The Escorial

The Escorial - A Historical and Descriptive Account of the Spanish Royal Palace, Monastery and Mausoleum

In putting forth this modest account of the Escorial, that marvellous monument to the Hapsburg dynasty, I beg to inscribe it to your Excellency, as a tribute of my esteem and an expression of admiration of your Excellencys great work in the interests of Spain, and as historian of The Relations between Spain and Austria during the Reign of the Empress Margaret. No work dealing exclusively with the Royal Palace and Monastery of the Escorial, and purporting to give a full historical and descriptive account of that remarkable monument of Philip II. of Spain, has hitherto been published in England. In this volume I have endeavoured to present, in condensed form, a history of the founding and building of the edifice, to deal in detail with the more interesting features of its architecture, and to describe the pictures, fresco paintings, illuminated missals, and other works of art contained in the several portions of this great composite pile. The Escorial reflects the genius of Spain at the period following upon the final emancipation from the sway of the Moors. It is an image, as it were, of the powerful monarch who founded it, and spent so many years of his life in superintending the construction and decoration of the building. The Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo del Escorial is a repository of many of the worlds masterpieces of art, a library of rare and costly manuscripts and volumes, a sumptuous hermitage, a college, and a sanctuary. It is one of the{viii} wonders of Spain, and among the most historically interesting royal residences in Europe. With the aid of the letterpress and the illustrations included here, those readers who have not visited the Escorial will, I trust, be enabled to realise something of its massive grandeur, and to appreciate its significance in the history of the Spanish nation; while those who propose to inspect this Leviathan of Architecture will find these pages useful in directing their attention to the chief works of art and objects of interest. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 61407
Author: Calvert, Albert Frederick
Release Date: Feb 14, 2020
Format: eBook
Language: English