The Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen

View of the Escorial

View of the "Valle de los Caídos," Valley of the Fallen

Method of Transportation: Bus to and from El Escorial Bus Station in Madrid or Tour

Transportation Time: Approximately 2 Hours (Round Trip)

Hours: 

     Valley of the Fallen Monument

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

       April - September 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

     Monastery and Palace: 

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

       April - September 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

     Gardens of the Friars:

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

       April - September 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

     Park House of Prince Carlos: 

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

       April - September 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

     House of Prince Carlos: 

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

       April - September 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

     Gardens of the House of the Prince: 

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

       April - September 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

     House of the Infant Gabriel: 

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

       April - September 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

     House Gardens of the Infant Gabriel: 

       October - March 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

       April - September 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Closed Mondays)

Cost: 

     Transportation: $21.89/€16.10

     Entrance Fee Escorial: 

       General $13.48/€10.00

       Reduced $6.74/€5.00 (65 and older, students under 25, schools, and E.U. members)

     Entrance Fee Valley of the Fallen: 

       General $12.23/€9.00

       Reduced $5.44/€4 (65 and older, students under 25, schools, and E.U. members)

     Tour Fee (Includes Entrance and Transportation to Both from Madrid): $74.77/€55.00

     Total Cost: 

       General $47.60/€35.10 

       Reduced $34.07/€25.10

       Tour $96.66/€71.10

The Escorial is a 16^th century palace outside of Madrid and is one of the most prominent buildings of Spain. Built by Philip II beginning in 1563, the Escorial contains a church (1582), monastery (1584), royal palace (1584), college (1584), and library (1592)[1]. The addition of the Royal Pantheon, a chapel containing the bones of Spanish monarchs, was added during the seventeenth century by Philip IV[2]. Today, the religious Order of Saint Augustine is responsible for taking care of the monastery and holds masses for the souls of the deceased monarchs buried there[3]. The architecture of the building is based off a grill-like pattern to commemorate Saint Lorenzo, who was martyred on a grill and is the patron saint of the building[4].

Basilica Entrance

A United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site since 1984, the Escorial contains many sixteenth and seventeenth century features[5]. At the basilica entrance there are six statues representing Old Testament biblical kings and at the main entrance stands a statue of Saint Lorenzo; these monuments allude to the inner “unornamented classicism” of the Escorial[6]. Many Spanish and Italian artists were commissioned to decorate the Escorial, among them including Pellegrino Tibaldi, Federico Zuccaro, El Greco, Luca Giordano, and Claudio Coello[7]. Philip II housed hundreds of relics in the Escorial, as he spent much of his time at the end of his life at the Escorial and the library contains close to 45,000 documents from the 15th and 16th centuries[8].  The Escorial is still home to many Renaissance and baroque style paintings and tapestries, as well as countless other artifacts and art.

Valley of the Fallen Monument

Also located in Madrid is the Valley of the Fallen. The Valle de los Caídos, or the Valley of the Fallen, was built between 1940 and 1958 and holds the tallest cross in the world at four hundred and ninety two feet[9]. At the base of the cross are statues of Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John[10]. Construction of the monument was ordered by dictator General Francisco Franco to commemorate those that had died on both sides of the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Civil War was a culmination of political instability and was fought from 1936 to 1939; it is estimated that there were over 500,000 deaths[11] The main sides were nationalist (led by Franco) and republican (led by the Spanish government), ultimately ending with nationalist victory and Franco's dictatorship from 1939 to 1975[12]. The Valley of the Fallen stands as a reflection of this time. 

The Cross

The resting place of Franco, José Antonio Primo de Rivera, and approximately forty thousand Nationalist and Republican soldiers, the Valley of the Fallen also contains a church[13].  The main entrance to the church contains eight sculptures that commemorate those that died during the war, followed by sculptures of the four archangels surrounding the four corners of the church[14]. Both the tombs of Francisco Franco and José Antonio Primo de Rivera are on display on opposite sides of the center crucifix. 

View Facing the Valley of the Fallen

Both of historical significance, the Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen stand as tributes to Spain’s history. The Escorial serves as a reminder of Spanish influences throughout its centuries of use and preserves many Spanish artifacts. While very controversial, the Valley of the Fallen is a reminder of what occurred during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930’s and commemorates the war’s impact on the Spanish people.  While photos are not permitted inside either location, both remain a testament to Spanish history and culture.

Works Cited

“About El Escorial.” El-Escorial.com. El Escorial, 2014. http://www.el-escorial.com/. (accessed February 6, 2014).

“El Valle de Los Caídos.” valledeloscaidos.es. Abadía de la Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos, 2010. http://www.valledeloscaidos.es/vive/planifica. (accessed February 6, 2014).

“Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid,” unesco.org. UNESCO, 2014. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/318. (accessed February 6, 2014).
"ROYAL MONASTERY OF SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL," spain.info.  Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/madrid/real_monasterio_de_san_lorenzo_de_el_escorial.html (accessed February 6, 2014). 
"San Lorenzo del Escorial." tripadvisor.com. TripAdvisor LLC., 2014. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g562659-c180221/San-Lorenzo-De-El-Escorial:Spain:Escolania.Del.Escorial.html. (accessed February 6, 2014). 

"Spanish Civil War." schoolnet.co.uk. Spartacus Educational, 2014. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WARspain.htm. (accessed February 6, 2014).

“Valley of the Fallen, The.” feelmadrid.com. FeelMadrid, 2011. http://www.feelmadrid.com/valleyofthefallen.html. (accessed February 6, 2014).

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[1] “About El Escorial,” El-Escorial.com. El Escorial, 2014, http://www.el-escorial.com/ (accessed February 6, 2014).

[2] Ibid.
[3] "San Lorenzo del Escorial," tripadvisor.com. TripAdvisor LLC., 2014, http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g562659-c180221/San-Lorenzo-De-El-Escorial:Spain:Escolania.Del.Escorial.html (accessed February 6, 2014). 

[4] “About El Escorial,” El-Escorial.com. El Escorial, 2014.

[5] “Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid,” unesco.org. UNESCO, 2014, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/318 (accessed February 6, 2014).

[6] “About El Escorial,” El-Escorial.com. El Escorial, 2014.

[7] Ibid.
[8] "ROYAL MONASTERY OF SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL," spain.info.  Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/madrid/real_monasterio_de_san_lorenzo_de_el_escorial.html (accessed February 6, 2014). 

[9] “The Valley of the Fallen,” feelmadrid.com. FeelMadrid, 2011, http://www.feelmadrid.com/valleyofthefallen.html (accessed February 6, 2014).
[10] Ibid.
[11] "Spanish Civil War," schoolnet.co.uk. Spartacus Educational, 2014, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WARspain.htm (accessed February 6, 2014).

[12] Ibid.

[13] “The Valley of the Fallen,” feelmadrid.com. FeelMadrid, 2011.

[14] “El Valle de Los Caídos,” valledeloscaidos.es. Abadía de la Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos, 2010, http://www.valledeloscaidos.es/vive/planifica (accessed February 6, 2014).