Spain El Escorial. Monastery of Escorial. Treasures of the Palace-Monastery of Escorial

Palace-Monastery of El Escorial, Madrid, Spain. History of origin, architectural features, owners...

There is an opinion that San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the eighth wonder of the world. Naturally, it is most common among the Spaniards! After all, every people on the planet considers one of their own national buildings (or entire 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, Escorial occupies a special place on the list. A grandiose building north-west of the capital of Spain, Madrid, if not a continuation of the Sierra de Guadarama mountain range (as poetically minded Spanish guidebooks claim), then in any case does not look like a foreign body against the backdrop of the harsh local landscapes, it is objectively overwhelming in its grandeur .

It is not difficult to imagine how it put pressure on the psyche of the monarchs who lived here. And if the Habsburgs, at the very least, resigned themselves, slowly losing their minds, then the first king of the Bourbon dynasty, Philip V, could not withstand the unbearable pathos. And he moved from Madrid to... Segovia. Having built himself here a miniature Versailles with gardens and fountains, his favorite “Farm”.

Scale

In plan, El Escorial is a rectangle measuring 207 by 161 meters. Constructed from massive granite blocks, which, as you can imagine, are a bit difficult to process. 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 that can serve as the key to understanding medieval Spain.

• The length of all Escorial corridors exceeds 24 kilometers
• In total, the complex has 9 towers, 16 courtyards, 13 chapels, 86 internal staircases and 1860 rooms, and the number of windows, they say, no one has yet been able to accurately count (there are ~2670 of them)

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

It took 21 years to build. And this is much less than what was once required by a building comparable in scale (the residence of the “Sun King” took more than 50 years to build). Or the last in the list of colossal residences (28 years: from 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, becoming the first military success in the reign of Philip II (ruled Spain from 1556 to 1598, born in 1527) and happened on the day of Saint Lorenzo (a Catholic saint and Spaniard by origin).

It is believed that the design of the Escorial was developed by the chief royal architect of Spain, Juan Bautista de Toledo (1515(?)-1567). At the beginning of his career, he worked in Italy and took part in the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral.

It seems likely that the architect had to take into account numerous wishes, and even direct instructions from the monarch, Philip II. So the latter, in every sense, can be counted among the co-authors of the complex.

De Toledo died in 1567 without seeing the completion of his most significant construction project. He was replaced 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, herreresco. Characterized by laconic details and an almost complete absence of decor.

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

Facades and halls of El Escorial

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

Through the gigantic front door, visitors enter the so-called Court 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 Escorial monastery itself, on the left are the premises of the school (seminary).

Behind the basilica, the entrance to which is also marked by a portico, is the royal tomb. 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 are flocking to see the bedroom of the “Lord of the Half-World” and his office, where all issues of war and peace in Europe were decided. But they are not remarkable for anything other than extreme minimalism. The gloomy and warlike Philip II did not spend much on himself.

The Escorial Library is a different matter. A vast room, the vault of which is painted with beautiful frescoes by Pelegrino Tibaldi. It serves as a storage place for more than 40 thousand volumes, most of which are completely unique.

Here even the books are placed in a special way - with the spines inward to preserve the bindings. True, the exhibition mainly presents copies - the originals are in storage!

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. The windows of their apartments 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 already noted, the western and northern façades open onto extensive paved areas. Near the southern one there are extensive regular, so-called Monastery 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 it you will fully appreciate the purity and freshness of the mountain air.

The northern and southern facades are completely devoid of architectural excesses and represent a harsh, straight, literally fortress wall. Except that numerous windows brighten up its severity a little.

Opposite the eastern facade there is another garden - the Royal Garden. This is where the windows of Philip II’s personal apartments look out.

Collections

The pearls of the collection are:

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

Not far from the main building is the small country palace of King Charles IV, Casita del Princip. Built when he was heir to the throne (1771-1775, architect Jose de Villanueva is 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 there from there:

• bus routes 661 and 664 departing from Moncloa Interchange station
• by rail (from Chamartín or Atocha train stations).

The trip 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 don't want to climb the mountain will have to take the local bus.

Opening hours and prices

El Escorial is open to visitors on all days of the week except Monday. From 10 to 18 hours from October to March, from 10 to 20 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 5 years of age are admitted free of charge! The audio guide costs 4 €.

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

Admission is free for everyone on the following days:

