Brief Description:
Built at the end of the 16th century on a plan in the form of a grill, the instrument of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, the Escorial Monastery sits on an exceptionally beautiful site in Castile. The austere style of its architecture, a break with previous styles, had a considerable influence on Spain for more than half a century. It was the retreat of a mystic King and was, in the last years of Philippe II's reign, the centre of the greatest political power of the time.

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Committee