Escorial Palace Monastery. Escorial Palace in Spain: the history of construction. What to see in the Escorial Museum Complex
" The Escorial Monastery is a monastery, palace and residence of the King of Spain Philip II. It is located an hour's drive from Madrid at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The Escorial architectural complex evokes a wide variety of feelings: it is called both the "eighth wonder of the world" and the "monotonous symphony in stone” and “architectural nightmare”.
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"The first Habsburgs who inherited rich and powerful Spain from the Catholic Monarchs were Charles V and Philip II. This was the dawn of Spanish absolutism, based on the aristocracy and clergy of Spain. A powerful power seized lands all over - from America to Asia. 
""The sun never set in my dominions" - the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the "ruler of the semi-world" Spanish king Charles V liked to say. And indeed, his huge empire was scattered over four continents, in three Americas and the former colonies of Portugal in Asia and Africa, occupied half of Europe. 
"Philip II, the son of Charles V, is interesting as a person for several reasons. There was no longer such a period in world history that so many states and peoples were subordinate to one ruler. He was called the "Spider King", who, sitting in the Escorial Palace near Madrid, weaved the thinnest web of conspiracies and entangled the whole world with it.Philip the Cautious - the defender of the Catholic faith and the eradicator of heresy - is another of his nicknames. 
"Phillip's Mother 2 
"Father's death 
" ALONSO SANCHES COELLO (1531-1588) Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia. Prado Museum. Infanta Isabelle (Isabel Chiafa Eugenio) - daughter of Philip II, King of Spain and his third wife, Isabeli, princess from the house of Valois, sister of the famous Queen Margo "Elizabeth Valois third wife, died in childbirth. "Infanta Catalina Micaela" Alonso Sanchez Coelho, Prado Museum. Daughter of Elizabeth and Philip 2 Charles V gave two orders to his son: to continue his father's work in the fight against heresy and erect a worthy tomb for the royal family of Spain. Philip II everywhere uses the power of the Roman Popes and methods of the Spanish Inquisition. In Spain, he was revered as a saint, in the rest of the world, as a fiend, "In 1561, Philip II visits the small mining town of Escorial, which is located in the granite mountains of the Sierra de Guadarama. By the way, Escorial simply means "a pile of slag." Having a good artistic taste, Philip II independently selected craftsmen for the construction and decoration of palaces, personally supervised, checked and sometimes corrected architectural projects. Until now, a secluded place is shown in the mountains (it is called “Philip’s tower”), from which the king secretly watched building a family crypt. 
"But it seemed to Philip II something more than that, as requested by Charles V. Before his mind's eye appeared a giant monastery, basilica and palace, connected into a single whole. Of course, a monastery and secular chambers are usually things that are difficult to reconcile. But there are times when the secular authorities share the same roof with the clergy, at least for a while: the monarch on a trip enjoys the hospitality of the abbot of the monastery or a member of the royal family, makes donations to monasteries and monks. Philip II wanted to build a monastery, which would also be a royal palace. 
"The Escorial became the largest building in the world, with 4,000 rooms and hundreds of kilometers of corridors. More than a million tons of granite were used for its construction. The first residents of the Escorial were monks, to whom the king gave two instructions: that they pray every day for the health and well-being of the royal family and to keep the relics of Catholic saints, which Philip II cherished very much.The collection of relics of Catholic saints was the largest, it consisted of 7000 bones of the holy righteous.Perhaps, Philip II kept the remains of the Twelve Apostles and the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. 
"Construction" The story of the Escorial begins on August 10, 1557, when the armies of Philip II defeated the French at the Battle of St. Quentin in Flanders. It happened on the day of St. Lorenzo (San Lorenzo), and Philip II decided to erect a monastery in honor of this saint. The new palace complex was supposed to embody the strength of the Spanish monarchy and Spanish weapons, reminiscent of the Spanish victory at San Quentin 
" Gradually, the plans grew, as did the significance of the building. It was decided to embody the testament of Charles V - the creation of a dynastic pantheon, and also, by combining the monastery with the royal palace, to express in stone the political doctrine of Spanish absolutism. The king sent two architects, two scientists and two stonemasons to find a place for a new monastery that is not too hot, not too cold and not too far from the new capital.After a year of searching, they ended up in what is now Escorial. 
"In addition to his addiction to St. Lorenzo, Philip II was distinguished by self-absorption, melancholy, deep religiosity and poor health. He was looking for a place where he could take a break from the worries of the king of the most powerful empire in the world. He wanted to live surrounded by monks, not courtiers; in addition to the royal residence, El Escorial was to become primarily a monastery of the order of St. Jerome Philip II said that he wanted to "build a palace for God and a shack for the king" 
". Philip did not allow anyone to compose his biography during his lifetime: in fact, he wrote it himself, and wrote it in stone. 
"The victories and defeats of the empire, the succession of deaths and tragedies, the king's obsession with learning, art, prayer and government - all this is reflected in the Escorial. The central position of the huge cathedral symbolizes the king's belief that all political actions should be guided by religious considerations. " The first stone was laid in 1563. Construction lasted 21 years. The main architect of the project was at first Juan Bautista de Toledo, a student of Michelangelo, and after his death in 1569, the completion of the work was entrusted to Juan de Herrera, who owns the ideas for the final finish. The complex was an almost square building in the center of which there was a church, to the south - the premises of the monastery, to the north - the palace; each part had its own courtyard. 
" E. Bosch The construction of the ensemble, begun in 1563, was carried out under the constant personal supervision of the king. Not a single drawing passed without his approval. Everything related to the Escorial was decided by this royal red tape with exceptional speed. It should be noted (unlike other undertakings era) excellent organization of work. Colossal funds were allocated. The construction was distinguished by an unprecedented scale. Not only all of Spain, whose various regions supplied marble, participated in the creation of the Escorial, Pine forest, forged lattices, church utensils, crosses, lamps, lamps, embroideries and fabrics, but also other European countries, as well as American colonies, from where they brought gold and precious woods. For twenty years the construction of Escorial went on. From a ledge in the granite rock, called the "King's Chair", Philip II watched as stone by stone his favorite brainchild was erected. 
