The New York herald., 1872-10-03
History OF the Escurial.

Journeying from Madrid towards the lonely and
almost desoate wilderness which disfgures the
suburb OF the Spanish capital and In which looms
up the vast and gloomy pile Of the Escurial the
traveller passes the bridge OF San Fernando which
Is guarded by the statues Of San Fernando and San
Barbara placed there for the especial purpose OF
warding against and keeping Off lightnings and
inundations-a vain duty, or else performed In o
very negligent manner, as has been seen by our
recent accounts Of the overflow OF rivers and our
present special report OF q heavy calamity by
stroke of the electric uid, just near the point OF
their sentinel observation. The SOL Is exceedingly
poor Its inhabitants unthrifty, and, for the most
part, uneducated. The road by which 1t is
traversed forms . dtting approach to the gloomy
Escurial, which is seen-beiore the fre-rising In
dreary, solitary state under the Jagged, sullen
sierra, and looming up In such vast proportions
that II is not lost in size, when conrasted by
the eye with the surrounding mountains.
The great r0yalist ecclesi0-monastic pile rises
grandly from the midst ofits demesne, gardens and
the bosom OF the plantations and terraces which
have been made to fringe the desert. Nearing the
building cross indicates the former territorial
limits OF the monks, and shows the way by which
Philip II. and other OF the ruling spirits OF spain
fastened TO the Escurial to de-
SITUATION OF THE BUILDING.
The Escuria has been placed by some ge0graph-
ers in Old Castillo but the division OF the provinces
has been carried on the crest OF the sierra which
rises behind it; and 1t Is regarded as probable in
the neighborhood that the famous old convent, II
spared the ravages OF the name viii be saved from
the general wreck which appears, to await the sup
pressed m0nastic institutions under Amadeus.
ITS TITLE, USES AND FOUNDER.
is derived by some from escortp the dross OF the
iron mines which stu exist in the neighborhood.
vent ana tomb and or these parposes was i built
by Philip H., el prudent, named by the monks
the "Hoy Founder" His object was to carry out
the will OF his father In constructing the royal
burial place and to fulfil vow made by him during
the battle OF ST. Quentin, August 10, l55 In return
French Were del defeated with immense loss in the
battle, and the colossal structure OF the Escnrial
Is said to be in proportion to the fear and piety Of
Philip during and subsequent to the ARRAY
The nr.. saae a vfS sBSi Bass sG .as ssa sa April %
in the year 1868, by Juan Bautista de Toledo, and
his scebaed p%p Juan De Herrera On te
same day Of the same month, September u, IN the
year 1898 Philip the Second expired n int the ppd na;
mOnk-in the vast convent.
SHAPE AND EXTENT OF THE STRUCTURE.
The Escurial building Is q rcctangular-paralleo-
gram OF IA feet from north to south and $50 feet
from east to west. The interior Is divided into
courts which the bars q eroa Ss ssa On
long, 10 feet high and feet in breadth, which was
tunnelled In the year ITO by the Monk Pontones,
during the winter hurricanes. The square
OF the convent building. covers 3,0o2
ees es re eor wards ana
feet OF painted fresco. There are II, 600 bald win
dows. The clean granite, blue states and leaden
roof look quite fresh The facades are vast IN pro-
portion, but the windows are small.
MORTUARY USES AND ART TREASURES.
The grand central Dorlc and Ionic portal Is never
opened except to receive royalty, dead or alive.
The body Of dead monarch Is borne in by three
noblemen and three monks.
OF the monuments, chapes, affairs, art treasures
and church relics which alorn or c0nSecratc the
building IL Is useless to speak here. There were at
one time as many AZ 5l5 shrines for the custody OF
ba mi N
and closters are wonderfully grand, and t Is to be
hoped that some portion Of what has been lelt OF
tine Escurial by war, confscation, the rapacity OF
monarchs and the greed OF foreign invaders Will
escape also the ravages Of the fire nend.