El Escorial

If you like old architecture, a day trip from Madrid to the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial will bring you face-to-face with the El Escorial royal monastery (Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo), a huge structure built in 1563.

El Escorial is a monastery, museum and a place where Spanish monarchs are buried.  What makes El Escorial stand out is the size.   You'll feel like an ant standing outside the main building.

It is hard to imagine such a large building being constructed 500 years ago.  Why?  Because the complex has:

• 2673 windows
• 1200 doors
• 88 fountains
• 9 towers
• 86 stairways
• 15 cloisters
• 13 oratories

Construction was no easy feat and ended up depleating the region of financial resources until hundreds of years later as El Escorial evolved into the tourist attraction it is today.