REPUBLICA E S PAI'T4OL A

1 I I I|II}ilII|I!IIIIJHU_

A view of the Monastery Phottÿ. Wu nderllch

r was due to a caprice of Philip II that there arose near a little village of the Sierra the Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial, one of the most artistically striking and historically suggestive places in Spain. Philip II wished to build a house of prayer and retreat which would serve at the same time as a sepulchre for himself and his parents, and the reason of its dedication to San Lorenzo was, that it was on this saint's feast day that the Spanish troops won the victory of St. Quentin, in 1557. The house was put into the hands of the Order of St. Jerome, chosen by the king as being a Spanish order and as being that chosen by his father, the Emperor Charles V, to accompany him at Yuste. Philip summoned the most de los Reyes (Court of the skilful workmen for the Kings), where we find the carring out of his cherished facade of the church with scheme. From came its two twin towers, and the Juan Bautista de Toledo, the colossal statues of the kings first director of the work. It of Judah which give the patio was , however its name. Behind rises the who was to complete the classic curve of the dome, Monastery, which bears the which dominates the whole unmistakable stamp oÿ the building. The interior of the great artist: a return to the church, enormous in its se- purity of classical forms vere grandeur, is designed which the Italian with such a scene of propor. had restored, adapted however tion that the result is entirely to the needs of the day. harmonious, and the colossal The first stone of the buil- dimensions give no over- ding was laid in 1563, and powering effect. In the Capilla Mayor, or High Chapel, an Evangelists' Courtyard Photo, Moreno the work of construction Interior Sight of the Basilica Photo. Moreno lasted till 1584. Once com- altarpiece by Herrera and pleted, Philip, a gloomy character, but sincerely anxious to rule his Jacome Trezzo, with statues by the Leonis. On either side of the kingdom well, and a lover of fine arts, wished to form there a altar the gilded bronze statues of Charles I and Philip II with their collection of Renaissance works of art, and also a centre of learning families, in an attitude of prayer, the work of Leoni, give a mag- and classical study, with an abundant supply of books and manuscripts. nificent and impressive effect. The pictures of the reredos are the After Philip's death the Monastery served as a court residence during work of the Italian artists summoned by Philip II, Tibaldi, Zuccaro, part of the year, continually adding to its treasures under the various Cincinato, and some Spanish painters, such as Navarrete el Mudo, Luis monarchs who followed him. de Carvajal and Sÿinchez Coello. The frescoes in the choir and high The Monastery is a large quadrilateral edifice (286 metres by 161) chapel of the cI:3rch are of the same date as the building, and are the with uniform facades and square towers, finished at the corners with work of Lucas Cangiasi. The other ceilings, Baroque in style, and little capitals. Within, the building is constructed round "patios", some of ex- in harmony with the rest of the church, were painted in the reign of traordinary architectural beauty, such as that of the Evangelists, with Charles II by Lucas Jordan, the famous Fa Presto. The choir, situated its classic little temple, its symmetrical pools, and its beds of box, the over the entry to the church, has seats of a severe style, designed by whole dominated by the massive grandeur of Herrera's mighty work. The Herrera. Behind the choir is a famous crucifix by Benvenuto Cellini. principal facade is that of the west, higher in its centre part than the The Pantheon of the Kings was not finished till the days of Philip IV. rest of the building, and with a gateway in which the Ionian style pre- It is below the High chapel and is reached by a narrow staircase dominates over the Tuscan; the whole is finished off by the pediment ending in the sepulchral vault, built in the style of the epoch and far and the pyramids with their balls. The principal door leads to the Patio removed from that of Herrera. On the altar is a crucifix by Domenico The Kings' Pantheon Photo, Moreno The Palace. A Hall with Goya Tapestries Photo. Wunderlich

