausoleum of Alfonso XII and the picturesque Egyptian fountain.

The park is home to the most notable landmark, the only sculpture in the world that was dedicated to the devil and has the name "fallen angel".

How to get to El Escorial

It is only 50 kilometers to go from the capital of Spain to El Escorial. El Escorial can be reached on the C-8 train line. Commuter trains in this country they call cercanias, which run quite often, about every 20 minutes. Train tickets are sold only on the day of departure at a special ticket office at railway station... The entire journey will take approximately one hour. You can also take the bus, which leaves from the bus station every 15 minutes.

El Escorial is the property of Spain and one of the most beautiful sights of the country, which has managed to visit the palace, monastery and residence of the Spanish monarch Philip II during its long existence. The architectural complex El Escorial evokes different feelings in all people, it is called "an architectural nightmare" and "the eighth wonder of the world."

Palace-monastery of El Escorial, Madrid, Spain. History of origin, architecture features, owners ..

It is believed that San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the eighth wonder of the world. Naturally, it is most common among the Spaniards! After all, every nation on the planet considers some of its own national buildings (or whole architectural ensembles) worthy of this high-profile title.

For Russians, this is the Kremlin, for Italians - St. Peter's Cathedral, for the French - the Palace of Versailles, and maybe the Louvre ... The list can be continued for a long time

But, perhaps, El Escorial occupies a special place in the list. A grandiose building northwest of the capital of Spain, Madrid, if not a continuation of the Sierra de Guadarama mountain range (as poetically minded Spanish travel guides), then in any case, not looking like a foreign body against the background of harsh local landscapes, objectively suppresses with its grandeur.

It is not hard to imagine how it put pressure on the psyche of the monarchs who lodged here. And if the Habsburgs at the very least reconciled themselves, slowly losing their minds, then already the first king of the Bourbon dynasty, Philip V, could not withstand the unbearable pathos. And he moved from Madrid to ... Segovia. Having built here a miniature Versailles with gardens and fountains, beloved, "Farm".

The scale

El Escorial in the plan is a rectangle measuring 207 by 161 meters. Constructed of massive granite blocks, which, you can imagine, are difficult to handle. Originally containing the monastery of St. Lorenzo, the royal palace and the royal tomb, it is the only universal building of its kind in the world, which can serve as a key to understanding medieval Spain.

• All corridors of El Escorial are over 24 kilometers long
• In total, the complex has 9 towers, 16 courtyards, 13 chapels, 86 internal staircases and 1860 rooms, and the number of windows, they say, has not yet been counted very accurately (there are ~ 2670 here)

The complex was founded on April 23, 1563 during the reign of the Spanish king Philip II ("ruler of the half world"). And completed in record time for that time: in 1584.

It took 21 years to build. And this is much less than at the time required by a comparable scale (the residence of the "Sun King" was built for more than 50 years). Or the last one on the list of colossal residences (28 years: 1752 to 1780).

History of creation

The event in honor of which the building was built was the victory of the Spanish army over the French at Saint-Quentin (Picardy, France) during the Franco-Spanish war. It was won on August 10, 1557, became the first military success in the reign of Philip II (ruled Spain from 1556 to 1598, was born in 1527) and happened on the day of Saint Lorenzo (a Catholic saint and Spaniard by birth).

It is believed that the project of El Escorial was developed by the main royal architect of Spain, Juan Bautista de Toledo (1515 (?) - 1567). At the dawn of his career, he worked in Italy, taking part in the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral.

It seems likely that the architect had to take into account the numerous wishes, if not the direct instructions of the monarch, Philip II. So the latter in every sense can be ranked among the co-authors of the complex.

De Toledo died in 1567 without seeing the completion of his most significant construction. He was succeeded by an equally great master, Juan de Herrera. The name of the latter is associated with the style of Spanish architecture, the so-called herreran, herresco. Characterized by laconic details and almost complete lack of decor.

San Lorenzo de El Escorial is designed in the Herresco style. And it is the most striking work of the architects of the Spanish Renaissance.

Facades and halls of Escorial

The monastic and palace complex as a whole is oriented to the cardinal points. The main, western (or monastery) facade opens onto a vast square, its central part is designed in the form of a giant two-story and 12-column portico.