• International Museum Day May 18
• October 12th is Spanish National Day

"The Escorial Monastery is a monastery, palace and residence of King Philip II of Spain. Located an hour's drive from Madrid at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The architectural complex of Escorial evokes a variety of feelings: it is called both the “eighth wonder of the world” and “a monotonous symphony in stone" and "an architectural nightmare." " "The first Habsburgs to inherit rich and powerful Spain from the Catholic monarchs were Charles V and Philip II. This was the dawn of Spanish absolutism, based on the aristocracy and clergy of Spain. A powerful power seized lands throughout - from America to Asia." "In “the sun never set on my domains,” the Holy Roman Emperor, “ruler of the half-world,” the Spanish King Charles V, liked to say. And indeed, his huge empire was scattered across four continents, three Americas and the former colonies of Portugal in Asia and Africa, occupied half of Europe.
"Philip II, the son of Charles V, is interesting as a person for several reasons. There has never been such a period in world history when so many states and peoples were subordinate to one ruler. He was called the “spider king,” who, sitting in the Escorial Palace near Madrid, weaved the finest web of conspiracies and entangled the whole world with it. Philip the Cautious - defender of the Catholic faith and eradicator of heresy - another of his nicknames. "Phillip's Mother 2
"Father's Death
" ALONSO SANCHEZ COELLO (1531-1588) Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia. Prado Museum. Infanta Isabel (Isabel Chiafa Eugenio) - daughter of Philip II, King of Spain and his third wife, Isabel, princess of the house of Valois, sister of the famous Queen Margot " Elizabeth Valois third wife, died in childbirth. ""Infanta Catalina Micaela" Alonso Sanchez Coelho, Prado Museum. The daughter of Elizabeth and Philip 2, Charles V gave two orders to his son: that he continue his father's work in the fight against heresy and erect a worthy tomb for the royal family of Spain. Philip II uses the power of the Roman everywhere popes and the methods of the Spanish Inquisition. In Spain he was revered as a saint, in the rest of the world as a fiend of hell, “In 1561, Philip II visits the small mining town of Escorial, which is located in the granite mountains of the Sierra de Guadarama. By the way, Escorial simply means “heap of slag.” Having a good artistic taste, Philip II independently selected craftsmen for the construction and decoration of palaces, personally supervised, checked and sometimes corrected architectural projects. A secluded place is still shown in the mountains (it is called “Philip’s tower”), from which the king secretly watched construction of a family crypt.
“But Philip II imagined something more than what Charles V asked him for. Before his mind’s eye appeared a gigantic monastery, a basilica and a palace, united into a single whole. Of course, a monastery and secular chambers are usually difficult to combine. But there are times when secular power shares the same roof with the clergy, at least for a while: the monarch, on a trip, enjoys the hospitality of the abbot of the monastery or a member of the royal family, makes donations to monasteries and monks. Philip II wanted to build a monastery, which would also be a royal palace. "Escorial became the largest building in the world, with 4,000 rooms and hundreds of kilometers of corridors. More than a million tons of granite were spent on its construction. The first residents of Escorial were monks, to whom the king gave two instructions: that they pray every day for the health and well-being of the royal family and to keep the relics of Catholic saints, which Philip II treasured very much. The collection of relics of Catholic saints was the largest, it numbered 7,000 bones of righteous saints. Philip II may have kept the remains of the Twelve Apostles and the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. "Building" The history of El Escorial 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 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 weapons, recalling the Spanish victory at San Quenten
"Gradually the plans grew, as did the significance of the building. It was decided to embody the bequest 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 stonemasons to find a place for a new monastery so that it was not too hot, not too cold and not too far from the new capital. After a whole year of searching, they ended up where Escorial is now located. "In addition to their passion for St. Lorenzo Philip II was distinguished by self-absorption, melancholy, deep religiosity and poor health. He was looking for a place where he could relax 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, 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 hovel for the king"
" Philip did not allow anyone to compose his biography during his lifetime: in essence, he wrote it himself, and wrote it in stone. "The victories and defeats of the empire, the succession of deaths and tragedies, the king's obsession with learning, art, prayer and government - all this was reflected in the Escorial. The central position of the huge cathedral symbolizes the king's belief that all political actions should be guided by religious considerations." The first stone was laid in 1563. Construction lasted 21 years. The main architect of the project was first 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 finishing. The complex was an almost square structure, with a church in the center, the monastery premises to the south, and a palace to the north; Each part had its own courtyard.
"E. Bosch The construction of the ensemble, begun in 1563, was carried out under the constant personal supervision of the king. Not a single drawing was passed without his approval. Everything related to Escorial was decided by this royal red tape with exceptional speed. It should be noted (unlike other ventures era) excellent organization of work. Enormous funds were allocated. The construction was distinguished by an unprecedented scale. Not only the whole of Spain participated in the creation of the Escorial, various regions of which supplied marble, pine wood, forged lattices, church utensils, crosses, lamps, embroideries and fabrics. but also other European countries, as well as the American colonies, from where gold and precious wood were brought. For twenty years, the construction of Escorial went on. From a ledge in the granite rock, called the “King’s Chair,” Philip II watched how his beloved was erected stone by stone. brainchild.
"The location of El Escorial was chosen after long and thorough examinations of the Manzanares valley by a special commission. José Siguenza wrote: “The king was looking for a landscape that would contribute to the elevation of his soul, conducive to his religious reflections.” The village of El Escorial, near the deserted iron mines, was attractive due to its favorable climatic conditions - its location in the southern slopes of the Sierra, an abundance of mountain springs and excellent building material - light gray granite.
Philip II commissioned the construction of the Escorial to Juan Bautista de Toledo, his chief architect. But the construction of the Escorial brought the architect a lot of grief, which probably accelerated his death in 1567. Gradually, the name of Juan de Toledo faded into the background and was almost erased from the memory of the Spaniards. Juan de Herrera, his talented young assistant, who led the construction in 1567, became the generally recognized creator of the Escorial.
"Juan de Herrera not only significantly changed the original plan of Juan de Toledo, but also subordinated the entire structure to a new figurative system, unified in all details. The plan of the Escorial - a rectangle with four towers (height 56 ​​meters) in the corners - reveals closeness to the plans of the old Spanish alcazars. Such fortress palaces, erected in the ancient cities of Spain, constitute the heritage of national architecture, dating back to distant origins. The plan of the ensemble proposed to Juan de Herrera with its exact parameters represented, as it were, the initial data with the help of which he must solve the most complex architectural problem. solved it brilliantly. “The Martyrdom of Saint Mauritius.” El Greco Following the king’s aspirations for simplicity, severity and authoritarianism, Juan de Herrera enlarged the entire building, doubling the number of floors, and united the four facades on one level with a common cornice. He achieved a rare proportionality of a clear silhouette and three-dimensional composition of the entire complex. Thus, Juan de Herrera very correctly found the proportional relationship between the dome of the cathedral, the corner towers and the horizontals of the very extended facades." The solution of these colossal five-story facades is one of the most daring innovations of the Spanish architect. The expressiveness of the facades is based on the emphasized laconicism of a smooth plane, as if extending into infinity walls. Frequently located windows and horizontal rods here are not decorations, but necessary elements of the composition, subordinated to the "South façade" Philip oversaw all stages of design and construction. From a conceptual point of view, the choice of architectural style was of great importance. Philip II needed to emphasize the break with the medieval past and the European significance of his power. This requirement was best met by the style of archaic Renaissance architecture. "The main facade of the Escorial Cathedral looks out onto a rectangular courtyard called the “Courtyard of the Kings.” The courtyard is so named because in the upper tier on pedestals there are six giant statues of the Old Testament kings. Fighting heresy, Philip II thought that he was continuing the work of the ancient kings of Israel: here there are King Solomon - known for his wisdom, and King Saul - known for his courage, as well as other kings of Israel.