"The location of Escorial was chosen after long and thorough surveys of the Manzanares Valley by a special commission. José Siguenza wrote: "The king was looking for a landscape that contributed to the elevation of his soul, conducive to his religious reflections." The village of El Escorial near the empty iron mines attracted successful climatic conditions- location on the southern slopes of the Sierra, an abundance of mountain springs and excellent building material - light gray granite. Philip II commissioned the construction of the Escorial to Juan Bautista de Toledo, his chief architect. But the construction of the Escorial brought the architect a lot of grief, which probably hastened his death in 1567. Gradually, the name of Juan de Toledo faded into the background and almost disappeared from the memory of the Spaniards. Juan de Herrera, his young talented assistant, who led the construction in 1567, and became the generally recognized creator of the Escorial.
"Juan de Herrera not only significantly changed the original plan of Juan de Toledo, but also subordinated the entire structure to a new figurative system that was uniform in all details. The plan of Escorial - a rectangle with four towers (56 meters high) at the corners - reveals proximity to the plans of the old Spanish alcazars. Such fortified palaces erected in the ancient cities of Spain constitute a heritage of national architecture dating back to distant origins.The plan of the ensemble proposed to Juan de Herrera with its exact parameters was, as it were, the initial data with which he must solve the most complex architectural problem. solved it brilliantly. "The Martyrdom of Saint Mauritius." El Greco Following the king's aspirations for simplicity, austerity and authoritarianism, Juan de Herrera enlarged the entire building, doubling the number of floors, and united four facades at one level with a common cornice. He achieved a rare proportion of a clear silhouette and volumetric spatial composition of the entire complex. So, Juan de Herrera very correctly found a proportional relationship between the dome of the cathedral, the corner towers and the horizontal lines of very extended facades." The solution of these colossal five-story facades is one of the most daring innovations of the Spanish architect. The expressiveness of the facades is built on the emphasized laconicism of a smooth plane, as if extending into infinity The often located windows and horizontal rods here are not decorations, but necessary elements of the composition, subordinating the "South facade" Philip followed all stages of design and construction. Great importance conceptually had a choice of architectural style. Philip II needed to emphasize the break with the medieval past and the European significance of his state. This requirement was most consistent with the style of archaized Renaissance architecture. 
"The main facade of the Escorial Cathedral looks at a rectangular courtyard, called the "Courtyard of the Kings." The courtyard is named so because six giant statues Old Testament kings Fighting heresy, Philip II thought that he was continuing the work of the ancient kings of Israel: here are King Solomon - known for his wisdom, and King Saul - known for courage, as well as other kings of Israel. The internal architecture of the cathedral is designed in formal, cold colors. The architect Juan de Herrera, who replaced Hun de Toledo, believed that the Dorian order "expresses power in the best way with its strength and nobility." All internal elements: pilasters, frieze, cathedral walls - are made of grayish marble, and only the main altar catches the eye with a bright spot. The altar rises to a height of four floors in the main nave of the cathedral, slightly extended to the east. Jasper decorates the altar, gems and multi-colored marble, which shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow from the light falling through the lantern in the dome. The brilliance of the altar symbolizes the center of Ecorial and the purpose of the earthly mission of Philip II.
"For interior decoration, the best materials were used and the best craftsmen of the peninsula and other countries were assembled. Wooden carvings were made in Cuenca and Avila, marble was brought from Aracena, sculptural works were commissioned in Milan, bronze and silver products were made in Toledo, Zaragoza, Flanders. "On December 13, 1584, the last stone was laid in the building of the complex. After that, artists and decorators took up the work, among whom were the Italians P. Tibaldini, L. Cambiaso, F. Castello and others. 
"And after the completion of construction, Philip II did not leave the Escorial with his worries. Here he collected a large number of works by Spanish and European painters, valuable books and manuscripts were brought here. After the death of Philip II, the collections continued to be replenished by his heirs, and now the Escorial stores the works of Titian, El Greco, Zurbarana, Ribera, Tintoretto, Coelho. 
"The chambers of the king, in contrast to the luxury of large military halls and the gloomy splendor of the pantheon, were decorated extremely simply. Brick floors, smooth whitewashed walls - this was more in the traditional spirit of Spanish dwellings and, moreover, corresponded to the created image of Philip the Monarch. Architecture 
Ceiling painting in Escorial Palace 
The garden at the palace in the French style 
" The Escorial brilliantly embodied the ideas laid down in it. Erected from light sandstone in clear and strict forms, it rises against the backdrop of mountain greenery as calmly and confidently as Philip II looks at us from the portrait of Coelho. Surprisingly, the shape of each of the structures corresponds to its purpose: the simplicity of the royal chambers, the light and high interior of the church, the light structure of the arcades in the library, the gloomy splendor of the tombs 
" Courtyards with greenery, as it were, cut the stone and let the mountain light into the chambers. No wonder Philip II loved his brainchild so much. He ordered it to be transported here at the approach of death. Escorial became a model of palace complexes, which was imitated or repelled by subsequent Spanish kings. In niches on both sides are sculptures of Charles V and Philip II with their families (the work of the Italian L. Leoni) From the bedroom of the king led the entrance to another niche, a box for the king and his retinue. 
"In the center of the "Court of the Kings" there is a well in the form of an elegant little temple built of gray granite. Slender columns, statues in niches and an elegant balustrade running along the cornice add charm to the temple. four sides.The blue water of the pools reflects the noble forms of the temple-well.Interior decoration is made of pink, green and white marble. 
" The gray walls of the Escorial seem to be inscribed in the grayish-blue landscapes surrounding the palace. It rises in a frightening, gloomy bulk, as if reminiscent of the closed and uncompromising disposition of Philip II, who wanted to enslave the whole world 
"The Escorial is a rectangle 208 × 162 m. It has 15 galleries, 16 patios (patios), 13 chapels, 300 cells, 86 stairs, 9 towers, 9 organs, 2673 windows, 1200 doors and a collection of more than 1600 paintings. Some believe that the building is shaped like an overturned brazier in memory of St. Lorenzo, who was roasted alive. 
"The northern and western walls of the monastery are surrounded by a large square called lonha (Spanish: lonja), and on the southern and eastern sides are gardens, from where great view to the monastic fields, orchards and the environs of Madrid beyond them. This view is also admired by the statue of King Philip II in the Frailes Garden (Spanish: Jardin de los Frailes), where the monks rested after their labors. To the right of the garden is a convalescent gallery. 
" Giving instructions to the architects, Philip II said: "For the Lord - a palace, for the king - a hut." The king's house looks very modest, as if for a monk. The chambers of the king are rooms for reflection: Philip II has much to worry about. With righteous art, Philip II strengthened his spirit for the struggle. The only picture in his room was the "Garden of Earthly Delights" by I. Bosch, there were no more decorations. The king's study looked like a monk's cell, and his throne was his father's camping chair, which accompanied Charles V on all military campaigns. 
