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Construction of El Escorial began in 1563 and was completed in 1584.  It boasts 4,000 rooms, 33,000 square meters, it includes monastery, basilica, library and a mausoleum. There was also a school with lots of kids playing outside for recess when we arrived. 

King Philip II (2nd king of Spain) built this palace to serve multiple purposes - including providing a burial place for his father King Charles. Let me know if you want me to show you the quick memory aid I learned to remember the first 5 Spanish Kings. And did you know the  motto”the empire on which the sun never sets” was first used to describe Spain in the height of its power? Empire included the Philippians (named after King Phillip II), all of Central America and the Caribbean islands and some parts of North and South America.

It was said that this is the largest building in the world built at one time. Vatican is bigger but only due to additions. Close enough to Madrid that if the King needed to get there for urgent business he could go, but far enough away to beg off mundane matters. 

First entrance of this palace near the main driveway led to the kitchen.  Designed this way to purposely require visitors to go around a full side of the building to reach the main entrance.  Plenty of time for them to be  thoroughly impressed by the magnificent size of the building. 

Private chapel for the king with 43 altars. Bigger than some cathedrals!! Include 4 organs from the 16th century that is still being played. 

Why would a private chapel need so many seats?

Our tour guide showed us a secret room that allowed architect to privately inform the king of the need for funds to continue bldg (one person speak into one corner and another speaks into opposite corner). Avoided embarrassing the king and risking execution. Oddly enough, I learned that the acoustics (due to the room’s arch design) are similar to a secret room in Grand Central Station in NY. 

Mausoleum - burial place of kings throughout centuries (Stacy did NOT like this part of the tour). Kings’ tombs in special room where photos are not allowed (plenty on internet). Select queens also included. There is a waiting room (nicknamed rotting room) where current king’s mother and grandmother are in holding pattern :)

There was even a room for those infants lost in death over the centuries. Of course, improvements in medical care have significantly reduced infant mortality so there has not been as many added to this room in last century. Interesting that it looked like room-sized birthday cake. Wish I had captured the nearby painting depicting baby Jesus sleeping with John the Baptist shushing in effect saying “don’t wake the children they are not dead - they are sleeping”. Truth!

Wish I got a better angle to include painting of Sweet Baby Jesus 

Intermarriage was very common to maintain the power of the monarchy and unite kingdoms. Philip married 6x and amazingly the Queen Elizabeth of England refused his proposal (unheard of back then). But if she had agreed, the union of Spain and England would have contradicted bible prophecy regarding the emergence of the Anglo-American world power. And we know that could never happen!  Now for some random pictures:

Door with no glue, nails - completely wood with intersecting pieces (German design)

Luggage the size of a dresser

Royal library with a paintings all along the upper walls and ceilings

The garden

Stacy opted to skip this part of the tour and join the group that headed straight over to the restaurants. By the time I met up with them, they had just placed their lunch orders. I didn’t need to order anything - perfect timing to glean!