The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de Escorial is a large complex (palace, monastery, museum and library) in the town of the same name, located to the north-west of Madrid. In the centre of this town, in the unbeatable natural surroundings of the Sierra de Guadarrama, one of the region's most impressive monuments was built: the Monastery of San Lorenzo de Escorial. It was raised on the orders of King Felipe II, to commemorate the vistory at the battle of St. Quentin.
The building was designed to serve many purposes: palace, church, pantheon and centre for art and writing. It was begun by Juan Bautista de Toledo, on his death he was substituted by Juan de Herrera, who imposed a more severe style. Of great decorative austerity, an outstanding element is the church in the form of a Greek cross and with a large dome. The interior features a majestic altar on a raised presbytery.
Location: Juan de Borbón y Battenberg, s/n. San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid).