El Escurial
The Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid, are an expression of the Catholic Counter-Reformation and the Spanish Golden Age.
El Escurial was built at the behest of King Philip II in 1563 as a place for prayer and a pantheon to the Spanish monarchs. It was further extended in the 18th century into a royal seat and a symbol of the power of the monarchy. The massive complex is a basilica, royal palace, monastery, seminary, library and mausoleum in one.
Community Perspective: It’s often busy, offers the usual (boring) palace tours and is closed on Mondays. The austere buildings have “occasional flourishes of fine decoration”. The highlights inside are the painted ceilings, the royal crypt, the 50-metre-long wall painting in the Hall of Battles and the tapestry collection in the Bourbon Palace.
Map of El Escurial
Community Reviews
2Flow2
My visit to El Escorial was in November 2024 as a part of my nine months living in Madrid, Spain, and I have to say, El Escorial continues to stand out as one of my favorite sites in the country. The monastery is just massive and stunning beyond words... every time you think you've seen the final room, there is another one full of incredibly intricate, lavish detail sitting beyond the next doorway, and it continues on and on like this for hours. Frankly, a lot of the royal palaces in Spain are quite large and have a lot of distinct, highly decorated rooms, but El Escorial has them all beat. El Escorial was built both as a religious complex and a royal setting blended together. When we first arrived we were a bit peeved because the entry price + guided tour seemed to be pretty high. However, after having taken the tour and seeing the enormous size of the site, we now understand and think it's worth every cent.
My takeaway is that I cannot recommend El Escorial enough. Seemingly endless content to see, it's a great daytrip from Madrid. The biggest knock against it is perhaps that the town surrounding it does not have much to do other than a nice public park.
Some have said that there is a no-photography rule, and maybe that was the case in the past, but it is no longer true except for one specific room within the complex. (The masoleum that houses the bodies of generations of dead kings and queens.) Based on the way some of the other reviews on this site talk about El Escorial, I also wonder if more of the complex is open to the public tours now than was in the past. Also, to reaffirm Alikander99's warning, it is closed on Mondays! (We sent some friends there on a Monday by accident, not knowing this.)
Ana
Arrived on a chilly December morning to visit the complex. The painted ceilings, walls, and tapestries inside really do make the palace, as the outside and parts of the inside are otherwise pretty plain. One thing I wanted to mention, since I saw conflicting information in other reviews, is that on my visit today photography was almost entirely allowed. The only room that disallowed photography was the Pantheon of the Kings - otherwise, I snapped away in full view of the staff (including in spaces like the library) without so much as a shake of the head.
Alikander99
I might be biased because i happen to live in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (the adjacent town) but I thought I might as well give my POV.
First off the place is HUGE. It's said to be the biggest renacentist complex in the world and It may be the biggest granite structure. It was Built in the 16th century by order of Philip II, during the heyday of the spanish empire and the counter reformation. It houses the Royal mausoleum and a spectacular collection of paintings.
Second, most you cannot visit. The Monastery is divided into quarters only two of which are open to visits, the other two being an active school and a eclesiastical residence. Apart from the monastery, UNESCO also protects several sites you cannot visit, like the underground passages, the fire prevention system, the orchards and the piscifactories. At the time of its completion this was one of the most technologically impressive palaces in Europe. Its monstruous proportions were meant to reflect the power and devoutness of the Habsburg monarchy.
So now...what CAN you visit? Well, the exterior, the basilica, the library, the Royal residences, the mausoleum and a bit of the in between.
The exterior is sober, not to say almost devoid of decoration. I personally find the style unappealing, though from afar the views are quite good (I recommend going to the herreria to take some photos). The style of the building is called herrerian (after the main architect of the monastery) and it's considered the last an most unique stage of spanish renaissance. The style is characterised by Its grand and sober nature.
The basilica is effectively grand and sober to the point of being cold and even uncomfortable. The altar is worth a close inspection, but overall, It doesn't offer much.
