The Monastery of Escorial

The Monastery of Escorial

It is situated in the northwest of the region, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, about 46 kilometers from the city of Madrid.

Northwest: San Lorenzo de El Escorial	North: San Lorenzo de El Escorial	Northeast: Galapagar
West: San Lorenzo de El Escorial		East: Galapagar
Southwest: Zarzalejo y Robledo de Chavela	South: Valdemorillo y Navalagamella	Southeast: Colmenarejo

Visiting Hours.
April to September

Tuesday to Sunday à (10-20hrs)

You can also visit free Wednesday and Thursday from 17-20 hrs.

October to March

Tuesday to Sunday à (10-18hrs)

You can also visit free Wednesday and Thursday from 15-18 hrs.

The Monastery of San Lorenzo The Escorial is a complex that includes a royal palace, a basilica, a cemetery, a library and a monastery. It is located in the town of San Lorenzo The Escorial, in Madrid, Spain, and it was built between 1563 and 1584.

The palace was the residence of the Spanish Royal Family, the basilica is the burial place of the kings of Spain and the monastery (founded by monks jerónimos) is currently occupied by monks of the Order of St. Augustine. It is one of the most unique Renaissance architecture in Spain and Europe. Located in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Occupying an area of 33,327 square meters and has 16 yards, 88 sources, 13 oratorios, 15 cloisters, 86 stairs 9 towers, 1,200 doors and 2,673 windows. The main façade has a length of 207 meters. Among the most important parts of the building include the Pantheon of Kings, the Royal Basilica and the Royal Library. Since the sixteenth century, the Monastery of the Escorial has been rated la octava world wonder.
On november of 1984 in coincidence with the celebration of the fourth centenary of the placing the last stone, the World Heritage Committee of Unesco.

His paintings, sculptures, choir, scrolls, vestments and other luxury items, sacred and courtly make El Escorial is also a museum.

El Escorial is the crystallization of ideas and the will of its creator, Felipe II, a Renaissance prince.

Secciones del edificio.
Library, Palace of Felipe II, Basilica, Crypt, Shrines, convent, Chapterhouses, Hall of Battles, Museum of Architecture, Gardens of the Friars.
Library
The Library has one of the most valuable library collections in the world, not quantity and there are about 50,000 volumes, but by its quality, being especially valuable collections of Arabic, Hebrew and Latin manuscripts
Chapterhouses
In the present day in which the painter Velázquez spoke design, which at the time were used by the monks, and now houses a museum of paintings, with major works by Velázquez, El Greco and Ribera, among others.

Museum of Architecture
It consists of 11 rooms and display tools, cranes and other material used in the construction of the monument.
Gardens of the Friars
It was a true botanical garden, with up to 68 different varieties of flowers, many medicinal plants and some 400 were brought to the New World.
  


Today the monastery of Escorial is also a school.
The higher school Escorial es located in the building of the former compaña sharing a home with Real Centro Universitario Escorial Maria Cristina.
It is attached to the Complutense University of Madrid mixed dorm.
It has 113 single romos with bathroom.
It is an ideal place to combine study and university life full of rich experiences instead.
The Students have library, coffee shop,Chapel, dining room, living room, Reading and entertainment. Somputer romos, screening room: DVD and video
TV room and Sports área: gym, indoor sports center, tennis and racquetball, pool….