El Escoriale - the grand palace and catherdral of Phillip II, named in honor of Saint Lorenzo de Escoriale. Phillip was a fiercely devout Catholic and built El Escoriale both to solidify the power of his own reign as well as to help counter the protestant reforms in the church. Ostensibly it was built to celebrate the 1557 victory against the French at San Quentin, a battle Phillip II milked his involvement in for the rest of his life.
The place is absolutely huge and consists of a giant basilica built inside a giant palace, built inside a giant court yard.
You can easily get lost in the building, so pick up a map and splurge for the audio guide. It really is the most comprehensive and compelling audio tour I have ever encountered.
You'll begin in the courtyard of the kings and head into the basilica, which is absolutely astounding and totally not allowed to be photographed - as is most of the place. That did not stop me from, genuinely by accident, snapping a great photo of the best part of the whole palace, the royal library.
Phillip's library used to be the largest in the modern world, unlike any other library anywhere. Today it is still absolutely astounding to be inside of. If you are a lover of visual art and the history of illuminated tomes, you cannot go wrong.
It took most of Phillips life to finish El Escoriale, and during those many years Phillip would often live in the unfinished building, holding mass and administering to what was, at the time, the largest empire the world had ever known.
If you find yourself headed to Madrid, do try to make a day trip out to El Escoriale. You will not be disapponted and you will capture a glimpse not only of an extraordinary building, but of the spirit of one of the most powerful men ever to have lived.
Or, if you end up hating it, there is always the spectacular views.