Through the gigantic front door, visitors enter the so-called courtyard of the Kings. And at its opposite end they see the entrance to the central part of the entire structure: the Basilica of St. Lorenzo. If you look directly at it, then on the right hand are the buildings of the monastery of El Escorial itself, on the left - the premises of the school (seminary).

Behind the basilica, the entrance to which is also marked by a portico, is the royal burial vault. And behind it is the palace of Philip II.

• This monarch, known for his extreme piety, insisted that his chambers adjoin the altar of the temple. And in his declining years he could attend Mass without getting out of bed (Philip II was tormented by gout) - the door from the bedroom goes directly to the choir

Tourists rush to look at the bedroom of the "Ruler of the Half World" and his office, where all issues of war and peace in Europe were resolved. But they are not remarkable in anything other than extreme minimalism. The gloomy and warlike Philip II did not spend so much on himself.

The El Escorial library is a different matter. An extensive room, the vault of which is painted with beautiful frescoes by Pelegrino Tybaldi. Serves as a storage place for more than 40 thousand volumes, most of which are completely unique.

Here, even books are especially placed - with the spines inward, in order to preserve the bindings. True, the exposition mainly contains copies - the originals in the storerooms!

To the left of the basilica is the Bourbon Palace, where the kings of this dynasty (which ruled Spain since 1715) lived during their almost always short stay in El Escorial. Their apartment windows face north and partly east.

To the right of the basilica, around the courtyard of the Evangelists, are the monastery premises. Part of the eastern façade is occupied by the Pantheon of the Infants (where all the princes and princesses of the Spanish royal family are buried).

As noted, the western and northern facades open onto vast cobbled plazas. Near the southern one there are extensive regular so-called Monastic Gardens (Gardens of the Friars), laid out on the direct orders of King Philip II.

Adjacent to them is the beautiful Gallery of Convalescents (Galería de Convalecientes). Walking along which you will fully appreciate the purity and freshness of the mountain air.

Northern and southern facades completely devoid of architectural excesses and represent a harsh, straight, literally a fortress wall. Unless the numerous windows brighten up its severity a little.

Opposite the eastern façade, there is another garden - the Royal. It is here that the windows of Philip II's personal apartments look out.

Collections

The pearls of the collection are:

• Library (rooms are located directly above the main entrance). By the number of collected rare books (about 45,000 editions of the 15th and 16th centuries and, in addition, more than 5,000 manuscript manuscripts of the Roman, Arab and Castilian eras), it is second only to the collection
• Paintings and frescoes by Italian (Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and Giordano), Spanish (Velasquez, Zurbaran, El Greco, Ribera, Goya), German (Bosch, Durer) and Flemish masters
• Sculpture. Both statues carved in marble (Christ by Benvenuto Cellini) and in bronze (statues of kings) by father and son Leone and Romeo Leoni
• Relicarium (containing about 7,500 relics - fragments of the skeleton of the saints of the Catholic Church)

Not far from the main building is the small country palace of King Charles IV, Casita del Princip. Built during his time as heir to the throne (1771-1775, architect Jose de Villanueva - the author of the project).

How to get there

The city of the same name, which arose under El Escorial, is located approximately 45 km northwest of the capital, Madrid. You can get from there:

• bus lines 661 and 664 departing from Moncloa Interchange station
• on railroad(from Chamartín or Atocha train stations).

The journey will take about an hour. The advantage of the bus is that its final stop is just a 5-minute walk from the monastery. The train station is a 20-minute walk away. Those who do not want to climb the mountain will have to take the local bus.

Opening hours and prices

Escorial is open to the public on all days of the week except Monday. From 10 am to 6 pm from October to March, from 10 am to 20 pm from April to September.

The cost of an entrance ticket to visit the main complex is 10 € (2019) for adults and 5 for children 5-16 years old. Citizens under the age of 5 are admitted free of charge! Audio guide costs 4 €.

An additional 5 will have to pay for entrance to separate palaces: Casita del Príncipe, Casita del Infante.