"The huge empire was ruled by Philip II from a small office, and the royal chambers were located in Escorial so that the king could go directly from them to the church. Even in old age, lying on his bed, Philip II could still see the main altar of the church. These chambers, bordering on the eastern aisle of the church, as if "bulge" from the main part of the ensemble, so they are called the "handle" of the lattice of St. Lawrence. 
"Gold from America flowed in a continuous stream to the construction of the Escorial, but in 1577 a catastrophe happened. In a severe thunderstorm, lightning struck the southwestern tower, a fire broke out, and rivers of molten lead flowed along the walls of the Escorial .. 
"The completion of the construction of the family crypt was prevented The groundwater. Only in 1654, after draining the foundation under Escorial, was the tomb completed. But time and people made their own changes: instead of cold granite, marble, gold and bronze were used. 
"The interior of Escorial is also designed in a cold, austere range. Subsequent rulers preferred richer and more spacious apartments and, moreover, did not always want to see the main altar in front of them. Therefore, the palace was expanded by adding premises to the north side of the church. To the south of the church is a two-tier the gallery of the procession, stretching along the perimeter of the courtyard - the so-called "Courtyard of the Evangelists" - decorated with sculptures of four evangelists.From 1563 to 1584, the most amazing palace Spain - Escorial. It is sometimes called a biography of Philip II in stone. Museums There are two large New Museums in Escorial. One of them presents the history of the construction of the Escorial in drawings, plans, building tools and scale models. The second, in nine rooms, contains paintings of the 15th-17th centuries, from Bosch to Veronese, Tintoretto and Van Dyck, as well as artists of the Spanish school. The Habsburgs are therefore considered the greatest patrons of the arts of their time. The artists of the Flemish school and Titian, the court painter of Charles V, are especially well represented. 
"Pantheon 
"The huge (300-foot) dome of the Basilica in Escorial was built by the craftsmen only 20 years later. As a sign of obedience to the Vatican, it was made a little smaller than the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. And this huge church was built only for the king and his retinue, simple people could listen to the words of the shepherds only because of the bronze gates. 
"Retablo in the Basilica of the Escorial 
"One of the goals of the construction of El Escorial by Philip II was to create a mausoleum for his father, Emperor Charles V, whose remains were transferred here in 1586. However, the magnificent pantheon in bronze, marble and jasper was built in the crypt of the church only under Philip III in 1617. 
"The ashes of all the kings of Spain, starting with Charles V, are buried here, except for Philip V, who could not stand the gloom of Escorial and asked to be buried in Segovia, and Ferdinand VI, whose grave is in Madrid 
"Queens who gave birth to male heirs are also buried here. Opposite is the Pantheon of Princes, built in the 19th century, where princes, princesses and queens whose children did not inherit the throne are buried. 
"Two tombs in Escorial are empty. The last to be buried here was the only non-king who was so honored - Don Juan Bourbon. His son and the current king Juan Carlos I, and the whole people of Spain felt that he deserved a similar recognition for his support of democracy under Franco and renunciation of the throne in favor of his son for the sake of a peaceful transfer of power. 
The Escorial Cathedral is also worthy of attention: a huge number of frescoes made by Spanish and Italian masters, marble and jasper columns, sculptures and paintings with episodes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, sculptures of kings and their families - such grandeur can really suppress. 
"While some illustrious visitors spoke enthusiastically about the magnificence of the Escorial, others were rather overwhelmed by the grandeur of the cathedral. The French writer and intellectual Theophile Gautier wrote: "In the Escorial Cathedral you feel so stunned, so crushed, so prone to melancholy and overwhelmed by unbending strength that prayer seems completely useless.” 
"The frescoes on the ceiling and along the 43 altars were painted by Spanish and Italian masters. The main retablo (behind the altar image) was designed by Escorial's architect Juan de Herrera himself; between the jasper and marble columns are paintings of scenes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and saints. On the other side are royal places and sculptures of Charles V, Philip II and their families at prayer The Escorial Library is second only to the Vatican and houses the manuscripts of St. Augustine, Alfonso the Wise and St. Teresa It houses the world's largest collection of Arabic manuscripts, illustrated hymnbooks and works on history and cartography since the Middle Ages. 
"This is the only library in the world where books are placed with their spines inside to better preserve the ancient decorations of the bindings. Pope Gregory XIII declared that anyone who stole a book from here would be excommunicated. Now most of the books on display are copies of the originals. 
"The ceiling painting made by Tibaldi and his daughter symbolizes the seven sciences: grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. The end walls are dedicated to the two main sciences, theology and philosophy. "During the reign of the Bourbons, part of the living quarters was rebuilt and two small palaces were erected near the monastery, used as hunting and guest houses. The well-known Spanish Arabist Conde served in the Escorial library. El Escorial 
"Near the ensemble of the Escorial Monastery, the city of El Escorial arose. The population, according to data for 2003, is about 13 thousand people. Literature Spain. Window on the world. M: ECOM-PRESS, 1998. History of the culture of countries Western Europe in the Renaissance // Under. ed. L. M. Bragina. Moscow: Higher school, 2001 Spain is filled with the most extraordinary and magical sights. Escorial is one of them. This is a famous palace, residence and monastery of the king. This attraction is located at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, which is one hour from the Spanish capital city. The structure is shocking in its size and scale. Some scientists even put this building on a par with the grandiose complex. The Escorial Palace-Monastery was erected in honor of the victory of Spain in the Battle of Saint-Quentin. Then the troops of the empire defeated the French army. This architectural ensemble includes a library, a pantheon and a palace.
The history of the attraction
many ancient objects proud of Spain. Escorial also belongs to such attractions. It has been leading its history since the end of the summer of 1557. Just at that moment, the army of Philip II defeated the troops of France in the aforementioned battle. The battle took place on the day Saint Lorenzo. Therefore, the king decided to build a monastery in honor of this saint. Palace Ensemble it was necessary to embody the strength and steadfastness of the Spanish monarchy and the country's weapons. The complex was supposed to remind of the great victory in Saint-Quentin. Gradually, the scale of construction became larger, and accordingly, the significance of the palace grew.
Spain greatly honors the precepts of its monarchs. Escorial was supposed to embody the commandment of Charles V - to create a large dynastic pantheon and make it one with the monastery and the royal palace. The stone of the building was supposed to show the political theory of absolutism in Spain.
