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Escorial, El |
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Escorial, ElMonastery and palace standing over 900 m/2,953 ft above sea level on a southeastern slope of the Sierra de Guadarrama, 42 km/26 mi northwest of Madrid, Spain. El Escorial was built (1563-84) for Philip II. It was designed by Juan Bautista de Toledo (assistant to Michelangelo at St Peter's, Rome (1546-48)) and Juan de Herrera (c. 1530-97). It was dedicated to St Lawrence, on whose day in 1557 the Spaniards defeated Henry II of France at St Quentin. The immense structure, built of granite and measuring 207 m/679 ft by 161 m/528 ft, is shaped to resemble the gridiron on which St Lawrence was martyred. This austere monastery-cum-palace became the favoured dwelling of Philip II. It was here that he gathred together his collection of paintings (including, in particular, works by Hieronymus Bosch and El Greco. |
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