El Escorial
Enjoy a tour of Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Royal Monastery of St. Lawrence of Escorial). This enormous palace was at first an austere monastery until Felipe II transformed it into one of the modern wonders of the world. A highlight of El Escorial is the Panteón de los Reyes, a large tomb designed in gold that houses the bodies of nearly every Spanish monarch since Carlos I. The property also boasts a Basilica, a unique library, museums containing famous works of art and historic tapestries, and a small but luxurious palace built for a prince.

Fun Facts

• The architectural origin of El Escorial is quite controversial. The grill-shaped façade was intended to honor St. Lawrence, but the interior follows descriptions of the Temple of Solomon by the Judeo-Roman historian Flavius Josephus.


• All of the wood used in El Escorial comes from the ancient forests of Sagua La Grande, on the so-called Golden Coast of Cuba.

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El Escorial