Things to Do in El Escorial

To visit the Spanish capital you need to plan very well what you are going to do each day. When doing so, I advise you not only to include everything Madrid has to offer, but also to take note of some nearby must-see places.

If there is one excursion from Madrid that can be considered a must, it is the one that takes you to El Escorial. It should be borne in mind that, although we normally use this name to refer to the monastery, there are two different villages in the area. Thus, next to each other are San Lorenzo del Escorial (where the monastery is) and El Escorial, in the lower part. In this article I will show you everything you can see in the monastery, but also some interesting elements outside the monastery.

The first thing you will see when you enter the main gate of the monastery complex is the courtyard of the Kings, from which you will have a wonderful view of the façade of the basilica. From here you will begin your visit, either on your own or with one of the tours that show you around El Escorial.

The most striking features are the six statues representing the kings of the tribes of Judah, placed in this courtyard for having participated in the construction of the Temple of Jerusalem.

One of the most important buildings within the monastery complex is the Palace of the Habsburgs, also known as the House of Philip II, as this king used it as an occasional residence, as did the rest of the monarchs of the House of Austria.

Its interior, as you will see, is quite austere, although it contains some really interesting rooms. You should also take a look at the marquetry doors, the painting Landscape with Saint Christopher and Child and the portraits of the Habsburgs.

Hall of Battles

The Hall of Battles, known until the 17th century as the King's Gallery, is one of the most impressive rooms you can see in the Habsburg Palace. In fact, part of its purpose was to impress the monarch's visitors with frescoes depicting great Spanish military triumphs.

These frescoes, executed in the late 16th century by the Genoese Nicolás Granello, Fabrizio Castello and Lazaro Tavarone, cover the walls of the hall as if they were tapestries. They depict images of battles such as the battle of Higueruela (in 1431), the battle of San Quintín (in 1557, the victory of which was honoured with the construction of the monastery) and the annexation of Portugal, among others.

The Hall of the Guards

Still inside the palace, it is worth visiting the Sala de los Guardias (Hall of the Guards). Here you will find the chair-litera that was used to carry Philip II from Madrid to El Escorial before he died of gout.

You can also see some interesting paintings from the Flemish schools of the 16th and 17th centuries and others from other European schools of the period. As a curiosity, the window of the room occupied by the king communicated with the basilica so that he could listen to mass every day.

The entrance to El Escorial also includes a visit to the Royal Palace of the Bourbons. The first thing you will notice if you have entered the Habsburg Palace before is the stylistic change brought about by the change of reigning house.

The first kings of the House of Bourbon, in accordance with their origins, opted for a more French style of decoration. This can be seen in the most important rooms in this area: the Queen's Oratory, the King's Hall and the Ambassadors' Hall.

You can also see many tapestries in the Royal Palace, including some by Francisco de Goya.

One of the intentions when the monastery was built was that it should serve as a resting place for the mortal remains of the Spanish kings. The site chosen was this pantheon, located under the main altar of the basilica.

The remains of 26 kings and queens of the country lie in this large circular room, built of marble and with a great height. The former are placed on the right side of the altar, while the latter were buried on the left.

Before being buried here, the bodies had to be kept for several years in a nearby room, known as the Pudridero.

It was not only kings who were buried here. Some princes were also buried in the monastery, in the so-called Pantheon of the Princes. It was Queen Isabella II, around 1888, who ordered this room to be built under the sacristy.

The 9 chambers into which the pantheon is divided contain several really interesting sculptures, as well as various decorative motifs typical of the 19th century.

Right next to this pantheon is another, somewhat more macabre one: that of the Párvulos. Here the infants who died before reaching puberty were buried, a total of 60 in all.

If you have already visited the Prado Museum, when you enter this part of the monastery you will be able to recognise works by some of the masters of universal painting. These rooms were originally the place where the monks used to meet, but today they house an impressive collection of paintings by Bosch, Zurbarán, Titian and Tintoretto.

As if this were not enough, Diego de Velázquez was involved in the decoration of the 9 rooms that make up the area.

It is also worth contemplating the architecture of the rooms. Its vaults, for example, are decorated with beautiful Renaissance frescoes, all of a religious nature.

Another of the most important areas of the complex is the Patio de los Evangelistas. From here you will be able to enjoy a fantastic view of the façades of the cloister galleries and a small temple, called the Templete de los Evangelistas, which gives its name to the courtyard created by Juan de Herrera.

