Commissioned by Philip II, it is the most emblematic work of the late Spanish Renaissance. It defines the so-called Herrerian style which, derived from Italian influence, is based on the grandiosity of volumes and the prominence of lines over decorative elements, giving the complex an image of solidity and austerity.
Started by Juan Bautista de Toledo (1563) and completed by his disciple Juan de Herrera (1589), it houses a distribution of spaces with specific and unique functions.
Of particular interest are the Hall of Battles, the Courtyard of the Kings, the Basilica, the Choir, the Sacristy, the Pantheons of the Kings and the Pantheons of the Infantes, the Library, the Chapter Rooms, and the Palace Gardens, especially the Friars' Garden.
In 1984, UNESCO declared the monument a World Heritage Site.
Large granite stone esplanades that surround the Royal Monastery along its north and west facades, a monumental space that enhances the majesty of the architectural complex and provides access to its main entrances.