Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial

Located in the mountains of Madrid, the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a jewel of the Spanish Renaissance. Commissioned by Philip II in the second half of the 16th century, it combines a royal palace, a basilica, a pantheon, a library, a college and a monastery. A World Heritage Site, it symbolizes the power of the monarchy and is one of the great historical and cultural emblems of the Community of Madrid.