El Escorial. Basilica.

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El Escorial. Basilica.
El Escorial. Basilica.

The basilica of San Lorenzo el Real, the central building in the El Escorial complex, was originally designed, like most of the late Gothic cathedrals of western Europe, to take the form of a Latin cross. As such, it has a long nave on the west-east axis intersected by a pair of shorter transepts, one to the north and one directly opposite, to the south, about three-quarters of the way between the west entrance and the high altar. This plan was modified by Juan de Herrera to that of a Greek cross, a form with all four arms of equal length. Coincident with this shift in approach, the bell towers at the western end of the church were somewhat reduced in size and the small half-dome intended to stand over the altar was replaced with a full circular dome over the center of the church, where the four arms of the Greek cross meet.

The most highly decorated part of the church is the area surrounding the high altar. Behind the altar is a three-tiered reredos, made of red granite and jasper, nearly twenty-eight metres tall, adorned with gilded bronze statuary by Leone Leoni, and three sets of religious paintings commissioned by Philip II. To either side are gilded life-size bronzes of the kneeling family groups of Charles and Philip, also by Leoni with help from his son Pompeo. In a shallow niche at the center of the lowest level is a repository for the physical elements of the communion ceremony, a so-called "House of the Sacrament", designed by Juan de Herrera in jasper and bronze.

To decorate the reredos, or altar screens, the king's preferences were Michelangelo or Titian, but both of these giants were already more than eighty years old and in frail health. Consequently, Philip consulted his foreign ambassadors for recommendations, and the result was a lengthy parade of the lesser European artists of that time, all swanning through the construction site at El Escorial seeking the king's favor.

The monastery and site of El Escorial is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, and has been visited by the Pope Benedict XVI. Photographing inside the building is not permitted anymore. In 2005, the Monastery of El Escorial was visited by 545,000 people.

Spain.

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Taken on: March 14, 2007
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Camera: Canon PowerShot A640, f/2.8, 1/8 sec, 7.3mm (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Canon PowerShot A640
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Focal Length: 7.3mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode: Auto
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: sRGB
Software: Paint Shop Pro Photo 11.20
Show full info
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