The royal country estates around the Monastery of El Escorial: medieval tradition and flemish influence

The Flemish influence on the ambitious building program of King Philip II of Spain focused the interest of some reseachers. But the inheritance from the Emperor Charles V and his predecessors of the Crown of of Castile was much wider, and since the early times of King Alphonse X the Wise these influences were in evidence in the royal country estates and their buildings. Our research analyses these influences in the surrounding properties of the Monastery of San Lorenzo of El Escorial, where King Philip II developed an outstanding set of palaces and estates for both hunting and resting far from the Court. The Spanish monarchs made use of these royal estates until Mendizabal’s disentailment in 1836.