The real highlight of your visit will probably be the Royal residences. The spanish kings were great patrons of the arts and the monastery housed one of their finest collections. Many of the highlights have been moved to the Prado Museum, but the monastery still has a very impressive collection, which is mostly portrayed in the Habsburg residence. The decoration IS not very flashy, following the Habsburg aesthetic, though It's nontheless quite unique for a Royal residence. The hall of battles IS probably the highlight in terms of decoration. A huge gallery showing off the victories of the spanish empire.
The bourbon Palace has been closed for quite some time but It's finally open. Good thing because it's a real treat. The highlight is, without a doubt, the impressive tapestry collection, which covers every square inch of the walls. Many illustruous tapestry makers participated in the making. Goya himself made Many of them when he worked in the Royal tapestry factory. It's overall a Welcome change of aesthetics to the sober Habsburg palace.
If not fascinating these two palaces are at least quite unique, and very different to the standard baroque Palace you find everywhere in Europe.
The mausoleum houses almost all spanish kings since Charles I and an INORDINATE amount of members of the Royal familes. Most of the tombs of the latter group are quite plain, with only a few exceptions like that of John of Austria.The overall atmosphere of the crypt is severe and sombre. The kings and Queens are buried in another hall, even further down, in yet another elegant but plain hall. In comparison to other crypts like the stunning one in Vienna this one comes off as quite underwhelming.
The library (at least the part you can visit) IS small, but pretty impressive. I advice taking a look at the beautifuly decorated muslim manuscripts. The Monastery houses a far bigger, though inaccesible, collection of books, botanical specimes and macabre oddities as Philip V was a great fan of them.
SUMMARY:
Overall the building perfectly reflects Philip's personality. It's functional (quite cool even in summer) severe and sober. The almost complete lack of decoration and gigantic size definetely give It a very particular aesthetic, which you'd be hard pressed to find in any other palace complex in Europe.
IMPORTANT NOTE: IT CLOSES ON MONDAYS.
HOW TO GET THERE?
The town IS connected to Madrid through public transport. You can go either by bus (661 and 664 which depart from Moncloa) and trains (from Atocha, Sol, Nuevos Ministerios...). The Monastery is in the dead centre of the old town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. DISCLAIMER, if you arrive by train, you'll end up in El escorial, which is, confusingly, not the same town as San Lorenzo de El Escorial. You'll find the monastery further Up the mountain. Take advantage of the opportunity and walk through "la casita del principe" a neat Royal park.
OTHER THINGS TO DO:
While you're in San Lorenzo, you can also do some fine hiking. Abantos and las machotas peaks in offers a nice ascent, with good views. The former one also has many botanical oddities.
Nearby you can also visit "el valle de los caídos" the monstruous Monastery Franco built "in remembrance of the fallen in the civil war" (wether they liked It or not...). It's an interesting counterpoint to the monastery as It's built in Neo-herrerian style. It was planned to evoque the grandeur of the monastery, thus the nearby location and similar style. I find the visit quite interesting, it reminds me of the nazi complexes in Nuremberg, though less grand and ruinous.
Hubert
The literal translation of El Escorial is "the slag heap". But this is actually the name of the neighbouring village and also a pretty good description of the barren landscape around it. Not exactly the typical setting for a royal palace. Opinions about its architecture are divided, and were already so when King Philipp II had the palace built in the 16th century. Austere and sober for some, imposing and majestic for others. And I didn't really know what to think of this building either when I stood in front of the façade.
El Escorial is much more than just a palace, it is a combination of monastery, palace, college, library and royal crypt. So no surprise that it's huge, it is considered the largest Renaissance building in the world.
I visited El Escorial in May 2019. I bought a ticket and booked a time slot online beforehand. But when I arrived on a weekday afternoon there were far fewer visitors than I expected, the day tours from Madrid had apparently already left. You can visit the palace-monastery complex with an audio guide. I skipped the Royal Appartments, these rooms look more or less the same in all European palaces. Instead, I focused on the highlights: the Basilica, the Library, the Cloister and the Royal Pantheon. My highlight was the 50-metre-long wall painting in the Hall of Battles.