Philip II sent his two best architects, two masons and the same number of scientists to find a place to build a monastery. But it had to be not simple, but special: not extremely cold, not very hot, and it had to be located near the new capital. The search continued for a year, and in the end, the territory where the object is located today was chosen. This is one of the more interesting facts about Escorial.
The purpose of the monastery
From all other monarchs, King Philip II was distinguished by his love for Saint Lorenzo, self-absorption, melancholy, poor health and great piety. The king had been looking for a long time for a place where he could relax and not worry about the pressing problems that reigned in the largest empire in the world. Philip II wanted to be surrounded not by personal subjects and courtiers, but by monks. Escorial became such a refuge.
Spain, the sights of which we are considering, is generally rich in various monasteries. Escorial was supposed to play the role of not only the residence of the king, but also - and most importantly - the monastery for the order of St. Jerome.
The monarch said that he wanted to build a palace for the Lord first of all, and only then - a shack for himself. Philip did not want his biography to be written during his lifetime. He decided to write it himself and capture it not on ordinary paper, but in stone. So the Escorial reflected the victories and defeats of Spain, the chronology of troubles and deaths, the royal passion for art, prayers and teachings, as well as the management of the empire. The central location of the cultural monument embodies the ruler's belief that politics should be guided by considerations of a religious nature.
Construction
Most Outstanding architectural masterpieces It was Spain that placed it on its territory. The Escorial is incomparable proof of that. The first stone in its foundation was laid in 1563. Construction work was carried out for 21 years. The architect was Michelangelo's student Juan Bautista de Toledo. In 1569, Juan de Herrera became the new architect. It was he who took up the final finishing work. The ensemble is an object of almost square shape, in the center of which there is a church. A monastery was located in the southern wing of the complex, and a palace with a huge courtyard occupied the northern part.
King Philip followed the design and construction of Escorial most carefully. Architectural style was incredibly important to him. So, the building belongs to the archaized Renaissance architecture. Thus, the monarch tried to emphasize the European significance of his state and the separation from the past Middle Ages.
Interesting facts about interior decoration
The palace-monastery of Escorial (Spain) is distinguished by its chic interior decoration. The best materials were used to create it. And all the work was done by the best builders and craftsmen. Woodcarving was carried out in Cuenca and Avila, an order was sent to Milan for sculptural sculptures, and marble was delivered from Arsena. In Zaragoza, Toledo and Flanders, silver and bronze items were made.
Modern Escorial
The castle-monastery of Escorial (Spain) is a very complex ensemble. In addition to the monastery itself, it has a cathedral, a theological school and a palace. If you describe this attraction in numbers, then it has more than 16 courtyards, 86 stairs, one thousand windows facing outward, and one and a half thousand windows facing inward. The perimeter of the building reaches seven hundred meters. Huge blocks of gray granite were used to build the walls of the complex. They give the design both a sad and majestic look.
Luxurious decoration interior spaces and all other objects smoothes the external severity of the sights. The walls of the chambers are decorated with paintings and frescoes, sculptures and antiques.
A little about the premises
Escorial Castle in Spain has many wonderful rooms. Let's briefly consider the most interesting of them. For example, private royal chambers. You can find them on the third floor. They are distinguished by underlined modesty of decoration. The bedroom has a small window overlooking the church. Since the king suffered from gout, he could, without leaving his room, attend the service.
The Escorial Tomb, or the Pantheon, is the place where all the monarchs of Spain rest.
The library is magnificent and chic. In terms of the number and value of books and ancient manuscripts, it is second only to the Vatican. Here, one-of-a-kind manuscripts are saved, which have no price, for example, the manuscripts of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Augustine and many other writings.
"The eighth wonder of the world" or "architectural nightmare" is not far from. If you have not guessed yet, then we are talking about Escorial - the monastery-palace of King Philip II. To get to this famous monastery, you need to come to the town with the consonant name of El Escorial. Let's take a closer look at this majestic and very interesting place together.
Attractions Escorial
Many tourists travel to Madrid just to visit this magnificent palace, which has collected a huge number of historical values.
- Tombs. In the mausoleum of the Escorial, you can see the remains of very famous historical figures. These include: all the kings of Spain, starting with Charles V himself (the only exception is Philip V), queens - mothers of heirs, as well as princes and princesses of the XIX century, whose children could not inherit the throne. In the mausoleum of Escorial, you can even find the burial place of Don Juan Bourbon, father of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
- The main cathedral of the monastery. These halls are worth a visit, if only to see the elaborately painted ceiling and expertly applied frescoes. The cathedral has 43 altars, for the decoration of which many Spanish and Italian masters had a hand. Such masterpieces of art as those located near these altars cannot be seen anywhere else! Talking about the cathedral, I really want to add the words of Theophile Gauthier, who said: “ In the Escorial Cathedral one feels so overwhelmed, so crushed, so prone to melancholy and overwhelmed by unbending strength, that prayer seems completely useless.».
- Library. The content of the local library allows you to compare it with the Vatican. Nowhere else on earth are there such places where such a huge number of book rarities would have gathered. The manuscripts of St. Augustine, Alphonse the Wise, St. Teresa, as well as many Arabic manuscripts and cartography works dating back to the Middle Ages are stored here. By the way, in order to preserve the decorations on the bindings, in this library, many of the books are placed with their spines inside. And Pope Gregory XIII ordered that anyone who dares to steal a book from this library be excommunicated. In addition to the books here, it is also worth taking a look at the design of the room, and more specifically, at the ceiling. This ceiling was painted by Tibaldi and his daughter. They made a ceiling that would symbolize the seven sciences: dialectics, rhetoric, grammar, astronomy, arithmetic, music and geometry. And for theology and philosophy, the end walls of the library were completely devoted.
- "Philip's tower". Once upon a time, it was from this place that the king watched the construction of the Escorial. Tourists should also go up there, because it is from here that it is noticeable that the palace is made in the form of a lattice, on which St. Lawrence the Martyr, who is considered the patron saint of the entire Escorial, was burned.
- Museum. It was not without him in the Escorial Palace. There are two of them right here. In one of them you can get closely acquainted with the history of the construction of Escorial. See sketches, drawings, drawings and graphs. But the second museum is completely devoted to the work of the great and famous masters of the XV-XVII centuries. Among the paintings you can find works by Bosch, Titian, Veronese and many other unique personalities.