The interior architecture of the cathedral is designed in official, cold colors. The architect Juan de Herrera, who replaced Jun de Toledo, believed that the Dorian order “best expresses power with its strength and nobility.” All internal elements: pilasters, frieze, cathedral walls are made of grayish marble, and only the main altar catches the eye as a bright spot. The altar rises at a height of four floors in the main nave of the cathedral, slightly elongated to the east. The altar is decorated with jasper, precious stones and multi-colored marble, which shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow from the light falling through the lantern in the dome. The brilliance of the altar symbolizes the center of the Ecorial and the purpose of the earthly mission of Philip II. "For the interior decoration, the best materials were used and the best craftsmen of the peninsula and other countries were assembled. Wooden carvings were made in Cuenca and Avila, marble was brought from Aracena, sculptural works were ordered in Milan, bronze and silver products were made in Toledo, Zaragoza, and Flanders. "On December 13, 1584, the last stone was laid in the building of the complex. After this, artists and decorators got to 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 Escorial with his concerns. Here he collected a large number of works by 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 the Escorial houses works by Titian, El Greco, Zurbaran, Ribera, Tintoretto, Coelho "The king's chambers, in contrast to the luxury of large military halls and gloomy pomp. pantheon, were decorated extremely simply. Brick floors, smooth whitewashed walls - it was designed more in the traditional spirit of Spanish homes and, moreover, corresponded to the created image of Philip the Monarch. Architecture "Ceiling painting in the El Escorial Palace" Garden at the palace in the French style "Escorial brilliantly embodied the ideas contained in it. Erected from light sandstone in clear and strict 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 shape of each of the buildings to its purpose is amazing: the simplicity of the royal chambers, the light and high interior of the church, the light structure of the arcades in the library, the gloomy splendor of the tombs "The courtyards with greenery seem to cut the stone and let the mountain light into the chambers. No wonder Philip II loved his brainchild so much. He ordered it to be transported here when death approached. Escorial became a model of palace complexes, which was imitated or repelled by subsequent Spanish kings. In in the niches on both sides there are sculptures of Charles V and Philip II with their families (the work of the Italian L. Leoni). From the king's bedroom there was an entrance to another niche, a box for the king and his retinue. "In the center of the “Courtyard of the Kings” there is a well in the form of an elegant small temple built of gray granite. Slender columns, statues in niches and an elegant balustrade running along the cornice add charm to the temple. Large quadrangular pools, arranged crosswise, adjoin the small temple with four sides. The blue water of the pools reflects the noble forms of the temple-well. The interior decoration is made of pink, green and white marble.
"The gray walls of the El Escorial seem to be inscribed in the grayish-blue landscapes surrounding the palace. It rises as a frightening, gloomy bulk, as if reminiscent of the closed and unyielding disposition of Philip II, who wanted to enslave the whole world
"The Escorial is a rectangle 208 × 162 m. It has 15 galleries, 16 patios (inner 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 building is shaped like an upside-down brazier in memory of St. Lorenzo, who was 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, which offer a magnificent view of the monastery fields, orchards and the outskirts of Madrid beyond them. The statue of King Philip also admires this view II in the Frailes garden (Spanish: Jardin de los Frailes), where the monks rested after their labors. To the right of the garden there is a gallery for convalescents.
“Giving instructions to the architects, Philip II said: “For the Lord, a palace, for a king, a hut.” The king's house looks very modest, as if for a monk. The king's chambers are rooms for reflection: Philip II has many reasons to worry. With righteous art, Philip II strengthened his spirit for the fight. The only painting in his room was “The Garden of Earthly Joys” by I. Bosch; there were no other decorations. The king's office looked like a monk's cell, and his throne was his father's camp chair, which accompanied Charles V on all his military campaigns.
"The huge empire was ruled by Philip II from a small office, and the royal chambers were located in El Escorial so that the king could go directly to the church from them. Even in old age, lying on his bed, Philip II could still see the main altar of the church. These chambers, bordering the eastern aisle of the church, they seem to “stick out” from the main part of the ensemble, which is why they are called the “handle” of the St. Lawrence grille.