Entry is free for everyone on the following days:

• International Museum Day 18 May
• October 12, National Day of Spain

Some Spaniards believe that the "eighth wonder of the world" is located in the Kingdom, and this is the El Escorial monastery in the suburbs of Madrid. Be that as it may, once in the capital of Spain, it is better to go to the monument, included in the UNESCO list of protected sites, in order to form your own opinion about the majestic monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

Monastery legends

For several centuries now, devout Spaniards have been passing from mouth to mouth a legend full of mysteries and magic. Rumor has it that the monastery of San Lorenzo was built to close the "Gate to Hell", which is supposedly located at the foot of the Guadarrama mountains. The most impressionable monks of the Order of St. Augustine claimed that at night a huge black dog Cerberus ran to the construction site to protect the Gate from curious parishioners. And after the completion of the construction, which lasted 21 years, King Philip II moved to the new library a colossal collection of books on the occult and magic, which the Holy Inquisition did not even suspect.

The real reason for the construction of the monastery just outside Madrid is not so mystical. In 1557, the king's army, in a battle with the French in Flanders, which was then under Spanish rule, accidentally destroyed the temple of Saint Lorenzo, revered throughout the country. In honor of the victory and in memory of Saint Philip II ordered the construction of the most magnificent castle in Europe, where he was going to found a royal residence, a library, a monastery of the Holy Order of Jerome, in order to take a break from the duties of a king in the society of monks.

First of all - simplicity in construction, seriousness in general; nobility without arrogance, greatness without ostentatious luxury ... (from the instructions of King Philip to the architect of Toledo).

Philip II had a dream to build a pantheon for the burial of his father, Emperor Charles V. Today, here you can see the tombs of kings and queens, princes and princesses who ruled the country since the time of Charles V.

The monastery today

El Escorial is now considered one of the most mesmerizing architectural monuments in Spain. And it amazes not only with its colossal size, but also with its content.

You can visit which are two large museums... In the first one, you will learn the history of the construction of the monastery, see drawings, plans and skillfully executed models. The second museum contains paintings from the 15th – 17th centuries. The most interesting are tapestries and paintings by such great masters as El Greco, Bosch, Van Dyck. And in one of the nine rooms you can view the maps of the world compiled at that time. So, on some you will not find Russia, but in the place of modern France you will see Flanders and Burgundy.

V Cathedral of El Real You will be amazed by the masterly painted frescoes on the ceiling by Spanish artists, as well as the space behind the altar - the paintings, decorated with gold, reproduce scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. On the other side, you can see sculptures of Charles V, Philip II and their families at prayer.

Royal library in size and collection it is second only to the Vatican. More than 40 thousand books and about 3 thousand manuscripts are kept here. Interesting fact: The El Escorial Library is the only repository in the world where books are spine-inward to preserve ancient binding decorations. Once Pope Gregory XIII issued a decree that anyone who stole a book from the Royal Library would be permanently excommunicated. When you are in the library, look up to see the ceiling. It depicts arts and sciences metaphorically (rhetoric, music, mathematics, astronomy ...).

If you want to relax in the fresh air, then go out to a large area called "lonha", where you can sit in the shade of trees. And walking a little further, into the blooming gardens, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the fields, mountains and the city. Here you will also see the sculpture of the monarch, as if looking with pleasure at the great work of the best sculptors and architects of his time.

If you have a little more time ...

Philip's armchair (Silla de Felipe II). Among the oaks and maples of the Sierra de Guadarrama, you will find the best observation deck... Ask the staff at the information desk to give you a map with the indicated road leading to Philip's chair, from where he oversaw the construction of the monastery. From here, truly wonderful views of the mountains and the monastery complex open up.

- Spanish monastery, palace and royal residence... The El Escorial building is located an hour's drive from the Spanish capital, right at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains.

The palace made of granite blocks looks very harsh: its facades are decorated only with corner towers, traditional for Spanish architecture. The tough temper of the Spanish king is, as it were, reflected in the appearance of El Escorial.

In Spain itself, the royal residence is called the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Outwardly, the palace looks more like a real fortress. Spreading out in a vast rectangle, it has strict and symmetrical facades, and the size of the palace walls is 206 by 161 meters.

Carved with military grace, the walls of a building can appear monotonous and artless.

There are so many windows and doors here that all attempts to calculate their exact number are initially doomed to failure. (The most common figure is 2500 windows and 1250 doors, but this result is not always the same.)

The main work on the El Escorial belongs to two architects.

The first drawings of the project were made by Juan Bautista de Toledo: there is information that for this purpose he was studying the experience of the builders of the Roman Cathedral of St. Peter.

The continuation of the construction of the palace in 1567 belongs to the architect Juan de Herrera, who determined the final appearance of the building.