Photography is not allowed inside, but there were few staff, only in the library and the Pantheon of the Kings was it really controlled.
In total, I spent an hour and a half on my self-guided tour, and I enjoyed El Escorial more than I had expected.
Jay T
While wandering through a Spanish palace last year, I ran across a room full of paintings of the Wonders of the World. On one wall was a representation of the Colossus of Rhodes, nearby, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and across the way, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. All seven well known wonders were found in that room, but there was also a painting of an eighth wonder -- one I hadn't even considered before I arrived in Spain, but I quickly realized was of great regional importance: El Monasterio del Escorial.
A couple days later I found myself on a day tour from Madrid visiting El Escorial, and it was as grand as the painting suggested. I don't always travel on guided tours, but they can be very informative. In this case, my tour guide pointed out the repeated use of a grill--a symbol representing the way St. Lawrence was martyred--in artwork and in the design of the monastery, something I might otherwise have missed.
El Escorial is a monument to the vision of King Philip II of Spain, a place he intended to use in support of the Counter-Reformation, as well as to house a royal mausoleum. The basilica, imposing in marble, was more austere than other churches I saw in Spain, a reflection of the character of Philip II. My tour continued through the royal apartments, where we saw the window the king had installed so that he could watch the services in the basilica when he was laid up in bed. Below the basilica was the highlight I found of El Escorial -- the royal burial vaults, where monarchs from Charles I(V) to Alphonse XIII, including Felipe II, are interred.
The downside to participating in a tour is that one does not have full freedom to explore at will. Accordingly, there are sections of El Escorial I would like to return to in order to better appreciate, including the art galleries and library. Still, what I saw of El Escorial made the day tour from Madrid worthwhile.
Logistics: El Escorial is accessible from Madrid by train, bus, or private transportation; the monastery is atop a hill, and there is quite a lot to see inside.
Kyle Magnuson
California - United States of America - 02-Aug-18 -
Arriving as it opened, we largely had this massive complex to ourselves. Not that there weren't other visitors, but the structure swallows you in its vastness and very quickly you can find yourself completely alone.
The highlights are surely the painted ceilings and the royal crypt. Both are stunning in their detail, yet they are also more than that. At certain intervals they produce a feeling of grandeur that demands silent attention. I could not help whispering in the crypt, though I need not have since we were alone. Perhaps, if I was more religious I could better explain it, but the artwork and scale remain with you long after you depart on the train back to Madrid.
We enjoyed our visit, but were also surprised that it did not take longer. I believe we spent 2-3 hours exploring. The garden is fairly standard as far as European royal palaces are concerned. Once we finished, we grabbed a bite to eat before heading back. The nearby street, Calle Floridablanca is filled with excellent places for food or drinks.
Read more from Kyle Magnuson here.
Clyde
I visited this WHS in June 2015. The historical royal residence and monastery is really huge. It is the second best art museum after the Prado in the Central Spain/Madrid area. Yet I decided to visit the interior and brave the crowds mostly to be able to visit the fine library. I decided to visit after around 4.30pm as it seems to be the quietest time to visit. Apart from the library, I also enjoyed the peaceful green gardens outside. All in all I'm glad I visited but I'm surely not going to return here any time soon.
Klaus Freisinger
The Escorial is really a great site to visit - it is (supposedly) the world's largest Renaissance building and houses Spain's royal pantheon, yet is built in a somewhat modest style befitting a monastery, which it also is. Built in the shape of a gridiron, the instrument of martyrdom of St. Lawrence, it consists of the monastery, a school, and the Royal Palace commissioned and first inhabited by Philip II. His quarters are modestly furnished, but the church, the library, and the pantheon are extremely impressive, although not extravagant. It is set next to a pretty village just about an hour or so from Madrid, and definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in Spain's Golden Age.