Escorial opening hours
In order to get to this interesting place and not come in vain, we want to inform you about the opening hours of Escorial. It is open to visitors from 10 am to 5 pm, 6 days a week except Mondays. Entrance costs about 5 euros. When calculating the time for the trip, consider the size of this place, and set yourself up for the fact that you will spend at least 3 hours on this excursion.
I have only one day left to explore the surroundings of the Spanish capital ...
The contenders for a one-day trip from Madrid included the palaces of La Granja and Aranjuez, but the soul asked for something special. I don’t want to show off, but judge for yourself, what can be surprised after our Peterhof and the Hermitage? Parks more luxurious than the first have not yet been invented (especially for the month of March!), And I visit royal palazzos like the second from an early age. But the legendary complex of the royal palace and monastery is something new. There was no doubt, Escorial was waiting for me!
How to get to Escorial from Madrid
By bus- simple and convenient. Travel time is 55 minutes, there are quite a lot of flights on weekdays, and many times less on weekends. Departure from the Moncloa bus station, where there is a direct metro line from the center of Madrid, arrival in Escorial at the local bus station (estasion de autobuses), which is a 5-minute walk from the monastery. Two buses are suitable for the trip, numbers 661 and 664, the schedule can be found by entering one or another route number. Tickets are sold directly from the driver, the price is 4.20 euros one way (as for bus trip through the 5 transport zones of Madrid and suburbs: here from A to C1). Plus 3 euros for a metro ticket to the bus station and back if you do not have a special travel card.
By train- uncomfortable and with its subtleties. Travel time is a little over an hour, departure 1-2 times per hour. The Cercanias railway, included in the urban system metro (). You will need the C-3 line, which passes through the Sol and Atocha stations in the center of Madrid. Interestingly, sometimes the same line is referred to as C-8, so it is important to look at the board above the platform, where the final station is indicated: on the way there - El Escorial (possibly also Santa Maria), and vice versa - Aranjuez (or sometimes Atocha). The train schedule is on the commuter train website, but do not count on punctuality, delays happen. Tickets are sold only on the day of departure at special Cercanias ticket offices or at vending machines with the same logo of the railway. Price - 4.05 euros one way (as for a railway ticket for a trip through 6 zones: from zero to C1). In Escorial, the train station is located 2 km from the monastery. This distance can be walked through the park or the new part of the city (about 30 minutes), but the road climbs uphill, so the walk can be difficult, especially if it's hot or in bad weather. Still, it’s better to drive a couple of stops on the local bus number 1 (for 1.30 euros one way), if you can find it))) This is also not easy, because there are no signs in the station area (neither to the bus, nor to the monastery), so it’s better to ask the locals, the main thing is not to get confused in the names: El Escorial is the town around the station, and the monastery is San Lorenzo de el Escorial (but for simplicity, continue to call it Escorial).
This time I had to take the train, because my fellow traveler does not tolerate buses well. At the Sol metro station closest to the hotel, we bought tickets from a machine (nothing complicated in English) and sat down to wait. However, the train did not arrive on time, and there were no messages on the scoreboard and, as it seemed to me, on the speakerphone. It was completely incomprehensible whether it was possible to walk around the city for an hour before the next train, or whether it was worth waiting. We chose the second one and were not mistaken: the train arrived in 20 minutes. In Escorial, I also had to suffer with navigation, but in the end one of the natives helped, but on the way back, the problem was already in calculating the time to the train: for some reason, the road to the station seemed endless. In general, I recommend taking the bus if possible, it's easier!
Outwardly, the Escorial looks impressive
Visiting the museum complex: organizational issues
The most important One thing to remember is not to come to El Escorial on Monday when the museum is closed! The rest of the time, he works from 10 to 18 or until 20, depending on the season, details at the link.
with tickets it's simple:
– regular price – 10 €,
- preferential (children under 16 and students under 25, with a passport or ISIC, respectively) - 5 €,
- free of charge - May 18 and October 12 (I can imagine how many people there!) And children under 5 always.
Museum navigation- a big problem. When I asked if it was possible to get a plan of the palace along with the ticket (as, for example, they give in the Hermitage), at the box office they answered me “it is forbidden to take pictures”))) Knowledge in English in one of the main museums of the country on top! Then it turned out that such a scheme does not exist in principle, that is, wander around as you like, or take an audio guide.
Audio guide- the main part of the navigational nightmare. The cost of the service is only 3 euros, there is a Russian-language version. However, so that tourists do not try to save money and take one device for two, only one earphone is provided. So if there is a group tour next to you (and hardly in Russian!), then you will involuntarily listen to it with one ear. Further more - the audio guide is a (expensive?) tablet, so a passport is required as a deposit for it, which, according to the rules (see the last page of the document), is not recommended to give to just anyone, but I generally prefer to leave it under lock and key in the hotel and take it with me copy. As an alternative, I was offered to leave credit card))) Yes, yes, and also the key to the apartment where the money is! As a result, they agreed that they would swipe my card through the computer reader, and when the tablet was returned, they would delete its data from the system. Eh, I should have taken an empty credit card with me, but who knew?! Other deposit options are any photo ID (you can take some unnecessary pass) or hotel keys (any keys with a numbered key fob will do).
However, that's not all the fun! It turned out that such a sophisticated audio guide is suitable only as an information guide, but it is almost unsuitable for navigating the museum. All the halls in the tablet are divided into thematic groups, but in reality it is not clear how to move between these groups. Due to the ill-conceived route, I randomly wandered around the complex, missing some of the important rooms. Then I had to collect "loses", but I still did not understand whether I managed to see everything or not. So it’s not for nothing that Escorial was called an architectural nightmare! Perhaps it is better to look for his scheme on the Internet in advance and spit on this unnecessary audio guide.
The main facade of the Escorial
Photograph in Escorial is strictly prohibited, even without a flash. As it turned out later, this is everyone's favorite rule. expensive museums Madrid, but I only went, so I was not in the know. The observance of the "charter" in each hall is monitored by growling Cerberus (oh, that's who we pay a salary when buying a ticket!): I was even pestered for filming a view of the garden from the window of the palace. So if you want to take away a small photo report from Escorial, get ready for a game of catch-ups.
Comfortable conditions to inspect the halls - this is also not about Escorial. I was there in mid-March, when the thermometer showed +25 outside, but inside the complex it was wildly cold, even a jacket did not save me. It may be nice to cool off in the museum in the summer after the 40-degree heat, but the rest of the time I advise you to dress as warmly as possible in order to withstand a 2-3-hour audio tour. And my salvation was the sunny courtyard, where I had to constantly return to warm up a little.
