El Escorial

El Escorial is a famous royal site in Spain. It was built in the late 1500s. El Escorial is a monastery, a royal palace, a museum and a school. It is located about  northwest of the Spanish capital, Madrid, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Five miles from the main building is a hunting lodge called Granjilla de La Fresneda, which is also part of the Escorial.

 Architecture 
The building was designed by the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo to the plans of King Philip II. El Escorial is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a very popular tourist attraction.

El Escorial was one of 100 finalists for the 12 Treasures of Spain in 2007.

References

 Other websites 

 El Escorial site
 El Escorial Monastery - History and Photos
 Maps showing areas of outstanding natural beauty, educational, scientific or cultural importance in Spain 
 El Escorial tourist and travel connexions guide (Eng) 


Category:World Heritage Sites in Spain
Category:Palaces in Spain
Category:Museums in Spain
Category:Schools
Category:Community of Madrid