Ian Cade
A hungover traipse around this massive and austere royal palace/ monastery complex wasn't really motivating me to get out of bed after a great night of tapas and bar hoping with my brother and his girlfriend in the Spanish capital. However I finally mustered the strength to roll up to El Escorial on the commuter train that goes through central Madrid. Much to my surprise this severe monument broke me down and I actually started to like it by the time I finished my mammoth stroll around.
First off this place is gigantic, it dominates the whole town and just walking around the main route will take several hours. It was also built out of a sense of religious duty by a very devout monarch, as such it is not an opulent explosion of decoration but rather a grey labyrinth of breezy corridors and stairwells occasionally opening up into some vast galleries which once housed one of Europe's finest collections of art.
There is a fair amount of this collection left to view in situ; however the real highlights have been moved to the Prado in Madrid. A visit to that museum was the distinct highlight of my first trip to Madrid, and was a great complement to my trip to El Escorial. My distinct highlight was Rogier van der Weyden's Descent from the Cross, the original is in the Prado but there is a very good copy by Michiel Coxie still housed in El Escorial. The staggering array of great works is impressive and sits perhaps only below the Vatican as an original repository of such exceptional works of western art. El Escorial also has occasional flourishes of fine decoration which seem almost juxtaposed with the rest of the building, the basilica has some fine frescoes and the painted ceiling of the main staircase in impressive, but seemingly overlooked by many visitors and it is a slight de tour at the end of a mammoth tour. The Royal mausoleum, hall of battles and library are also memorably decorated. After a lengthy walk around the complex I headed back to the station through the nice planned park, in time for the hourly trains back to the capital for more tapas and a match at the Vincente Calderon.
I'm not sure I would stretch to saying it was an enjoyable visit, but certainly a very worthwhile trip to make from the Spanish capital. If you couple it with a trip to the staggering Prado museum you can get an idea of one of the most astonishing complexes in European art.
[Site 8: Experience 5]
Ivan ManDy
Grand is the word to describe this palace. From the outside, one is overpowered by its sheer size and immensity, the interior however is very austere and your initial idea of a palace is of 'Baroque splendor' (like mine was), the Escorial may leave a lot to be desired
John booth
We travelled out to El Escorial by Cercanias train from Madrid. On arrival my first impression was of a massive, sinister looking grey building surrounded by a moat. More like a prison than a monastery.
However inside it was a feast of masterpieces by great Italian and Spanish artists, and an huge collection of tapestries
Philip T.K.
I visited El Escurial on a hot Sunday afternoon. While its beauty is undeniable, my memories of the place are overshadowed by a pickpocketing incident earlier in the day. The monastery's exterior is austere at best but the rooms and paintings inside are a beautiful sight. I went on a guided tour (in English) which is rushed and lasts about an hour but I had the chance to retrace the route after my tour ended. The Royal Pantheon where most Spanish kings were buried since Charles I (more commonly known as Charles V since he was also the Holy Roman Emperor) is a must-see. Other places worth seeing include the room where Philip II died (the bed is small but my guide assured me that it was "king size") and numerous priceless paintings by famous artists such as El Greco that litter the building. No photos are allowed inside although I managed to sneak a few shots without flash. Although I wouldn't say that El Escurial ranks among the best sites in Spain, it's a great day trip from Madrid with easy transportation (many buses and trains go there everyday) and it can also be combined with a visit to the Valley of the Fallen (Franco's tomb) which I unfortunately did not do.
Els Slots
I almost missed this one! Really, I could tell some stories about world heritages that I didn't see because I couldn't find them. Not a good sense of direction I'm afraid.
The Escorial actually is situated at the heart of the city San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where I expected it to be in a park somewhat out of town. But a first glance at the huge building was enough to guide me in the right direction.
Hundreds, maybe thousands, of fellow visitors were around at its premises. On my tour inside the monastery, I was most impressed by the Pantheon de Los Reyes, the mausoleum for Spain's royal family.
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(photo by Clyde)