San Lorenzo de El Escorial to Undergo a €6 Million Renovation

San Lorenzo de El Escorial to Reorganize for Visitors

Forty years after San Lorenzo de El Escorial’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Philip II’s austere tribute to authority, devotion, and patronage is amid a significant reorganisation intended to allow visitors to enjoy the serenity of a previously inaccessible monastic patio and view artworks that were formerly only seen by royalty.

This two-year initiative, funded by €6.5 million (£5.4 million) from the EU, seeks to reintroduce the 33,327 square meter site, a massive monument to the imperial and cultural power of Spain’s golden age, to visitors. 

What is Special About El Escorial?

Located 35 miles northwest of Madrid, El Escorial represents the realisation of Philip II’s vision for building a monastery in a “desert,” far removed from people and other structures. His ambitious plan, completed over 21 years, benefited from the genius of two architects: Juan Bautista de Toledo, who had collaborated with Michelangelo in Rome, and Juan de Herrera, who utilised the construction knowledge he gained while serving in Flanders for Philip’s father, Charles V.

Luis Pérez de Prada on the Original Building

Luis Pérez de Prada, head of buildings and environment at Spain’s national heritage institution, Patrimonio Nacional noted, “This place was far away from everywhere else when it was founded; it wasn’t a literal desert, but it was a kind of desert. It was an incredible feat of work and it shows humanity’s ability to create something in the middle of nowhere. It’s a reopening with a much deeper understanding of what one of Spain’s most important monuments is about architecturally and artistically, and of all the symbolism implicit in this place,”

What’s New at the El Escorial

While El Escorial is certainly a well-known destination—welcoming over 450,000 visitors last year—Pérez de Prada and his team are eager to provide guests with a new viewpoint, both literally and symbolically. The other major aspects are the dormant galleries of paintings and architecture, which are set to be reopened, reorganized, and revitalized for €2.4 million. 

The most immediate adjustment is the entry point. Instead of accessing through the side, visitors will enter via the impressive Patio of Kings, a grand courtyard that immediately conveys the vastness and power of the complex. For the first time, guests will also have the opportunity to stroll through the monastery’s Patio of the Evangelists, a peaceful garden adorned with fountains and statues, centered around a cupola that mirrors the grand dome of the basilica.

On this newest entry point, Pérez de Prada says, “You’re going to get a much greater understanding of the monastery’s architecture now that you’re able to come in through the Patio of Kings. We want people to understand what they’re visiting when they come to a place like this; it’s not just about saying: ‘Yeah, I’ve done the tour and I can say I’ve visited El Escorial.’ You need to understand how it was created and how it’s been modified.”

The Painting and Architecture Gallery

The painting gallery, which has been closed for seven years, will be laid out across nine rooms to exhibit the tastes, commissions, and acquisitions of four rulers: Philip II, Philip IV, Charles II, and Isabel II. Among its collection of 99 Italian, Spanish, Flemish, French, and German artworks—many of which have not been publicly displayed before—are pieces by Titian, El Greco, Velázquez, Tintoretto, Zurbarán, and Juan Fernández de Navarrete. 

A focal point will be Calvary, a meticulously restored masterpiece by Rogier van der Weyden, painted between 1457 and 1464 for the Carthusian order in Scheut, just outside of Brussels, and acquired by Philip II in the 1550s. García Frías refers to it as “one of the most significant works of universal painting.” 

Nearby, the architecture gallery will showcase nails and tools used in the building’s construction, in addition to sketches and models of its unique design and engineering. 

Carmen García Frías on the Painting Gallery

Carmen García Frías, a paintings curator at Patrimonio Nacional, speaks about the newest galleries, “Philip II is the person who lays the foundation of the Spanish royal collections. Few monarchs had a brand new palace like this one in which to set out their decorative ideas and collect together such fine works of religious art.”

New Additions and Innovations at the San Lorenzo de El Escorial

Nearly a third of the EU funding—€2 million—will be allocated to updating the El Escorial and enhancing sustainability by installing LED lighting, adding four electric vehicle charging stations, and incorporating solar panels to help power Patrimonio Nacional’s workshops. In 18 months, once the paving in the Patio of the Evangelists has been levelled, the lighting arranged, the paintings displayed, and the architectural exhibits set up, visitors will finally be able to immerse themselves more deeply into Philip II’s dream of a desert.

As Pérez de Prada points out, “The most powerful monarch of the time is driving all this forward in his name. But it’s also a place where you can see the evolution of art and architecture making an important leap during the Renaissance. It also shows us what society – and the world – was like at the time: the religious wars; and the counter-reformation. All of that is reflected here.”

Image Courtesy – Patrimonio Nacional