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El Escorial

El Escorial

Did you know there was another palace only a short drive away from Madrid that used to be the headquarters of King Phillip II? This is the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial-a long name for a palace, but King Phillip’s reign went all the way from Madrid to Mexico and Manila, and he also ruled during the Reformation when he defended Spain from Protestant “heretics”. He decorated this palace in the same way it was designed to be, homogenous and somber. Only a few artists were commissioned in order to preserve a feeling of unity throughout the castle. Inside there is a church, monastery, library, college, and a mausoleum. El Escorial is one of the most sought out sites to visit in Spain because of its beautifully preserved history and the fact that it’s a monument to the Renaissance.