The Imperial Route of the Community of Madrid is the tourist itinerary promoted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of this Spanish region, which runs through several municipalities in the Sierra de Guadarrama. It partially follows the historical road that led to the Monastery of El Escorial, used in the 16th century by King Philip II in his travels from the city of Madrid to the Royal Site.
The Imperial Route has as its central core this monument, which, in 1984, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, along with the entire Royal Site. This extends over the municipalities of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and El Escorial, where there are buildings, engineering works and gardens of great historical and artistic value. In the former, in addition to the Royal Monastery, the Casas de Oficios and the Casita del Infante (or "de Arriba") stand out, and in the latter, the Casita del Príncipe (or "de Abajo").
This monumental complex is complemented by the tourist offer offered by different municipalities near the Monastery, belonging both to the region of the Sierra Oeste de Madrid and to that of the Guadarrama basin. In them, there is a modest but relevant artistic heritage and the existence of natural areas of great scenic and environmental interest.
Description
The Imperial Route runs through nine villages in Madrid, along two distinct routes and a central core. The first section, the first leg, starts from the city of Madrid to Torrelodones, Collado Villalba and Guadarrama. From here, access is gained to San Lorenzo de El Escorial and El Escorial, which form the main focus. The third stretch, the return, runs through Robledo de Chavela, Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Navalagamella and Valdemorillo, from where it returns to the capital.
Only some of these towns were part of the itinerary followed by Philip II, which partially coincided with the old Camino Real de Valladolid. Among them are Torrelodones, Collado Villalba (through the place known as La Venta) and Guadarrama, which, from the 16th century, saw an important hotel business flourish, aimed at travelers seeking rest on their journeys to San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
The remaining municipalities, for the most part, have also been historically related to the Royal Monastery, either because they housed workers employed in its construction, or because they supplied the Court installed there, or because they gave religious coverage to those who came to the monastery works, through their churches. The result of this historical link is the existence, beyond San Lorenzo de El Escorial, of several buildings constructed by Juan de Herrera, the architect of the Monastery, or by his disciples.
In other towns included in the itinerary, there have not been such direct links with the Monastery, apart from its geographical proximity. Their presence in the Imperial Route aims to promote the development of a tourist industry, taking advantage of the fame achieved by the Royal Site. This is the case of Fresnedillas de la Oliva.
Conversely, some towns that Philip II visited on his travels are not included in the Imperial Route, as they are located outside the current route of the main roads. This includes Galapagar, a town on which a second, more direct road was built, starting from Torrelodones. Various engineering works, such as the construction of bridges and the improvement of the roadway, carried out shortly before the completion of the monastery, were sufficient for the monarch to opt for this new route.
Galapagar's connection with the Royal Foundation can be seen in the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, which has touches of the Escorial style in the spire that crowns its tower. The ruins of the Casa Veleta, built by the king as a resting place, offer another example of the importance achieved by this municipality during the works of the Monastery.
Artistic heritage The Imperial Route is defined, in the artistic field, by Herrera architecture, a style that emerged in the Renaissance, which takes its name from Juan de Herrera, architect of the monastery of El Escorial.Biography of Juan Herrera. This work, promoted by King Philip II in the second half of the 16th century, left its mark on notable buildings of the Royal Site, as well as on its urban layout, in addition to some buildings in the towns that today form part of the tourist itinerary. These towns add buildings from before and after the 16th century, which complete the artistic offer of the Imperial Route.
The Herrerian style The Royal Monastery was completed on September 13, 1584, after 21 years of work, based on an initial project by Juan Bautista de Toledo, continued, after his death, by Juan de Herrera. This is not the only Herrera construction to be found on the Imperial Route and in other areas of the Sierra de Guadarrama. This style quickly spread throughout the region, thanks to the benefits granted by the Spanish Royal House, aimed at remodeling buildings. The measure was intended to avoid depopulation and, at the same time, to promote a certain aesthetic unity.
One of the most characteristic features of the Herrerian style, the slate pyramidal spire with a pointed top, is present in the towers of the main churches of different localities in Guadarrama. Outside the tourist itinerary, we can mention those of Galapagar, initially built in the Gothic style, and Colmenarejo, which also shows traces of the Escorial style throughout its exterior.
Within the route, the Herrerian churches found here present a sober and imposing appearance, completely disproportionate to the size of the small towns where they are located, as is the case with the monastery of El Escorial itself.
The church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, in Valdemorillo, is one of the largest. Built in the 8th century as a mosque, it was transformed in later centuries. It still preserves Mozarabic remains on its north façade, as well as some Romanesque, Gothic (such as its ribbed vault) and Baroque elements (such as its sacristy). The reform promoted at the end of the 16th century and culminated in 1601 gave it a unitary aspect, clearly Herrerian. It was carried out by Bartolomé Elorriaga, a disciple of Juan de Herrera, who used granite stone ashlars.
