In the Letter that Philip II wrote to the general of the Hieronymite order on 16 April 1561, he sets out the reasons leading him to build the Monastery: gratitude for the victory of Saint Quentin, which took place on St Lawrence's Day in 1557, and the desire to erect a mausoleum in memory of his parents and himself, placed under the patronage of Saint Lawrence.
The work began with the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo in 1563, but it was continued by his disciple Juan de Herrera from 1567, the date of Juan Bautista de Toledo's death, until 1584, the year the construction of the Monastery was completed. This architect reformed the previous project and created his own style, known as Herrerian, characterised by decorative austerity and geometric rigour.
The main facade, facing west, has two side gates that correspond to the entrance of the Alfonso XII school and the Augustinian convent. In the centre of the facade, between six Doric columns, is the main entrance to the building, crowned by a body of Ionic columns, among which stand out the family coat of arms of Philip II and a colossal statue of Saint Lawrence, carved in granite by Juan Bautista Monegro.
Among its highlights are the Courtyard of Kings, the Basilica, the Library, the Royal Pantheon, the Pantheon of Infantes, the Palaces, and the Chapter Rooms, among other spaces.
In 1931, the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument and in 1984 it was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
Late Renaissance masterpiece built between 1563 and 1584 by Juan de Herrera for Philip II, integrating a palace, temple, royal pantheon, convent, college and library. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.