The same sunny courtyard of the Escorial and the facade of the Basilica of San Lorenzo
What to see in the Escorial Museum Complex
I confess, once I froze from the mere word of Escorial. The legendary and grandeur of the complex was amazing, although I didn’t really even know what was hidden inside. It turned out that this was the case when the size does not matter, the main thing is the content! And the last one just let us down, but on the other hand, I learned forever: you should not be fooled by loud names.
So, what is worth seeing and not losing (thanks to the audio guide) in Escorial?
Library- the most beautiful thing in the whole museum. They say that her wealth can only be compared with the "book sister" in the Vatican, but the main thing here is not even that, but the ceiling! An incredibly huge fresco of several hundred square meters with magnificent lighting is what attracts the eye.
tomb where almost all the kings, queens, princes and princesses of Spain are buried since 1586. Interestingly, only three tombs are now empty in the pantheon, but even those are already “booked”: they will be occupied by the last deceased members of the royal family after a 50-year wait in the “decomposition room”, as provided for by the still valid medieval tradition. It turns out that there is no place for the living monarchs, and this issue still remains unresolved!
Escorial Library
Escorial Pantheon (the most beautiful part of those that were allowed to photograph)
Royal chambers- quite modest, which is clearly not expected from the status of the Escorial, but, as the "customer" of the complex, Philip II, said, he built "a palace for God and a hut for the king." Aha, so the religious part should abound in beauties!
But no! Basilica of San Lorenzo- the only part of Escorial open to the public, belonging to the monastery, however, even there everything is very ascetic, stern and even sad. Perhaps this is the ugliest cathedral I have ever seen in Spain.
Architectural and art museums- unexpectedly turned out to be more interesting than some parts of Escorial. The first exposition tells about the construction of the complex itself, and the second is an art gallery with works by such masters as Bosch, Veronese, Tintoretto, Van Dyck and others.
Royal chambers (I chose the most beautiful part of them)
I would also like to note front staircase palace and several beautiful galleries which you definitely won't miss. But what can be lost is room with a secret(it’s called something like that), the first one at the entrance from the courtyard. It looks like an ordinary walk-through room, so be sure to ask the museum staff about its features: they are always on duty there and, unlike the others, they will gladly tell you how to find the secret.
What else to see in Escorial
In addition to the palace-monastery, it is worth looking into the Garden of the Monks, which is located right under the walls of the complex. You can enter here for free, but note that the gates open on a schedule that almost coincides with the museum. At the entrance to the garden, there is a large pond with swans and goldfish, and in the farthest part, smug peacocks roam about, completely unwilling to pose for a photograph. And from here you can see the picturesque mountains of the Sierra de Guadarrama and the monastic orchards.
Garden of the Monks in Escorial, somewhere down there live peacocks
Orchards of Escorial overlooking the Sierra de Guadarrama
I have almost no doubt that after the Escorial Museum you will still have a lot of time left, so be sure to take a walk around the pretty town of the same name. Not that there are any attractions, but it is worth spending at least half an hour wandering through the cozy quiet streets climbing the hillside. By the way, along the way, you can go for a map at the local information point, which is located under the arch-bridge in the house opposite the entrance to the monastery.
Where to eat in Escorial
It is unlikely that anyone will be surprised if I say that there was also a problem with food in Escorial))) However, here fortune smiled at me and immediately led me to the right place! On Piazza Jacinto Benavente (which is on the steps), next to the Centro Coliseo bookstore, a small bistro lurks in a corner on the right, with white umbrellas standing right there on the street. As always, the menu was only in Spanish, but after the question about English, a miracle happened ... after learning where I came from, the owner of the cafe grabbed the phone and then handed me the phone: on the other end of the wire they spoke Russian with an accent and were ready to immediately translate all (!) menu))) Both "good Samaritans" turned out to be Bulgarians, and one of them still remembered what he was taught in the school of the Soviet period. Prices in the cafe, of course, corresponded to the center tourist place: a tortilla (Spanish omelet), a lomo sandwich (this is what is cooler than jamon) and two drinks cost 13 euros, but this figure included the services of an interpreter!
Escorial: to be or not to be?
After the baroque, gothic and Moorish beauties of Toledo and Segovia, El Escorial seemed just a boring boulder, both in shape and in color. The interior decoration brightened up this impression a little, but the luxurious interiors of the Serralbo Museum in Madrid and the Segovia Alcazar, of course, are still very far from the monastery. Therefore, after visiting it, I rightly thought, was it worth it to go there at all? I'll say this: if you're a big fan royal residences and have already seen the rest of the sights near Madrid, you can stop by Escorial. However, given the opportunity to replay everything, I personally would not include this place in a week-long trip to Central Spain.
Epilogue of the whole trip
In conclusion, I would like to say not very literary, but self-critical: in fact, I snickered! Again I return to what
And in the morning we went to Escorial - famous palace Spanish kings in the suburbs of Madrid. A few years ago I read several books by the famous English travel writer Henry Morton. In his description of his travels in Spain, I remember most of all the chapter about Escorial - a huge, gloomy and beautiful palace-monastery of the Spanish Habsburgs.
I definitely wanted to see him.
I don’t want to rewrite Morton’s book, but I’ll still tell you a little about the history and my impression of Escorial. Unfortunately, there will be few photos in this post, there will be more letters.
From Madrid to Escorial
First, a few words about how to get to the palace, as well as about Madrid transport. In Madrid, as in many other European cities where I've been commuter trains in the city center they go underground, and often even run through the same tunnels as the city metro. In Barcelona, for example, there are already three independent networks of urban railway lines.
In Madrid, at the Principe Pio station, where we lived, there is both a metro station and an electric train station. You have to go to Escorial by train, and there is no direct train. You have to go with a transfer: either by two electric trains, or first by metro, and then by electric train.
Having studied the schedule, we chose the following route: we took the C-10 branch to Villalba station, and there we changed to the C-8a branch and reached the El Escorial station.
