Five centuries of history can be seen in this majestic building located at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. Considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is a must-see if you are sightseeing in Madrid or if you live in the capital, as it is less than an hour's drive away. The Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was ordered to be built by King Philip II between 1563 and 1584. The monarch commissioned the architects Juan de Herrera and Juan Bautista de Toledo to carry out the work. Since then, all the kings, except Philip V and Ferdinand VI, have been buried in the Royal Pantheon of the building. The palace-monastery complex covers a total of 33,327 square metres and is made up of four areas: a Basilica, a Library, the Royal Palace, the Monastery and the Pantheon.
Essential Tour of El Escorial Monastery
Hapsburg Palace
Also known as the Palace of Philip II. It was his place of residence, retreat and meditation. The rooms are more austere than the rest of the building. It is possible to visit the Royal Quarters and the Hall of Battles, with frescoes of wars in which Spain took part. Here you can find the chair-bunk in which Philip II was transported from Madrid before his death. In its rooms hang pictorial works from the Flemish schools of the 16th and 17th centuries, the Italian and Venetian schools of the 16th century and the Spanish school of the early 17th century.
Palace of the Bourbons
You will visit 18 rooms from the end of the 18th century. Dining rooms, chapel, music room, antechambers, the king's bedroom and the queen's rooms such as the sewing room and her oratory.
Library
It is considered one of the finest Renaissance libraries in the world. It contains an impressive collection of codices and manuscripts written in more than 15 different languages. The frescoes on the vault of the Prints Room, by Pellegrino Tibaldi, are particularly noteworthy. Among its most significant paintings are The Calvary by Van der Weyden, a masterpiece by the brilliant Flemish painter.
The Pantheon of Kings
Here lie the mortal remains of 26 kings and queens of Spain. Of particular note are the frescoes of the cloister of the Convent, the Old Church, the Chapter Rooms with paintings by Titian, Velázquez, Bosch, Tintoretto, or the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by Van Dyck.
The Basilica
The highlights are its frescoes and paintings by El Greco, Zurbarán, Titian and Ribera.
Casita del Infante y del Príncipe
King Charles III commissioned build these two little houses for his sons, Prince Charles and Prince Gabriel. It is pleasant to stroll through its gardens and from here there are beautiful views of the monastery.
The Gardens
Philip II, a great lover of green spaces, ordered the construction of several gardens. The most outstanding are the Jardín de los Frailes, the Jardín de Convalecientes and the Jardín Real.
How to get there
The Monastery is located in Calle Juan de Borbón y Battemberg s/n in the town of San Lorenzo, about 55 km from Madrid. It can be reached by public transport:
Train From Atocha station, the suburban train to El Escorial, line C-8. Trains run every hour. Journey time: 1 hour.
Bus They leave from the Moncloa interchange. Lines 661 and 664. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes.
Or by car From the Nacional VI to Las Rozas, turn off onto the M-505, M-600 to the town of San Lorenzo. The Monastery has a public car park.
Timetables
Winter (October-March): Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Summer (April to September): Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Close every Monday.
It is also closed to the public on 24, 25 and 31 December, 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 9 September.
Prices
Basic tariff: 10 €
Reduced rate: 5 €
. Children between 5 and 16 years old
. Students under 25 years old
. Over 65 years old
. Individual members of large families
The guided tour will cost you an additional €4, including the visit to the Casita del Príncipe and the Infante Don Gabriel. These tickets can only be purchased at the ticket office.
The audio guide costs 4 euros.
Free admission
. Under 5 years of age
. Large families
. Teaching staff
. ICOM Members
. Official Tourist Guides
. Unemployed
. Disabled persons
. 18 May (International Museum Day)
. 12 October
Free admission every Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. from April to September and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. from October to March.
You should expect to spend at least 3 hours visiting the entire monumental complex. It is best to visit it without haste and with a guided tour, which will tell you all the anecdotes and curiosities about the life of the monarchs and their court during the almost 500 years they lived here.
