EL ESORIAL.pptVIP

EL ESORIAL SPAIN JBIP 2008 HISTORY Built to honor San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) after having defeated the French on August 10th, 1557 . (hint the full name San Lorenzo de El Escorial) King Philip II ordered his scholars to find a place to build it around 1558. The complex is the design of two architects: Juan Bautista de Toledo who drew the plans for the monastery and Juan de Herrera who took over the project when Bautista died, was credited with the completion of the project. El Escorial is the burial place for many of the Spanish Kings of the last five centuries including: Philip II, Philip III, Philip IV, and Charles II. (among others) LOCATION Located approximately 31 miles outside of Madrid along the slopes of the Guadarrama Mountains. DESIGN The buildings cornerstone was laid on April 23, 1563. It took 21 years to complete the complex. The floor plan of the building is in the form of a gridiron. The traditional belief is that this design was chosen in honor of St. Lawrence, who was martyred by being roasted to death on a grill. DESIGN cont. Beyond being a monastery, El Escorial is also a pantheon, a basilica, a convent, a school, a library, holder of unique works of art, and a royal palace. Built primarily from locally-quarried gray granite, square and sparely-ornamented. It takes the form of a quadrangle, approximately 224m by 153m, which encloses a series of intersecting passageways and courtyards and chambers. Philip to Toledo: “Above all… simplicity in the construction, severity in the whole, nobility without arrogance, majesty without ostentation.” LETS TAKE AN IMAGINARY TOUR…. Lets assume we are entering the building from the main entrance, the western fa?ade. The Patio of Kings Basilica Central building of the El Escorial TOUR cont. Palace of Philip II: Located right next to the basilica so he can observe Mass from his window. Hall of Battles: a series of fresco paintings depicting some of the most important Spanish military victorie