San Lorenzo de El Escorial
| San Lorenzo de El Escorial | |||
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| Municipality | |||
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 San Lorenzo de El Escorial
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| Coordinates: 40°35′37″N 4°8′34″W / 40.59361°N 4.14278°WCoordinates: 40°35′37″N 4°8′34″W / 40.59361°N 4.14278°W | |||
| Country | Spain | ||
| Autonomous community | Madrid | ||
| Province | Madrid | ||
| Comarca | Sierra de Guadarrama | ||
| Founded | 18th century | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | José Luis Fernández-Quejo del Pozo (PP) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 56.4 km2 (21.8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,032 m (3,386 ft) | ||
| Population (2009) | |||
| • Total | 17,889 | ||
| • Density | 320/km2 (820/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Sanlorentinos / Gurriatos | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postal code | 28200 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
San Lorenzo de El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Arriba is a town and municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain, located to the northwest of the region in the southeastern side of the Sierra de Guadarrama, at the foot of Mount Abantos and Las Machotas, 47 kilometres (29 mi) from Madrid. It is head of the same name judicial party. The settlement is popularly called El Escorial de Arriba, to differentiate it from the neighbouring village of El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Abajo.
The Monastery of El Escorial is the most prominent building in the town and is one of the main Spanish Renaissance monuments. Especially remarkable is the Royal Library, inside the Monastery.
The monastery and its historic surroundings were declared a World Heritage Site UNESCO on November 2, 1984, under the name of "El Escorial, monastery and site".
The site also enjoys protection on Spain's heritage register; since June 21, 2006, it has been protected by the Community of Madrid as a Property of Cultural Interest.
San Lorenzo de El Escorial is located on the southern slopes of the Mount Abantos (elevation 1753 m). The average altitude of the municipality is 1,032 metres (3,386 ft), and most of the urban area is above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The hamlet initially sprang up around Monastery of El Escorial, gradually extending up the mountain. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the town underwent a strong urban expansion, particularly towards the southeastern side of Mount Abantos.
The township's average altitude is 1,032 metres (3,386 ft). Most of the town is situated at about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above sea level, including the Monastery of El Escorial, which lies approximately 28 metres (92 ft) above the town. The highest part is the top of Mount Abantos, which is 1,753 metres (5,751 ft) above sea level.
The town covers a total area of 56.4 square kilometres (21.8 sq mi), most of which is mountainous terrain. In the south of the municipality is the Circo de El Escorial, bordered by the southern slopes of Mount Abantos to the south and the Las Machotas hills to the north. North, along the slope of Cuelgamuros, lies the Valle de los Caídos (English: Valley of the Fallen), near the border with Guadarrama. Towards the Southwest, the municipality extends down to El Escorial by the parks and gardens of the Casita del Príncipe.
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Wikipedia