EL ESORIAL

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EL ESORIAL
EL ESCORIAL SPAIN JBIP 2008

• SPAIN JBIP 2008

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HISTORY

• Built to honor San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) after
  having defeated the French on August 10th, 1557 .
  (hint the full name San Lorenzo de El Escorial)
• King Philip II ordered his scholars to find a
  place to build it around 1558.
• The complex is the design of two architects Juan
  Bautista de Toledo who drew the plans for the
  monastery and Juan de Herrera who took over the
  project when Bautista died, was credited with the
  completion of the project.
• El Escorial is the burial place for many of the
  Spanish Kings of the last five centuries
  including Philip II, Philip III, Philip IV, and
  Charles II. (among others)

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LOCATION

• Located approximately 31 miles outside of Madrid
  along the slopes of the Guadarrama Mountains.

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DESIGN

• The building's cornerstone was laid on April 23,
  1563.
• It took 21 years to complete the complex.
• The floor plan of the building is in the form of
  a gridiron. The traditional belief is that this
  design was chosen in honor of St. Lawrence, who
  was martyred by being roasted to death on a
  grill.

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DESIGN cont.

• Beyond being a monastery, El Escorial is also a
  pantheon, a basilica, a convent, a school, a
  library, holder of unique works of art, and a
  royal palace.
• Built primarily from locally-quarried gray
  granite, square and sparely-ornamented.
• It takes the form of a quadrangle, approximately
  224m by 153m, which encloses a series of
  intersecting passageways and courtyards and
  chambers.
• Philip to Toledo Above all simplicity in the
  construction, severity in the whole, nobility
  without arrogance, majesty without ostentation.

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LETS TAKE AN IMAGINARY TOUR.

• Lets assume we are entering the building from the
  main entrance, the western façade.
• The Patio of Kings
• Basilica
• Central building of the El Escorial

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TOUR cont.

• Palace of Philip II Located right next to the
  basilica so he can observe Mass from his window.
  
• Hall of Battles a series of fresco paintings
  depicting some of the most important Spanish
  military victories.
• Pantheon of Kings This consists of 26 marble
  sepulchers containing the remains of Kings and
  ruling Queens.
  

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TOUR cont.

• Art gallery consists of work from Italian,
  German and Venetian schools.
• Gardens of Friars constructed for Philip II
  lover of nature
• Library Collection consists of nearly 40,000
  volumes.
• contributing to this presentation Wikipedia,
  El Escorial