The full name is Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial although in the end it is usually shortened to just “El Escorial”, the name of the neighboring town, which often leads to confusion. Philip II had an idyll with the region, he chose Madrid to establish his Court when the villa was then little more than a village and at the top of the Guadarrama mountain range he ordered the erection of the monastery that came to be considered in the sixteenth century as the eighth wonder of the world.
Philip II appointed a committee to choose the best place for the remains of his father, and those of the future kings of Spain, to rest, but the monastery is much more, it is a sample of the power (and tastes) of one of the most powerful kings in history.
The library
Among the virtues of the king nicknamed “The Prudent”, Philip II had a hobby that became a treasure of humanism. On the solid wood shelves of the library of El Escorial rests a priceless collection of manuscripts, incunabula and rare books – the king was of mystical tastes – some of them from the Middle Ages.
This library with its own name, known as the Escurialense or the Laurentian, is adorned with frescoes on the ceiling depicting the seven liberal arts. As a center of knowledge and wisdom, the library of El Escorial is a cultural jewel that reflects the importance of the monastery as a center of learning and spirituality for centuries.
The pantheons
The Pantheon of Kings of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the room that begins and gives meaning to the rest of the complex. Philip II decided to build this building in the geographical center of the peninsula to house the tomb of his father Charles I, although he wanted to be buried in Granada. Finally, this monumental pantheon is conceived to serve as the final resting place for the monarchs of Spain since the 16th century.
It is located under the basilica, and in addition to housing the tombs of the kings and queens of Spain, select members of the royal family also rest here. The tombs are elaborately decorated with sculptures and reliefs depicting religious and allegorical scenes, and the marble tombstones display the names and titles of the buried monarchs.
Main cloister and Evangelists’ courtyard
This cloister is a sublime representation of the Herrerian style built around the courtyard of the Evangelists. In the galleries the walls are decorated with frescoes depicting the story of the Redemption. The imposing staircase was also not designed by the original architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo, but by Bergamasco, and he added a large dome that would later be painted by Luca Giordano.
The courtyard has a cross shape with a Doric pavilion in the center that refers to the four gospels and the Garden of Eden.
Basilica
The basilica of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a clear example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. In reality the basilica served as two churches in one, on one side is the people’s chapel, which is the Sotocoro, and in the central body of the temple is located the Royal Chapel and Conventual Church. To separate them there were large bronze grilles, very typical in Spanish cathedrals.
The Orchestra, which cannot be visited, consists of 124 chairs with woodwork by the Genoese José Flecha, one of the chairs is a little larger because from here Philip II attended mass. In the vault there is a Gloria painted by Luca Cambiaso.
Chapter Room
The chapter rooms of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial are spaces of great importance within the monastic structure. In them, the monks met daily to carry out the readings of the Rules, resolve administrative matters and discuss issues related to monastic life.
These rooms are located near the main cloister and are distinguished by their sober but majestic architecture, with high ceilings and decorative elements that reflect the solemnity of the surroundings. In addition to their function as a place of meeting and deliberation, the chapter rooms often house religious works of art, such as paintings or sculptures. The vaults are decorated with moralizing religious frescoes and the walls have a selection of paintings from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including The Robe of Joseph, a work by Velázquez.
Sacristy
The sacristy of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial brings together in the same room works by José de Ribera and Luca Giordano, as well as one of the most relevant sets of Catholic religious clothing, according to Patrimonio Nacional. The canvas that presides over the altar is an adoration by Claudio Coello. Every last Sunday of September, the painting is lowered to reveal the tabernacle of the chapel with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament that was desecrated.
Battle room
Designed by Juan de Herrera in the 16th century, the Battle Hall of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial serves as a vast early museum space commemorating Spain’s most significant military victories. These frescoes were painted by a team of Genoese artists formed by Nicolò Granello, Fabrizio Castello and Lazaro Tavarone.
They depict scenes of emblematic battles such as that of Higueruela in 1432, the campaign of San Quintín, for which the monastery was erected, two episodes of the annexation of Portugal in 1583, the conquest of the Terceras and Azores islands. The Hall of Battles, originally known as the King’s Gallery, is a propaganda exercise of Spain’s military might over the centuries.
