The Escorial Monastery-Palace and the Valley of the Fallen.
The Escorial Monastery-Palace, located in the town of San Lorenzo near Madrid, is rightly recognized as one of the most mystical places in Spain. Some call this building the ‘eighth wonder of the world’, others call it an ‘architectural monstrosity’, but no one remains indifferent to Escorial – the resting place of Spanish kings. The building of the complex has always been perceived by people as controversial, the very place of its construction evokes some mystical delight, and sometimes horror. Many legends are associated with Escorial, which you will learn about on the tour.
58 kilometers from Madrid, in the Guadarrama mountains, near the Escorial Monastery, there is a majestic monumental complex called Valley of the Fallen (Valle de los Caidos). The construction of the complex began in 1940, immediately after the end of the civil war (1936-1939) by order of Francisco Franco as a sign of reconciliation and in memory of those who died on both the nationalist and republican sides.
