- Address: Av Juan de Borbón y Battemberg, s / n, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain
- Working hours: 10: 00-20: 00
- Phone: +34 918 90 50 11
Traveling through Madrid , remember that not all the cultural and historical sites of Spain are in its capital, some can be found within walking distance from the center. As, for example, the royal monastery-palace of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
The monastery of the Escorial (Monasterio de El Escorial), and he was pawned by the Spanish monarch originally in this capacity, upon completion of construction received the status of both the palace and the residence of its founder - Philip II. As well as it is necessary to grandiose construction, it causes ambiguous feelings at visitors.
Historical moment
Like any great empire, Spain was a belligerent state. And it so happened that the first mention of the Escorial in Spain is given to August 10, 1557, when the army of Philip II defeated the French at the Battle of St. Cantin. According to legend, in the course of battle battles, the monastery of St. Lawrence was inadvertently destroyed. Religious Philip II gave a vow to build a monastery anew, in order to realize the covenant of his father Charles V - to create a pantheon of the dynasty of kings.
Six years later, in 1563, the first stone was laid. The work was conducted by two architects: first Juan Bautista de Toledo - pupil of Michelangelo, and after his death, the case was completed by Juan de Herrera. He also owns ideas and works for finishing the palace-monastery. Like most Christian buildings, the Escorial was built in the form of a rectangle in the center of which the church was erected. To the south of it - the premises of the monastery, to the north - the palace. Moreover, each part of the complex had its own inner courtyard.
Philip II wanted the new building to be associated with a new era of government, which affected the choice of style and finish of the Escorial. The best materials of that time were used in the work, the most eminent masters were gathered from the whole empire. Philip II took care of his creation all his life, collecting rich collections of paintings, books, manuscripts, tapestries within his walls.
A total of 21 years went the construction of the Escorial, which became one of Spain's best attractions.
About the most important: the palace is for God, the shack is for the king
Escorial - a palace and a monastery - is one of the most significant in terms of beauty and cultural significance of objects in Spain. The dimensions of the whole complex are 208 by 162 meters and include about 4000 rooms, 300 cells, 16 courtyards, 15 galleries, 13 chapels, 9 towers and bodies. To the north and west of the monastery laid a huge square, and from the south and east broke the gardens, by the way, in the French style.
The museum of El Escorial actually consists of two museums. He starts with the cellars, where you will see the entire history of construction: drawings, schemes, instruments of that time, models of buildings. The second part - the canvases of all schools and several centuries, which hardly fit in nine halls!
The Cathedral of El Escorial is a special sacred place for Catholics with an amazing finish. The basilica is represented in the form of a Greek cross and has 45 altars. The dome above each altar is painted with frescoes. The walls are decorated with paintings of scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, Christ and the saints.
The library of El Escorial is considered the largest in the world after the library of the Vatican. What is interesting, on the old shelves of the book are the roots inward. It also contains ancient manuscripts, a collection of Arabic manuscripts, works on history and cartography.
In the mausoleum of the royal pantheon lies the ashes of all the kings and queens of Spain, the parents of heirs. And princes and princesses, bastards, queens, whose children did not become rulers, are buried on the opposite side. The last two tombs are still empty, they are prepared for already deceased members of the family of kings, whose bodies are still being prepared in a special room. For the present king, his family and descendant, the question of the burial place remains open.
In the palace of Philip II you will be shown his personal belongings and bedroom, in which he died in 1598. You are waiting for the Hall of Battles, Hall of Portraits and other rooms. To this part of the excursion is also the admiration for the collection of tapestries.
Over time, next to the Escorial, a small settlement of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, numbering about 20 thousand people, arose. Here you will find cafes, souvenir shops and hotels.
When to visit and how to get to the Escorial?
The distance from Madrid to Escorial is about 50 km. As the architectural complex is a very popular tourist route, then how to get from Madrid to El Escorial, you will be prompted even in your hotel. There are several options:
- on the train from the central station of the capital - Madrid Atocha Cercanias to El Escorial station. Round-trip ticket will cost you about € 8. Take into account, in connection with the terrorist attack at the entrance of the station serious control, make a reserve of time in half an hour. Upon arrival, the El Escorial itself will have to walk for about 15 minutes through the park or take a local bus;
- on buses 661 and 664 from Madrid's Moncloa station (at the terminal station of the yellow line No. 3). They go on weekdays every 15 minutes, on weekends - every half hour. The cost is about € 3.2. The bus station in Escorial from the monastery is a couple of hundred meters away;
- by car on the navigator 40 ° 35'20 "N 4 ° 8'52" W.
The Escorial Museum is always open for visits:
- from October to March from 10: 00-18: 00;
- from April to September from 10: 00-20: 00.
The day off is Monday. An adult ticket costs € 8-10, a child costs € 5, children under 6 years old are free of charge. You can pay by credit card. For scientists and students there are tickets for a specific number of hours or days. The monastery does not work on Christmas, New Year and November 20.
At the entrance to a strict inspection of personal belongings, a storage room operates. Photography is allowed, but without a flash. It is recommended to take light outerwear, the monastery is very cool, and outside - windy.
Interesting Facts:
- the art collection of El Escorial has more than 1600 canvases;
- Pope Gregory III threatened to excommunicate everyone who had stolen a book from the Escorial;
- The escorial is included in the UNESCO World Heritage.
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