"Gold from America flowed in a continuous stream for the construction of Escorial, but in 1577 a disaster occurred. During a severe thunderstorm, lightning struck the southwestern tower, a fire broke out, and rivers of molten lead flowed down the walls of Escorial..
"Underground waters prevented the completion of the construction of the family crypt. Only in 1654, after the foundation under El Escorial was drained, was the tomb completed. But time and people made their own changes: instead of cold granite, marble, gold and bronze were used." The interior of El Escorial is also designed in cold, strict colors. Subsequent rulers preferred richer and more spacious apartments and, moreover, did not always want to see the main altar in front of them. Therefore, the palace was expanded by adding premises to the north side of the church. To the south of the church there is a two-tier gallery of the religious procession, stretching along the perimeter of the courtyard - the so-called “Courtyard of the Evangelists” - decorated with sculptures of the four evangelists. From 1563 to 1584, the most amazing palace in Spain, the El Escorial, was built. It is sometimes called a biography of Philip II in stone. Museums There are two large New Museums in Escorial. One of them presents the history of the construction of Escorial in drawings, plans, construction tools and scale models. In the second, in nine rooms, paintings of the 15th-17th centuries are stored, ranging from Bosch to Veronese, Tintoretto and Van Dyck, as well as artists 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 artist of Charles V, are especially fully represented. "Pantheon" The huge (300-foot) dome of the basilica in Escorial was built by craftsmen only 20 years later. As a sign of obedience to the Vatican, it was made slightly smaller than the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. And this huge church was built only for the king and his retinue; ordinary people could listen to the words of the shepherds only from behind the bronze gates. "Retablo in the Basilica of El Escorial" One of the purposes of Philip II's construction of El Escorial was to create 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. "Here lie the ashes of all the kings of Spain, starting with Charles V, except Philip V, who could not stand the gloom of Escorial and asked to be buried in Segovia, and Ferdinand VI, whose tomb is in Madrid
"Queens who gave birth to male heirs are also buried here. Opposite is the Pantheon of Princes, built in the 19th century, where princes, princesses and queens whose children did not inherit the throne are buried.
"Two of the tombs at El Escorial are empty. The last person to be buried here was the only non-king to receive such an honor - Don Juan Bourbon. His son and current king Juan Carlos I, and the entire people of Spain felt that he deserved such a sign of recognition for his support of democracy under Franco and renunciation of the throne in favor of his son for the sake of a peaceful transfer of power to the Council. "The Escorial Cathedral is also worthy of attention: a huge number of frescoes made by Spanish and Italian masters, marble and jasper columns, sculptures and paintings with episodes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, sculptures of kings and their families - such grandeur can really overwhelm. " While some illustrious visitors spoke in raptures about the magnificence of the Escorial, others were rather overwhelmed by the grandeur of the cathedral. The French writer and intellectual Théophile Gautier wrote: "In the Cathedral of the Escorial one feels so overwhelmed, so contrite, so subject to melancholy and overwhelmed by an indomitable 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 (behind the altar image) was designed by the architect of Escorial Juan de Herrera himself; between the jasper and marble columns there are paintings of scenes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints. On the other side are the royal places and sculptures of Charles V, Philip II and their families at prayer. The Library of the El Escorial is second only to the Vatican and houses the manuscripts of St. Augustine, Alfonso the Wise and St. Teresa. history and cartography since the Middle Ages.
"This is the only library in the world where books are placed with the spines inward to better preserve the ancient decorations of the bindings. Pope Gregory XIII declared that anyone who stole a book from here would be excommunicated. Now most of the books on display are copies of the originals.
"The ceiling painting made by Tibaldi and his daughter symbolizes the seven sciences: grammar, rhetoric, dialectic, 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 lodges and guest houses. The famous Spanish Arabist Conde served in the Escorial library. El Escorial
"Next to the ensemble of the El Escorial monastery, the city of El Escorial arose. The population as of 2003 is about 13 thousand people. Literature Spain. Window to the world. M: ECOM-PRESS, 1998. Cultural history of countries Western Europe in the Renaissance // Edited by L. M. Bragina. M.: Higher School, 2001.

