El Escorial: Philip II's monastery, palace and tomb
Philip II wanted a building that would be at once a monastery, a palace and a tomb for his father, and he got the largest Renaissance building in the world. Its granite fronts are severe, and inside are some of the richest rooms in Spain.
- What it is
- Day trip
- Time to allow
- A full day
- Cost
- Train or tour, ticket for the monastery
- Best time
- A weekday, leaving in the morning
Madrid this week
Why El Escorial is worth it
The monastery of San Lorenzo was built between 1563 and 1584, after Philip's victory over the French at Saint-Quentin on the feast of Saint Lawrence in 1557. Juan Bautista de Toledo drew the plan and Juan de Herrera finished it, in a style so plain it gave its name to an architecture.
It is a monastery of the Augustinian order, a basilica, a royal palace, a library and the burial place of the kings of Spain. Philip ruled an empire from a small room beside the high altar of the basilica, and died there in 1598.
It stands in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, about 45 kilometres from Madrid. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984.
What to see
The library
A long hall with its vault painted by Pellegrino Tibaldi with the liberal arts, above bookcases of carved wood that hold Philip's collection of books and manuscripts.
The Pantheon of the Kings
An eight-sided crypt of marble and gilt bronze beneath the high altar, where most of the kings of Spain since Charles V lie in their urns.
The basilica
A great domed church in grey granite, with a high altarpiece and gilded bronze statues of Charles V and Philip II and their families kneeling at either side.
Philip II's rooms
The bare rooms where the most powerful man in Europe lived and worked, with the bed from which he could see the altar.
The Courtyard of the Kings
The entrance court to the basilica, named after the six statues of the kings of Judah on its front.
How to do it well
- Commuter trains on line C3 run from Atocha and Sol to El Escorial in about an hour. From the station it is a twenty-minute walk uphill.
- Buses from Moncloa stop in the town, closer to the monastery.
- Tickets are sold by Patrimonio Nacional, which runs it. The monastery is closed on Mondays.
- Many day trips also stop at the Valley of Cuelgamuros, the monument Franco built, formerly called the Valley of the Fallen.
Where it is
Address
San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres north-west of Madrid
Nearest station
Commuter trains on line C3 run from Madrid's Atocha and Sol stations
Tickets and tours: El Escorial
El Escorial: common questions
- How do you get from Madrid to El Escorial?
- By commuter train on line C3 from Atocha or Sol, about an hour, then a walk uphill, or by bus from Moncloa, which stops in the town.
- Who is buried at El Escorial?
- Most of the kings of Spain since Charles V, in the Pantheon of the Kings beneath the high altar, and their queens who were mothers of kings. Other members of the royal family lie in the rooms beyond.
- How long does a visit to El Escorial take?
- About two to three hours inside the monastery. With the journey from Madrid, allow most of a day.
- How much time do you need for El Escorial?
- Allow a full day. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about El Escorial
Rating from Google
Things to do in Madrid
- 1Spend a morning with Velázquez and Goya at the PradoPaseo del PradoMuseum, 2.5 to 5 hours, ticket, free in the last two hours
- 2Walk through the state rooms of the Royal PalaceÓperaMonument, 1.5 to 3 hours, ticket
- 3Stand in front of Guernica at the Reina SofíaAtochaMuseum, 1.5 to 3 hours, ticket, free in the evenings
- 4Walk seven centuries of painting at the ThyssenPaseo del PradoMuseum, 2 to 3.5 hours, ticket, free on mondays
Artists to see near El Escorial
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Lázaro Galdiano Museum, 42.6 km away
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, 42.8 km away
Where to eat near El Escorial
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Madrid. Distances are in a straight line.
- Casa Mingo4.1Cider house, Príncipe Pío40.1 km away
- Taberna La Bola4.2Tavern, Ópera41.5 km away
- Corral de la Morería4.4Tablao and restaurant, La Morería41.6 km away
- Café Comercial4.1Café, Glorieta de Bilbao41.7 km away
Hotels near El Escorial
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Madrid. Distances are in a straight line.
- Barceló Torre de Madrid4.6Five-star hotel, Plaza de España41.1 km away
- Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá4.7Five-star hotel, Ópera41.5 km away
- InterContinental Madrid4.6Five-star hotel, Paseo de la Castellana42.2 km away
- Santo Mauro4.7Five-star hotel, Almagro42.3 km away