Buying a ticket turned out to be a big problem :). At the box office, they explained to us in Spanish that you have to buy a ticket for commuter trains at an automatic kiosk. Well, maybe they explained something else to us, but at least they didn’t sell tickets, neither for cash, nor for a card, but they energetically waved their hand and said something about the machine. The machine gun could speak English, but then some officer in uniform approached us (judging by the presence of a holster, it was a security guard railway station). And he began to explain in great detail how to buy a ticket. In Spanish. He switched the machine's interface back to a language he understood, and spoke to us very loudly and slowly so that we could better understand. Then our stroller did not fit into the turnstile, and he took us to the turnstile for bulky luggage. Then he took us to the platform and, when the train approached, he energetically shouted at us from afar and waved his hand for us to sit down. In general, thanks to him! Gracias! He told us so much, but we, unfortunately, did not understand anything. I need to learn languages :(
The train quickly left the city and we drove through deserted hills with absolutely yellow sun-scorched grass and sparse trees. The palace is located in the foothills mountain range Sierra de Guadarrama, so towards the end of the journey, the train began to climb up.
El Escorial
At the El Escorial train station, we jumped on a bus (which wasn't easy to do, considering we had a stroller with us), which took us from the local train station to the bus station for 1 euro. It was completely superfluous, it was perfectly possible to walk and walk.
Once the palace was built in a completely wild and uninhabited place, but gradually a town with the proud name of San Lorenzo El Escorial grew up around it.
The main reason for the existence of this locality there has always been a service to the palace and the needs of its inhabitants. Now they serve tourists - there are a lot of small hotels, souvenir and antique shops, as well as restaurants.
A long staircase leads from the city to Escorial.
The palace is huge and does not fit into the camera.
The Escorial was built in 1563-84, and for its time it was a completely unique architectural ensemble in size. It does not at all give the impression of a building built in the 16th century. Its severity and dimensions are such that one might think that it was built in the 20th. It was erected under King Philip II. It was conceived as a monastery and a palace, and most importantly, as a pantheon of the Spanish kings, and above all, Philip's father, Charles. According to the Spanish numbering, he was Carlos I. But he was also the offspring of the Austrian house of Habsburg and Charles V - Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. If you watched a good English television series The Tudors, then Emperor Charles appears there as a gallant man with a famously twisted mustache, who woo Mary Tudor when she was still a little girl, and then, after about thirty years, marry her his son Philip. Charles V owned an absolutely gigantic empire, almost unique in history, which was almost impossible to grasp with the power of thought of one person. Under his rule were Austria, part of Hungary, part of Germany, the Czech Republic, all of Spain, southern Italy with Sicily and Sardinia, and all the American lands of Spain. He led the Catholic empire, which opposed the Turks and the newly emerged Reformation. During his reign, the Turks besieged Vienna, in Germany, France and England there was a struggle between Catholics and Protestants, Cortes and Pizarro conquered Mexico and Peru, the French and Spaniards fought for Italy. Charles had a lot of work to do, he constantly traveled around his empire, too much required the personal participation of the emperor. But he did not swim across the ocean. This system was very unstable, it brought together nations too far from each other, whose interests had little in common. But Charles V managed to cope with his difficult role for quite a long time. From the age of thirty he began to suffer from gout, and by the age of fifty he was already almost an invalid. And here he committed a very uncharacteristic act for kings - he divided power between his younger brother Ferdinand and his only son Philip, and he himself went to live in a monastery. Dying, he bequeathed to his son to build a family pantheon. Philip, as an obedient son and a zealous Catholic, fulfilled the will of his father by building Escorial - a giant palace-monastery and the tomb of the Spanish kings.
An impressive queue lined up at the entrance to the museum, and here, as in the Prado Museum, the things of visitors were very carefully examined. When we got inside, it was time for my daughter to sleep, which we actually counted on. But it turned out that here it was necessary to go down and up steep stairs, with a child sleeping in a stroller it was impossible. Therefore, we had to split up, I went to the museum, and my wife and daughter went for a walk.
As a result, I had only an hour left for the entire Escorial. The palace, as I said, is absolutely huge, and so is the exposition of the museum. So I quickly ran, trying to get at least some idea of what I saw.
Museum visitors are led along a long, long circle, which sometimes forks and it is not always clear (especially when you are running) where which road leads.
In the first part of the museum, the exposition is devoted to the history of the construction of the palace. It was done in great detail: sketches, drawings, old engravings and huge layouts. Then the museum turns into an art gallery, where there are many works of old masters: Velazquez, El Greco, Titian and many others. This is really a collection of the Spanish crown, Philip II began to collect it, his descendants continued, and then the kings from the House of Bourbon. Then you find yourself in the living quarters of the palace, the memorial rooms of long-dead kings. Interiors from different eras have been preserved here.
Escorial has one of the largest and oldest libraries in Europe. Its unique feature is that all the books in it stand with their spines inside, it seems that this way the books are better preserved. True, then the question arises of how to search for the right book in this library. For some reason, I didn’t get into the library, either I ran past, or it was closed.
But the most impressive, of course, is the tomb of the kings. In general, I am always surprised by the attitude of Catholics towards death. Directly under the altar of the church is an underground chapel, on the walls of which coffins are installed. Here lie the Spanish kings and those queens who were able to fulfill their main duty and give birth to boys, heirs to the throne. The chapel and coffins are decorated with gold and jasper. Now there is electric light, but I imagine how it all must have looked by candlelight. Morton writes that it was a tradition for kings to come here and pray, pray at the site of their future grave. Kings lie on one side, queens on the other. There is still enough space here, the Spanish monarchy expects to rule for a long time.
Nearby is another tomb, much more cheerful in appearance, but less honorable: princes who did not take the throne, illegitimate children of monarchs, as well as queens who did not give birth to boys are buried here. It is more cheerful because instead of gold there is marble, and light streams from the windows, and all this does not look so gloomy. There are many tombstones and bas-reliefs, small sarcophagi of those of the princes and princesses who died in infancy. In one of the niches there is a large sculpture on the tombstone of Juan of Austria, the illegitimate son of Charles V, half-brother of Philip II. In one of the clauses of his will, Charles recognized his bastard, whose existence no one knew, except for the king's valet, in whose family the boy was brought up. Philip, who was 19 years older than his bastard brother, respecting his father and his will, accepted the boy into the royal family. Juan received an education and all the rights and privileges of a true infante. Don Juan in European historiography is presented as "the last knight of Europe." He gained fame as the winner of the Battle of Lepanto. It was one of the greatest naval battles in human history. In addition, his early and sudden death added tragedy and romance to the description of his personality. Juan's mother was German Barbara Blomberg, that is, in his veins most of blood was German. He was blond, handsome and tall.