I have only one day left to explore the surroundings of the Spanish capital...

The contenders for a one-day trip from Madrid included the palaces of La Granja and Aranjuez, but my soul was asking for something special. I don’t want to show off, but judge for yourself, what can be surprising after our Peterhof and Hermitage? They still haven’t come up with more luxurious parks than the first one (especially for the month of March!), and I’ve been visiting royal palazzos like the second one since I was little. But the legendary complex of the royal palace and monastery is something new. There was no doubt left, Escorial was waiting for me!

How to get to El Escorial from Madrid

By bus– simple and convenient. Travel time is 55 minutes, there are quite a lot of flights on weekdays, and several times less on weekends. Departure from the Moncloa bus station, where there is a direct metro line from the center of Madrid, arrival in Escorial at the local bus station (estasion de autobuses), which is a 5-minute walk from the monastery. Two buses are suitable for the trip, numbers 661 and 664; the schedule can be found by entering a particular route number. Tickets are sold directly from the driver, the price is 4.20 euros one way (the same as for a bus trip through the 5 transport zones of Madrid and its suburbs: here from A to C1). Plus 3 euros for a metro ticket to the bus station and back if you do not have a special travel card.

By train- uncomfortable and with its own subtleties. Travel time is a little over an hour, departures 1-2 times per hour. Escorial is served by the Cercanias railway, which is part of the city's metro system (). You will need the C-3 line, which in the center of Madrid passes through Sol and Atocha stations. Interestingly, sometimes the same line is referred to as C-8, so it is important to look at the board above the platform, where the final station is indicated: on the way there - El Escorial (possibly also Santa Maria), and on the way back - Aranjuez (or sometimes Atocha). The train schedule is available on the commuter trains website, but don’t count on punctuality; delays can happen. Tickets are sold only on the day of departure at special Cercanias ticket offices or in machines with the same railway logo. Price – 4.05 euros one way (as for a train ticket for a trip through 6 zones: from zero to C1). In El Escorial the station is located 2 km from the monastery. This distance can be walked through the park or the new part of the city (about 30 minutes), but the road climbs uphill, so the walk can be difficult, especially if it is hot or in bad weather. It’s better to go a couple of stops on local bus No. 1 (for 1.30 euros one way), if you can find it))) This is also not easy, because there are no signs in the station area (neither for the bus nor for the monastery), so It’s better to ask the locals, the main thing is not to get confused by the names: El Escorial is the town around the station, and the monastery is San Lorenzo de el Escorial (but for simplicity, continue to call it Escorial).

This time I had to go by train because my travel companion does not tolerate buses well. At the Sol metro station closest to the hotel, we bought tickets from a machine (nothing complicated in English) and sat down to wait. However, the train did not arrive on time, and no messages appeared on the board or, as it seemed to me, on the speakerphone. It was completely unclear whether it was possible to go for a walk around the city for an hour before the next train or whether it was worth waiting. We chose the second and were not mistaken: the train arrived in 20 minutes. In Escorial we also had to struggle with navigation, but in the end one of the natives helped, but on the way back the problem was calculating the time to the train: for some reason the road to the station seemed endless. In general, I recommend taking the bus if possible, it’s easier!

Externally, Escorial looks impressive

Visiting the museum complex: organizational aspects

The most important What you need to remember is not to come to El Escorial on Monday, when the museum is closed! The rest of the time it is open from 10 to 18 or until 20 depending on the season, details at the link.

With tickets it's simple:
– regular price – 10 €,
– preferential (children under 16 years old and students under 25 years old, with a passport or ISIC, respectively) – 5 €,
- free - May 18 and October 12 (I can imagine how many people are there!) and children under 5 years old always.

Museum navigation- a big problem. When I asked if it was possible to receive a plan of the palace along with the ticket (as, for example, they give at the Hermitage), at the ticket office they answered “photography is prohibited”))) Knowledge of English in one of the main museums of the country is excellent! Later it became clear that such a scheme does not exist in principle, that is, wander as you wish, or take an audio guide.

Audio guide- the main part of the navigation nightmare. The cost of the service is only 3 euros, there is a Russian-language option. However, to prevent tourists from trying to save money and take one device for two, only one earphone is provided. So if there is a group excursion near you (and it’s unlikely to be in Russian!), then you will involuntarily listen to it with one ear. Further more - the audio guide is an (expensive?) tablet, so as a deposit for it they require a passport, which, according to the rules (see the last page of the document), is not recommended to be given to just anyone, but I generally prefer to leave it locked up at the hotel and take it with me copy. As an alternative, I was offered to leave a credit card))) Yes, yes, and also the key to the apartment where the money is! In the end, they agreed that they would run my card through the computer’s reader, and when I returned the tablet, they would delete its data from the system. Eh, I should have taken an empty credit card with me, but who knew?! Other options for deposit are any ID with a photo (you can take some unnecessary pass) or hotel keys (any keys with a numbered key fob will do).

However, this is not all joy! It turned out that such a sophisticated audio guide is only suitable as an information guide, but it is almost unsuitable for navigating around the museum. All rooms on the tablet are divided into thematic groups, but it is not clear how to move between these groups in reality. Due to the ill-thought-out route, I wandered chaotically around the complex, missing some of the important rooms. Then I had to collect the “lost ones,” but I still didn’t understand whether I managed to see everything or not. So it’s not for nothing that Escorial is called an architectural nightmare! Perhaps it is better to search for its diagram on the Internet in advance and not give a damn about this unnecessary audio guide.

Main façade of the El Escorial

Photograph in Escorial it is strictly prohibited, even without an outbreak. As it turned out later, this is the favorite rule of all expensive museums in Madrid, but I only went, so I was not in the know. Compliance with the “charter” in each hall is monitored by growling Cerberus (oh, that’s who we pay a salary to when buying a ticket!): I was even pestered for filming the view of the garden from the window of the palace. So if you want to take away a small photo report from El Escorial, get ready for a game of catch-up.

Comfortable conditions to inspect the halls - this is also not about Escorial. I was there in mid-March, when the thermometer outside showed +25, but inside the complex it was wildly cold, even a jacket could not save me. It may be nice to cool off in the museum in the summer after the 40-degree heat, but the rest of the time I advise you to dress as warmly as possible in order to withstand the 2-3-hour audio tour. And my salvation was the sunny courtyard, where I had to constantly return to warm up a little.

The same sunny courtyard of the El Escorial and the façade of the Basilica of San Lorenzo

What to see in the El Escorial museum complex

I admit, I once froze at just the word Escorial. The legend and grandeur of the complex amazed my imagination, although I didn’t even really know what was hidden inside. It turned out that this was the very case when size does not matter, the main thing is the content! And the last one just let us down, but I have forever learned: you shouldn’t be fooled by big names.