The courtyard, in reality a garden, has the typical shape of these interior spaces in cloisters. With a cross plan, the templete represents the spiritual life and the garden of Eden, with the four rivers that irrigate each part of the world.

Around the courtyard you can walk through the galleries of the main cloister. In them you can contemplate no less than fifty-four fresco paintings that tell the story of the Redemption. If you follow the order (starting from the Door of the Processions, which leads from the cloister to the church) you will see from the birth of the Virgin to the Last Judgement.

Although it may seem strange, no visit to the monastery of El Escorial should miss this staircase located in the centre of the west gallery of the cloister.

The reason for this is none other than its fabulous architecture, which is joined by a vault painted in fresco by Luca Giordano in 1692, whose title is quite explicit: The Glory of the Spanish Monarchy.

The ceiling above the staircase also houses other frescoes, these with varied motifs and of different dates. Some of them depict religious events, such as the life of Jesus Christ, while others are dedicated to events such as the battle of San Quentin or the construction of the monastery itself.

In an era marked by the importance of the Catholic religion, the monastery's basilica is one of the most important parts of the complex. Its construction began in 1575, but it was not consecrated until 1586.

To get there you will have to cross the courtyard of the Kings, decorated with six statues of the kings of Judah who took part in the construction of Solomon's temple.

Once inside the basilica, as your guide will explain if you have decided to have one, you will realise that there are actually two different churches inside it: the Sotocorro church, used for ceremonies attended by the people, and the Royal Chapel and convent church.

The height of the basilica reaches 95 metres at its highest point. As is the case in much of the complex, the architecture is quite sober and, in this case, the decoration is very sparse. The only notable feature is the sculpture of Jesus Christ Crucified, a work by Cellini, located in one of the chapels.

Book lovers will be impressed when they enter this large library, both by the books it houses and by the wonderful frescoes in the vault.

Philip II is said to have been a great collector of books and relics. In 1612, an edict of his ordered that his library at El Escorial should have a copy of every book ever published, which gives you an idea of what his collection must have been like.

Today, the library houses some 40,000 copies, including such gems as the Cantigas de Alfonso X El Sabio (The Canticles of Alfonso X the Wise).

The bookshelves, designed by Juan de Herrera in oak, mahogany and cedar, are also worth a look.

Outside the monastery is the Jardín de los Frailes (Friars' Garden), a really peaceful and well-kept area. If you have time, I recommend that you take a stroll along its paths and look out to contemplate the west side of the monumental complex.

On the east side of the monument there are other gardens similar to the friars' garden. If you look out, you will see that these were separated by walls with niches, as they were intended only for the enjoyment of royalty.

If, of all the ways to get to El Escorial from Madrid, you have chosen your own car, it will be very easy to get to the Silla de Felipe II If not, you can take a two-and-a-half-kilometre walk from the town to get there.

According to legend, the monarch himself used to go to this viewpoint to see how the work on the monastery was progressing. Nowadays, it is possibly one of the best places from which to enjoy all the grandeur of the monument.

The Silla de Felipe II is made up of several platforms shaped like steps with seats carved in granite, where you can sit and contemplate the views.

In addition to the impressive views, the route to the Silla is really great, to the point that it has become one of the most popular with hiking enthusiasts who come from the capital.

Those who go by car can leave it in a car park located in the Bosque de la Herrería, an area full of oak and chestnut trees. From there, the walk to the Silla de Felipe II is really beautiful.

Another visit, only with a guide, that can be made in the area is the Casita del Príncipe. Located in an 18th century palace (a 10-minute walk from the monastery), it was used by the kings as a country house.

My advice is to at least take a stroll around the gardens, as they have a pond, waterfalls and great views of the monastery. And it's free to enter them.

You may well want to stay in town for lunch after seeing the monastery (here are some of the best restaurants in El Escorial). While you're here, don't miss a stroll along the beautiful Floridablanca street, where you'll be able to see some interesting buildings.

Perhaps the most worthwhile is the Teatro Real Coliseo de Carlos III. It was this monarch who ordered the theatre to be built so that the Royal Sites would have spaces for theatrical performances.

The building is the only theatre in the country that preserves its 18th-century style, as well as being one of the oldest in Spain. If you are interested in its history, there is a museum inside that shows the more than two and a half centuries of history that it holds.