The church of Nuestra Señora de la Estrella, in Navalagamella, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest by the Community of Madrid, also stands out for its proportions. It was built in late Gothic style, as a fortified temple, as can still be seen in its thick buttresses. Like the church of Valdemorillo, it was remodeled in the 16th century, in line with the economic incentives granted by the Crown. The Herrerian features are present externally, especially in its main façade and in its tower, crowned by the characteristic spire. Its interior, however, maintains the original Gothic style. It is worth mentioning its ribbed vault.
The church of San Bernabé (16th century) is another notable example of Herrerian architecture. Unlike the two previous temples, it was erected entirely in this Renaissance style, without taking advantage of the remains of previous constructions. Its author was Francisco de Mora, a disciple of Juan de Herrera, who carried out the work in record time. It took only two years (1594–1595) to inaugurate this church of a single nave, crowned by a barrel vault, with transverse arches. It is located in El Escorial, whose term was chosen by Philip II to build the Royal Monastery and from which, in times of Charles III, the current municipality of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where the aforementioned monument is located, was segregated.
Torrelodones also echoed the architectural trends of Juan de Herrera, who signed his last work during his lifetime in this town. This is the Real Aposento de Torrelodones, of which only the foundations are preserved. It was built to facilitate the rest of Philip II, in his travels from Madrid to San Lorenzo de El Escorial, by the Camino Real de Valladolid. In this village we also find the Fountain of El Caño (16th century), a work of monumental nature that the neighbors financed to make the Court's stay more pleasant. The Herrerian influence is notable.
The need for lodging became evident while the Royal Monastery was being built. In this regard, the monastery of Prestado, located in El Escorial, stands out, although the building is much older than the 16th century. It was reconverted to adapt it as a place of residence for Philip II, who lived there intermittently during the 21 years that the works lasted. It is an old mountain mansion, which, in its renovation, incorporated certain Herrerian elements.
Without leaving this municipality, the site of La Granjilla de La Fresneda gathers a palace and a convent also ascribed to this style, in addition to a Renaissance garden that integrates four ponds, fed by the Aulencia river. It is located on a estate, which is in private hands. It is one of the most significant Herrerian monuments in the Community of Madrid and, at the same time, the most unknown. It was designed by Juan Bautista de Toledo, following the model used in the Casa de Campo in Madrid.
In San Lorenzo de El Escorial, bordering the Lonja del Monasterio, are located the First and Second Casa de Oficios and the Casa de la Compaña, intended to house the various workers and service personnel of the Royal Monastery. The first two were designed by Juan de Herrera and the third by Francisco de Mora between 1587 and 1596.
Two centuries later, Juan de Villanueva enclosed the perimeter of the Lonja with the Third Casa de Oficios and the Casas de Infantes, the latter of which served as the dwelling of the First Secretary of State, the Count of Floridablanca. Despite the passage of time, Villanueva was faithful to the style that presides over the entire complex. This architect was also responsible for the urban reorganization of the hamlet that arose behind the Lonja and, in its network of squares and streets, he maintained the Herrerian imprint.
During the construction of the Royal Foundation, important engineering works were also undertaken on different roads. This is the case of the New Bridge, ordered to be erected by the monarch in 1583, a year before the completion of the monastery. It is located over the Guadarrama River, near Torrelodones, although in the municipality of Galapagar. This work was decisive, as it opened a more direct route than the Camino Real de Valladolid, through the aforementioned town. The bridge has the famous Escorial-style grill on both sides, which links it directly to the monastery. It has a single semicircular arch, topped at each end by cutwaters on each side, which resembles the bridge of Segovia, in Madrid, built by the school of Juan de Herrera or, probably, by Herrera himself.
Other styles In addition to the Herrerian buildings that appear on the Imperial Route, there are several constructions of different centuries and styles. The architectural currents best represented are late Gothic, present in the main church of Robledo de Chavela, and neoclassicism, which is concentrated mainly in the Royal Site. In addition, there are two 20th-century monuments without a defined style: the Valley of the Fallen and the palace of Canto del Pico.
The area, which suffered a strong degree of depopulation during the Early Middle Ages, practically lacks relevant monuments prior to the 15th century, when the Gothic, in its later version, penetrated the Madrid side of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Among the pre-medieval constructions, the Seat of Philip II, in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, stands out, perhaps the oldest human footprint of the Imperial Route. According to tradition, it was ordered to be carved on a natural rock by the monarch, who used it as an observatory of the works of the monastery. However, recent research suggests that it may be a Vetton altar.