So, what is worth seeing and not losing (thanks to the audio guide) in El Escorial?

Library– the most beautiful thing in the entire museum. They say that her wealth can only be compared with the “book sister” in the Vatican, but the main thing here is not even that, but the ceiling! An incredibly huge fresco of several hundred square meters with magnificent lighting is what attracts the eye.

Tomb, where almost all the kings, queens, princes and princesses of Spain since 1586 are buried. Interestingly, only three tombs are currently empty in the pantheon, but even those are already “reserved”: they will be occupied by the last deceased members of the royal family after 50 years of waiting in the “room of decomposition”, which is provided for by the still active medieval tradition. It turns out that there is no longer a place for living monarchs, and this issue still remains unresolved!

Library of Escorial

Pantheon of Escorial (the most beautiful part of those that were allowed to be photographed)

Royal chambers- quite modest, which is clearly not expected from the status of El Escorial, but, as the “customer” of the complex, Philip II, said, he built “a palace for God and a hut for the king.” Aha, that means the religious part should be replete with beauty!

But no! Basilica of San Lorenzo- the only part of Escorial open to the public that belongs to the monastery, however, everything there is very ascetic, harsh and even sad. Perhaps this is the ugliest cathedral I have ever seen in Spain.

Architectural and art museums– unexpectedly turned out to be more interesting than some parts of Escorial. The first exhibition tells about the construction of the complex itself, and the second is an art gallery with works by such masters as Bosch, Veronese, Tintoretto, Van Dyck and others.

Royal chambers (I chose the most beautiful part of them)

I would also like to note the main staircase of the palace and several beautiful galleries, which you definitely won’t pass by. But what can be lost is room with a secret(it’s called something like that), the first one at the entrance from the courtyard. In appearance, this is an ordinary passage room, so be sure to ask the museum staff about its special features: they are always on duty there and, unlike the others, will be happy to tell you how to find the secret.

What else to see in El Escorial

In addition to the palace-monastery, it is worth taking a look at the Garden of the Monks, which is located right under the walls of the complex. It's free to enter, but note that the gates open on a schedule that's almost the same as the museum's. At the entrance to the garden there is a large pond with swans and goldfish, and in the farthest part smug peacocks walk around, completely unwilling to pose for a photograph. It also offers views of the picturesque Sierra de Guadarrama mountains and monastery orchards.

Monks' Garden in El Escorial, somewhere down there there are peacocks

Orchards of El Escorial overlooking the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains

I have little doubt that after the El Escorial Museum you will still have a lot of time left, so be sure to take a walk around the pretty town of the same name. Not that there are any attractions there, but it is worth spending at least half an hour wandering through the cozy quiet streets climbing the hillside. By the way, along the way you can go for a map at the local information point, which is located under the arch-bridge in the house opposite the entrance to the monastery.

Where to eat in El Escorial

It’s unlikely that anyone will be surprised if I say that in El Escorial there was also a problem with food))) However, here fortune smiled on me and immediately led me to the right establishment! In Piazza Jacinto Benavente (which is on the steps) next to the Centro Coliseo bookstore, there is a small bistro lurking in the corner on the right, whose white umbrellas stand right there on the street. As always, the menu was only in Spanish, but after asking about English, a miracle happened... having learned where I came from, the owner of the cafe grabbed the phone and then handed me the receiver: on the other end of the line they spoke Russian with an accent and were ready to immediately translate all (!) menu))) Both “good Samaritans” turned out to be Bulgarians, and one of them still remembered what he was taught in school during the Soviet period. Prices in the cafe, of course, corresponded to the center of the tourist place: a tortilla (Spanish omelette), a sandwich with lomo (this is something cooler than jamon) and two drinks cost 13 euros, but this figure included translation services!

Escorial: to be or not to be?

After the Baroque, Gothic and Moorish beauties of Toledo and Segovia, Escorial seemed just a boring block of stone, both in shape and color. The interior decoration brightened up this impression a little, but the monastery, of course, is still very far from the luxurious interiors of the Serralbo Museum in Madrid and the Alcazar of Segovia. Therefore, after visiting him, I rightly wondered whether it was worth going there at all? I will say this: if you are a big fan of royal residences and have already seen other attractions near Madrid, you can stop by El Escorial. However, given the opportunity to replay everything, I personally would not include this place in a week-long trip to Central Spain.

Epilogue of the whole trip

In conclusion, I would like to say, not very literary, but self-critically: in fact, I got greedy! Again I return to where I started

If you really want to be amazed and see one of the pearls of world architecture, then you should definitely pay attention to El Escorial. This is an ancient monastery located very close to the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. This place in Spain is noteworthy because for a long time it served as the residence of King Philip II. This is one of the few palace monasteries in Europe and there really is something to see and be surprised by.

History of the Monasterio de El Escorial

Ever since its founding, in the 16th century, this palace was different from many other buildings. A striking example is the record time of its construction. Spanish architects, who at that time had a very meager construction arsenal, erected this huge, beautiful building in just 21 years. At that time, the time frame for construction of this level was simply unprecedented. The builders managed to reflect the severity and monumentality of the Spanish monarchy in the external appearance of the building.

This was especially relevant, because the very construction of the Escorial Palace was timed to coincide with the victory of the Spanish troops over the French troops.