Guidi. The chapel is a polygon and in the panels of the walls are placed works by Veronese, Ribera, Bass ano, Navarrete, Alonso Cano, Gnercino, the sepulchral urns of the Spanish kings, from Charles I, and their Jordfin... The sacristy contains such works of art as E1 Greco's "Saint wives (with the exception of Philip V and Ferdinand VI and their Eugene" and Ribera's "Saint Anthony" amongst many others; but families). The Pantheon of the Infantes is a 19th century edifice. without question its most interesting possession is the big picture by Adjoining the church is the convent, occupied to-day by Augustine Claudio Coello showing Charles II and his court adoring the Host in monks, to whom the Escorial was given over in 1885, after the snpres- that very chapel. sion of the Order of St. Jerome and the revolution of 1868 had left the The Library occupies a vast hall decorated by paintings of the Mi- Monastery almost deserted. The paintings of the cloisters are by the chael Angelo type, the work of Pelegrino Tibaldi and Bartolom6 Car- same artists who painted the altar-pieces of the church, while the stair- ducci. The original library founded by Philip II has been enriched by case is the work of Juan Bautista Castello el Bergamasco. numerous acquisitions and in spite of various regrettable losses it num- The real museum of the Escorial are the chapter houses of the Mo- bers 40.000 volumes to-day, an imposing treasure when it is remembered nastery and the sacristy of the church. The number and quality of the that the majority are very rare books, the greater part being medieval paintings is such that they form a first class collection. We mention parchments and Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Arab manuscripts. amongst others Van der Weyden's "Descent from the Cross"; various In the part of the Monastery which served as a royal residence, a works by Bosco, "Jacob and his sons" by Velÿzquez; the "Martyrdom of distinction must be made between the apartments of Philip II and the St. Maurice", and the "Dream of Philip II" by E1 Greco, the "Washing rest of the Palace. The former still keep their original arrangement and of the Feet" by Tintoretto, and the "Last Supper" by Titian, with other the furniture and works of art which adorned them in the time of the great king. It is in very mo- from there its claimed heavi- dest chambers that his me- ness becomes logical and mory lasts. Here we have his clear. A stroll should be bedroom, arranged so that taken in the monk's garden he could hear mass from his amongst the box hedges and bed; his study adjoining, oleanders with the sun gild- simple and bare as a cell; ing the huge facade. The ,ÿ a Throne Room served for columns in the Convalescents' ,[ court functions, for receptions Gallery and the big pool like and audiences, for interviews a mirror lend a special charm with ambassadors and public to this corner of the Esco. officials who came to the rial. We advise the tourist Escorial from central Europe, who wishes to thoroughly seething with religious strife, enter into the spirit of this or from the far-off and mys- unique place to walk along terious Indies. Near at hand the solitary paths of the "i is the room of the king's Herreria and also to go fur- daughter, his dearly-loved Isa- ther afield to the rock called Philip II's family at Prayer Photo. Llad6 bel Clara Eugenia, the intel- Escorial Monastery. The Library the Seat of Philip II from Photo. Wunderlich ligent and energetic Infanta, later to be the Regent of the Low which the king watched the gradual rise of the monastery walls facing Countries. It was within the walls of these humble rooms that Philip the surrounding hills. passed a good part of his life occupied continually with the conduct Outside the grounds of the Monastery and in the midst of a park of State affairs. There he died, tortured by gout, in 1598. stands the Caslta del Principe (the Prince's Villa), built by the end of The palace itself is very distinct in character and decoration from the 18th century, and with the same style of decoration as the Palace. these apartments of Philip II. Its 18th century salons recall a much later The "casita" owns pictures which make it a museum in which some history; they speak to us of Charles 1V and his troubled reign; of masterpieces are not lacking. Maria Luisa, of the trial known that of the Eseorial, of Ferdinand VII and Isabel II. The Palace presents a typical series of apartments deco- rated with tapestries representing popular scenes woven after pictures by Mengs, Goya, Bayeu. Their painted ceilings, their Imperio style furniture, their chandeliers, their clocks, are all in late 18th century style, and there are not lacking examples of Pompeian decoration, so much in vogue at HOTELS this time. The Hall of Battles is very distinctive, in which the minor painters of the 16th century have represented various Spanish victories. VICTORIA -- Full board from 20 to 37'50 pesetas But to complete this rapid review of the Escorial riches, it should MIRANDA- Full board from 15 to 25 pesetal be noted that this magnificent building should be viewed from the hill; REGINA -- Full broad frem 12 to 25 pesetas DISTANCE From = 51 Kin. by rail, and 49 by road From Irun = 580 :ÿ ÿ 512 From Porl-Bou 903 ÿ, From La Juaquera 832 ÿ From Algeeiras = 795 ÿ ÿ 773 From Paris = 1.403 ÿ • 1.336 PATRONATO NACIONAL DEL TURISMO (Spanish State Tourist Department) MADRID PARIS IÿSCORI ÿL Medinaeeli, 2 12, Bd. de la Madeleine Monastery

Printed in Spain Paris, 134 ÿ)Barcelona Free Copy