After being closed to the public for ten years, the Museums of Painting and Architecture at the Royal Monastery of El Escorial are reopening their doors this Friday, October 2. Works by great masters of the Italian, Flemish, and Spanish schools (including Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese) form part of the collection on display in these two key spaces of the Monastery— —which have undergone a renovation involving an investment of 3.1 million euros.
In total, the Museum of Painting brings together about a hundred works, twenty-one of which are being added to the permanent collection for the first time. “They come from restricted areas, offices, or areas that are not open to the public, ”explained the monastery’s curator, Carmen García-Frías. For her,the crown jewel of the exhibition is Rogier van der Weyden’s “The Calvary ,” “one of the masterpieces of world painting” and “among the painter’s most original works.”
At the opening ceremony for the new spaces, the director of the Royal Collections, Víctor Cageao, noted that “the El Escorial Museum of Painting offers a comprehensive view of the formation of the Royal Collections and the role that art played in shaping the image of the monarchy.” The focus is not only on the mastery of the artists whose works are on display, but also on how the collection of paintings took shape over four centuries of royal collecting, beginning with Philip II.
For its part, the Museum of Architecture aims to introduce visitors to the history of the monastery’s construction, from the project’s initial designs to its establishment as one of the great landmarks of European architecture in the Modern Age.”
How to Visit the Museums of Painting and Architecture at El Escorial for Free
Admission to the Museums of Painting and Architecture at El Escorial can be obtained free of charge at the El Escorial Visitor Reception Center. Visitors may enter through the north entrance (usually reserved for groups).
Starting January 1, 2027, admission to the Museums of Painting and Architecture will be included in the general admission ticket, although a separate ticket may also be purchased to visit them independently.