Treasures of the Palace-Monastery of Escorial

This monastery complex is one of the museum buildings. Philip II began collecting a collection of paintings from all over the world, and it is this collection that can still be seen today in the palace building. However, in addition to the collection of paintings and external beauty, Escorial also has something to boast about in its interior decoration - beautiful stained glass windows, passages, arches, mosaic panels and tapestries. The tombs of Spanish monarchs are also located here, and tourists from all over the world come to see them.

Adjacent to the Escorial complex is a beautiful garden, in which you can see solutions in the field of landscape design that were relevant back to the 16th century. This is a beautiful building, in which everything is imbued with the spirit of history (See photos and video review on our website).

Interior of the Escorial Palace.

Library at the El Escorial Palace:

Useful information for visitors to Escorial:

Address: Av Juan de Borbón y Battemberg, s/n, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid
Phone: +34 918 90 59 02
Opening hours:
in summer (April-September) – Tue-Sun from 10:00 to 20:00
in winter (October-March) – Tue-Sun from 10:00 to 18:00
Entrance fee: 5 Euro;
How to get there:
By train: from Madrid Central Station (Atocha station) to El Escorial stop. To get to the palace you will have to walk about 15 minutes, or take a local bus.
By bus: bus routes 661 and 664. Departure from Moncloa Station. Moncloa is located on line 3 (yellow).

Visit after Escorial:

El Escorial is the historical residence of the King of Spain, consisting of a palace, a monastery, a library and a museum. The entire complex is located in the city of San Lorenzo del Escorial, in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The buildings of El Escorial represent one large architectural monument of the Spanish Renaissance.
The Escorial was built by the Spanish King Philip II in honor of the victory at Saint-Quentin in 1557 over the troops of the French King Henry II. The King of Spain vowed, in the event of victory, to build a monastery that would surpass all existing monasteries in its splendor.
King Philip II was a very pious man, he honored the memory of his ancestors, he hated the bustle of the capital and adored solitude. He wished that Escorial would suit his inclinations, and the entire complex became at once not only a monastery of the Jeronimite order, but also the burial place of Spanish kings (initially Charles V of Habsburg and Isabella of Portugal) and a royal palace. The king's wish was fulfilled, and the result was a grandiose palace-monastery-necropolis, the personification of the "Golden Age" of Spain, although its architecture is dominated by the influence of Italian and Flemish architecture.
A whole expedition searched for the place for Escorial for a year; it was found in 1560 (according to other sources, at the end of 1562).
In 1563, work began under the direction of the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo (1563-1657), who created the general plan of the complex and the design of almost all the premises. The central place in it was occupied by a huge cathedral - a symbol of the king’s faith, emphasizing the primacy of religion in the politics of the monarch and Spain. The layout of the monastery was based on the plan of the Jerusalem Temple, drawn up according to the descriptions of Josephus.
By 1571 the monastery was almost completed, in 1572 work began on the royal palace, and in 1574 on the cathedral, which was completed in 1584 and consecrated in honor of St. Lawrence: the battle of Saint-Quentin took place on August 10, on this saint's day. The day of the consecration of the cathedral was supposed to mark the end of work on the entire architectural complex, although it continued to be completed for another ten years.
After the death of de Toledo, the final decoration of Escorial was carried out by another famous architect Juan Bautista de Herrera (1567-1586), who tried to introduce more “Spanish” motifs into it. He did significant work: he increased the size of the building, doubled the number of floors, united all four facades with a common cornice, designed a church and built an infirmary.
Philip II personally supervised the progress of construction. After the completion of construction, the king spent six months in El Escorial - until the end of his life, constantly adding to the collection of works by Spanish and European painters, as well as valuable books and manuscripts.
The king's successors did not experience religious awe of Escorial and visited him for two or three weeks a year, although they continued to expand the collection of paintings. The successors of Philip II tried not to destroy the integrity of the architectural ensemble, only in the 17th century. Philip IV completed the royal tomb.
Since the 1570s and until the middle of the 17th century. The architecture of El Escorial was considered a standard for all of Spain; similar buildings appeared outside its borders.
The palace and monastery complex of El Escorial is located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula, in the southern foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama.
Many contemporaries found an undeniable similarity between Escorial and his creator - the King of Spain, a reserved and strict man.
In plan, El Escorial is a harsh, cold, gloomy, lonely rectangle with towers at the corners and courtyards. The building is dominated by straight lines, with occasional inclusions of ovals and semicircles. Even when choosing paintings and frescoes, King Philip II demanded that individual works of art not stand out, corresponding to the overall rigor of the ensemble, for which Escorial was later called “monotonous.”
The massive structure itself, built of bluish-gray granite, devoid of external decorations (with the exception of the tomb), although it seems monotonous, in harmony with the rocky, naked plain, nevertheless looks quite lively against the backdrop of mountain greenery.
The main facade of Escoriapa faces east, it has three portals, the middle one, the main one, and is decorated with a statue of St. Lawrence.
The palace also seems monotonous and deliberately ascetic in appearance, like the facade of the entire structure, but its interiors are richly decorated with sculpture and frescoes of the 16th-18th centuries.
The walls of the monastery, to which a large staircase leads, are decorated with many frescoes by Giordano, and the interiors contain a huge number of paintings. The plots of these works are devoted to a topic in which King Philip II had a special interest. In addition to the many images of the Virgin Mary from the paintings, visitors are greeted by the emaciated and distorted faces of the Savior, saints, and martyrs subjected to torture.
Also in the Escorial are paintings by the greatest masters of all time: “The Martyrdom of Saint Mauritius” by El Greco, “Christ on the Cross” by Titian, “The Torment of the Savior” and “The Torment of the Apostle James” by de Navarrete. Historians explain such a specific collection by the need to maintain in believers the spirit of resistance to the Reformation, which during the time of Philip II posed a great threat to the Catholic Church.
The domed temple is the compositional center of the entire architectural ensemble; it is built on the model of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, which was completed almost at the same time as the construction of the Escorial began. The facade is decorated with six statues of the kings of Judah, with the statues of David and Solomon installed above the entrance and symbolizing the warlike Charles V and the wise Philip II; even the faces of the statues are given the facial features of Spanish kings. Inside is the world famous white marble statue of Christ by Benvenuto Cellini.
Nevertheless, for the Spaniards themselves, the 500 caskets in the monastery, which contain more than 7 thousand relics of the Catholic Church, are of much greater value.
The richly painted monastery library contains tens of thousands of volumes of rare and valuable books, its walls and panels are decorated with frescoes by Carducci and Pellegrino.
The Pantheone tomb is made in a somewhat unexpected Baroque style for such a strict building. It contains 26 marble tombstones, under which the Spanish kings from the Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties are buried, with the exception of Philip V and Ferdinand VI. The last to be buried here were King Alfonso XIII (1886-1941) and his wife Queen Victoria.
There is also the Infante tomb, which contains the ashes of princes, princesses, infantes and childless queens.
In 1984, El Escorial was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