And, of course, his chivalry was more of a myth. Here, for example, the dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, from which Wikipedia borrowed an article about Juan of Austria, writes: ordinary games. And even: “He was ashamed of his mother and her family, he wanted to be only the son of the emperor, lured his mother to Spain to lock her up in a monastery, and ordered her son from a legal marriage to be insidiously hidden somewhere. Don Juan was heartless towards both his lovers and his numerous illegitimate offspring.” However, his glory as a winner at Lepanto, and the glory of a fearless warrior made him a hero of Spain, and in his time a hero of the entire Christian world. In those days, it didn’t matter to anyone how they treated their women, the same “chivalrous” Richard the Lionheart was probably even more of an “asshole”.
The Battle of Lepanto was of great importance for the Christian civilization and this significance was very well understood by the entire “Western” world. After the time of the Crusades, Christians increasingly lost their positions in the Mediterranean. In the Muslim world, the Turks took over the dominant position instead of the Arabs. And the Ottoman Empire was slowly creeping into Europe. In the Balkans, the Turks had already occupied half of Hungary and were threatening Vienna itself. The Ottomans took over everything Greek islands except for a couple of Ionic ones. Muslim pirates kept the entire Mediterranean at bay, even reaching deep into the Adriatic. In 1571, a huge squadron of the combined forces of Venice, Spain, Malta, and many other Italian cities headed for the East. The goal of the Christians was to help Cyprus, which belongs to Venice. However, while the allies were gathering the fleet, Cyprus had already fallen. Huge resources were involved in the battle on both sides. In those days, the main type of sea ship was a rowing galley. In technical terms, they have not been much changed since antiquity. The sailors were just beginning to use artillery, and artillery played a very important role in the Battle of Lepanto. In total, more than 170,000 people from both sides took part in the battle, according to historians.
The battle took place on October 7, 1571 at the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. The Christian fleet moved along West Bank Greece from the north of the island of Corfu. And the Turkish came out of the Gulf of Corinth. The meeting of two huge fleets was unexpected for both sides. Both fleets, according to the then rules of naval battles, lined up in a line opposite each other. Don Juan of Austria and his Spanish ships were in the center, as G. Morton writes, “on a flagship moving towards the enemy with a developing papal banner, on a gun platform to the sounds of bagpipes in a golden uniform, don Juan .. danced a galliard.” I don’t know what kind of galliard dance, but the young Spanish naval commander behaved bravely in this battle. The Venetian galleys with their artillery put out of action a large number of Turkish galleys in the center, and then the galleys of the opponents converged in a cruel and bloody boarding battle. In hand-to-hand combat, experienced Spanish soldiers, as well as German mercenaries Italian ships, turned out to be much more persistent than the Turks. In addition, the Christians were better armed, the Turks almost did not use firearms. The decisive role was also played by the fact that the Allies left about 30 ships in reserve under the leadership of the Spanish officer Santa Cruz. The engagement of this reserve turned the tide of the battle. In order not to be captured, the commander of the Ottoman fleet, Ali Pasha, committed suicide. The victory won by Juan of Austria on October 7, 1571, was decisive: a strong enemy fleet was almost completely destroyed. The news of this victory aroused indescribable rejoicing throughout Europe. The losses of the Turks amounted to 25,000 dead and 3,500 captured sailors, in addition, the Allies freed 12,000 Christians from slavery, who were used as rowers on Muslim galleys.
However, apart from the capital destruction of enemy ships and soldiers, the allies did not derive any other successes from this brilliant victory. Spain, Venice and the Pope had too different plans and goals that came into conflict. Don Juan wanted to continue the war at sea and go to liberate Cyprus, other islands of the Greek archipelago, and perhaps Constantinople itself, but his patron, King Philip II, was against such decisive action. In the process of disputes and the division of booty, time was lost, bad weather set in, and the fleet was disbanded for winter quarters instead of building on success. The following year, the united Christian fleet was never able to finish off the Turkish one, the Turks, remembering the lesson of Lepanto, all the time avoided a general battle. And by the end of 1572, Venice concluded with Ottoman Empire separate peace, abandoning Cyprus.
The Spaniards of Juan of Austria continued the war with the Turks in Algiers.
Despite the fact that the battle of Lepanto was not decisive, it was the first major defeat of the Turks in many years. Stronger and more powerful than at the end of the 16th century, the Ottomans have never been.
At 31, Juan of Austria went to the Netherlands to act as governor of this then Spanish province. And some time later he died under rather mysterious circumstances.
Let's go back...
To be honest, all these crypts and tombs really leave the biggest impression. Going outside, it was nice to look at the surrounding mountains and the sun.
The Escorial is surrounded by beautiful gardens.
After touring the palace, I dined at local restaurant. I really love soups, and in general I think that a real dinner should begin with soup. But the Spanish cuisine did not please us with soups, a giant portion of Sopa de Castellana turned out to be hardly edible. With all my efforts, I couldn't eat it. That's what Castilian soup is - lots and lots of sliced bread, slices of ham are shoved into the meat broth and a couple of raw eggs are broken. A traditional peasant dish, I think the Habsburgs didn't eat it. Here lamb or fish is a completely different matter, the Spaniards know how. Surprisingly, in Madrid and its environs, which are quite remote from the sea, in many restaurants you can choose fresh fish, as if it were happening on the seashore.
We walked back to the station. The road goes through a huge and very beautiful park.
The park is spread around another local attraction - Palacio del Principe. The building was built in the 18th century; it served as a residence for the heir to the throne, the future King Carlos IV. It is good to go back from Escorial to the station, the road constantly goes down with a good slope. But if we walked there, then the stroller would have to be pushed all the way up a tangible mountain.
There were very few people in the park, and it is really very beautiful.
Well, and finally, one more photo, and one more bike. A sign with a crossed-out dog hangs at the entrance to the park. In this regard, we observed a terribly funny scene. Two homosexuals were walking through the park with a small dog. Seeing them, a guard in a black uniform with a very brutal expression came out of a booth near the Palacio del Principe. He sternly demanded that they leave with the animal. One of them grabbed the dog, raised it in his arms and hugged him, as if protecting him from attacks. The second, he began to prove something hot to the guard, like, he’s small, he won’t bite anyone, well, in general, there’s something in Spanish. And the uncle answered “Prohibido!”, And holding the baton with one hand, the other pointed towards the exit. And so they went to the exit, embracing the dog in their arms, misunderstood and beautiful.
And we walked behind with a camera and laughed ...