The construction of El Escorial lasted from 1563 to 1584. Philip II, whose residence later became the palace, took an active part in the implementation of the Escorial project.

The king's chambers in the palace were placed so that the Spanish monarch could enter the church directly from them. The king chose such a strict and laconic appearance of the palace, taking care of its rich interior decoration: the chambers were decorated with many works of fine art.

Therefore, today the Escorial Palace is also valuable as an art gallery. This architectural monument has works by such renowned masters of painting as Velazquez, El Greco, Veronese, Hieronymus Bosch and Tintoretto.

A huge solid palace - a monastery of light sandstone, strict forms, without any decorations, stucco moldings, columns, statues amazes with its monumentality against the background of the bright blue sky of Spain and the greenery of the mountains.

The appearance of El Escorial opened a new style in architecture that became quite common in Spain at that time - Desornamentado (unadorned).

Lyon Feuchtwanger, in his article on El Escorial, tells the legend that the Spaniards defeated the French at the Battle of San Quanten, but accidentally destroyed the monastery of the highly revered Spanish Saint Lawrence, who died from torture on a grate set over a fire. King Philip, in order to atone for the destruction, ordered the construction of a temple resembling a lattice in plan. Four towers in the corners were supposed to symbolize her legs, and the Palace of the Infants, with its front facing forward, was to symbolize the handle. And such a monastery with palaces was built according to the project of Michelangelo's student Juan Batista from Toledo and his successor Juan from Herrera from 1563. until 1584

There is no ostentatious luxury and splendor of decoration either on the facades or in the interior decoration of the royal chambers. Only austere columns and statues of Old Testament kings, an elegantly executed balustrade of cornices.

The view is enlivened by beautiful courtyards with intricate plantings of trees and bushes of rich green color.

The inside of the monastery is also trimmed with modest gray marble. Pilasters, columns, frieze, walls of the cathedral are all in a calm gray color, but airy, light, sublime.

Only the altar, raised to a height of four floors in the main nave of the temple, is decorated with marble of different colors, precious stones and jasper, illuminated through a glass lantern in the dome of the cathedral, attracts the eye.

Moreover, in the light arcade of the library, located in one of the long galleries of the palace, all the books are exposed with gilded trims to the public, and with the spines inward, as if warning that we should not even know the names of the works read by the king of Spain himself.

This library, if not equal to the collected rarities of the library of the Vatican, then takes the second place.

In Escorial, a magnificent in its gloom Pantheon is arranged, where all the kings of Spain are buried, starting with Charles V.

Only Philip V asked to be interred in Segovia, and even the ashes of Ferdinand IV are in the capital.

The queens who gave birth to the heirs to the throne are also buried here. Opposite the royal tomb is the pantheon, where infants of both sexes and queens, whose children never inherited the throne, have been buried since the 19th century. It is worth visiting this solid El Escorial castle, where magnificent paintings of great artists are collected.

Paintings by Titian, Veronese, El Greco, Hieronymus Bosch, Tintoretto, Coelho, Ribera, tapestries based on Goya's sketches - you can still list famous names for a long time.

What is worth remembering

• Dress warmly - there are always cold winds in this area of ​​Spain.
• The currency is the euro, the language is Spanish, but there are many English speakers.

Museum opening hours

• starting from October to the end of March from 10.00 to 17.00 (closed on Monday)
• and from the beginning of April to September inclusively from 10.00 to 18.00 (closed on Monday)

When visiting a museum, before buying a ticket (a lock diagram is attached to it), you must go through a metal detector and check things.

Prices

• The cost of visiting, depending on the excursion: sightseeing, educational or historical - on average, 10 Euro. You can pay by credit card.

How to get there

1. By train: Line C-8 from Atocha station. It takes about an hour to get to the stop called El Escorial. Then follow the sign "Monasterio" on foot upwards for 100 m and then along a special path through the park. Just 15 minutes walk. Round-trip tickets cost about 8 euros.
2. By bus: from the Madrid Intercambiador bus station, which is located at the exit of the Moncloa metro station, buses No. 661 or 664 leave on weekdays every 15 minutes, on weekends - every 30 minutes. Drive about an hour. Then from the stop 200m walk. The fare is 3.20 euros.
3. Renting a car will cost from 30 Euros per day, but will make you more mobile.