general information

Location: central Spain.

Official status: Historical residence of the King of Spain, El Escorial.

Administrative affiliation: city of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, district of Cuenca del Guadarrama, province of Madrid, autonomous community of Madrid, historical region of New Castile, Spain.
Nearest city: San Lorenzo de El Escorial - 18,241 people. (2014).

Start of construction: 1563
Completion of construction: 1584
Language: Spanish.

Ethnic composition: Spaniards.

Religion: Catholicism.

Currency unit: euro.

Numbers

Length: 200 m.

Width: 156 m.

Height of the cathedral dome: 95 m.

Courtyards: 16.

Hieronymite monks (before expulsion): about 100.

Number of volumes in the library: 45 500.

Average January temperature: +6°C.

Average temperature in July: +25°С.
Average annual precipitation: 430 mm.

Relative humidity: 60%.

Attractions

Architectural complex of the Historic Residence of the King of Spain Escorial

External wall (16th century), cathedral (1582), monastery with royal palace and college (1584), library (1592), Pantheon tomb (finished in 1654), Casita del pavilions -Infante (1771-1773) and Casita del Principe (1772), tomb of the Infante (finished in 1888), Pinacoteca art gallery, Museum of Architecture, Jardines de los Frailes gardens (“Monastery Gardens”).

Curious facts

■ The Battle of Saint-Quentin 1557 - one of the largest battles in the war between the Habsburg and Valois dynasties of 1551-1559. for lands in France and Italy. The Spaniards, in alliance with the British and Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, defeated the French. However, all the warring parties suffered colossal losses: Spain and France even refused to pay their debts, which later became a classic example of medieval “default.”
■ The name Escorial comes from the Spanish word escoria (“slag”), in ancient times there was a forge and foundries here.
■ The Jeromeite Order fell into disgrace and was expelled from the monastery three times in 1808, 1837 and 1854, until finally in 1885 the monastery was transferred to the Augustinian Order, who still occupy it. But officially the entire complex is managed by the administration of the state National Heritage Fund (Patrimonio Nacional), which manages all the real estate of the King of Spain.
■ To our time, only one monastery of El Parrap in the Spanish city of Segovia remains from the previously powerful and numerous monastic order of the Hieronymites. The order itself was almost completely destroyed during the Napoleonic wars of 1799-1815.
■ Saint Lawrence (c. 225-258) was a Spaniard, and his compatriots especially honored his martyrdom: he was roasted alive by the Romans on an iron grate for refusing to worship pagan gods. Chief architect Juan Bautista de Toledo, at the request of King Philip II, planned Escorial so that, due to the walls between the courtyards, the complex would evoke associations with the lattice on which St. Lawrence died.
■ The city of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, in which the architectural complex is located, is colloquially called Escoria de Arriba (Upper Escorial), to distinguish it from the palace-monastery called Escorial de Abajo (Lower Escorial).
■ Escorial burned more than once; the largest fires occurred in 1671 (when the entire roof structure had to be changed), 1731, 1763 and 1825.
■ Architect Juan Bautista de Toledo began his career as an architect in Rome, performing work for the great Michelangelo and Pope Paul III. He has the honor of completing the facade and courtyard of the famous Roman Palazzo Farnese.
■ Working on the final stage of the project, the architect Juan Bautista de Herrera developed a special style, characterized by the severity of architectural forms and the absence of decoration. For this, the style was called “undecorated” (“desomamentado”), better known as the “herreresco” style - after the name of the author.
■ The ashes of Don Juan of Austria (1547-1578), a Spanish commander, the illegitimate son of Charles V and Barbara Blumenberg, daughter of the burgomaster of the German city of Regensburg, are buried in the “Infante” tomb. In his will, Charles V recognized don Juan as his son, and Philip II, who sacredly honored the memory of his father, called don Juan to court and treated him favorably.
■ Princes and princesses are not exactly the same as infantas. Infante and infanta - the title of princes and princesses of the royal houses of Spain and Portugal (before the liquidation of the Portuguese monarchy in 1910), except for the heirs to the throne.