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.^[3] 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.

Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, in Valdemorillo

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.^[4]

Church of Nuestra Señora de la Estrella, in Navalagamella

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.^[5]

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.

Pond in La Granjilla de La Fresneda (El Escorial), in a drawing from 1862

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 148-hectare (370-acre) 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.^[6]

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.

The New Bridge, over the Guadarrama River, opened a new route to the monastery of El Escorial, through Galapagar.

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.^[7]

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 Torrelodones watchtower was built in the 9th century.

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.^[8]

The Torrelodones watchtower, of Muslim origin, is the next oldest building. It is located on top of a hill and is visible from the A-6 highway (Madrid-A Coruña). It was built in the 9th century as a tower to watch for possible Christian incursions.

The abandoned village of Navalquejigo, in the municipality of El Escorial, houses a small church dating from the late 12th or early 13th century, which is in a ruinous state. It belongs to the group of fortified repopulation churches of the Sierra de Guadarrama.^[9]

Night view of the church of the Asunción de Nuestra Señora, in Robledo de Chavela

The Torreón de Fuentelámparas, located in Robledo de Chavela, probably dates from the 14th century. Little is known about its origin, although it is assumed that it was used to watch over pasture lands.

This village is home to the best example of late Gothic architecture on the Imperial Route. It is the church of the Asunción de Nuestra Señora (the Assumption), the construction of which began in the 15th century. The church, which has a fortified appearance, houses a segmented baptismal font, a carving attributed to Alonso Berruguete and an altarpiece by Antonio Rincón, painter to the chamber of the Catholic Monarchs.^[10]

In the parish churches after the 15th century, there are slight Renaissance touches combined with regional elements, characteristic of the rural architecture of Guadarrama. This is the case with the church of San Bartolomé, in Fresnedillas de la Oliva, from the 16th century, which has a single nave and a choir supported by 17th-century columns, and also of the church of El Enebral (17th century), of Collado Villalba, decorated externally with stone balls, a very frequent ornamental resource in the constructions of the mountain chain. In its interior there is a Romanesque arch. In Torrelodones, it is worth mentioning the church of the Asunción de Nuestra Señora, from the 16th century.

Collado Villalba, the most populated town on this tourist itinerary, with around 60,000 inhabitants, also preserves other reminders of its rural past. The Piedra del Concejo, used since the 17th century as a meeting place for town councillors, is located in the main square of the old town.^[11]

The 18th century left two important examples of neoclassical architecture. Both are due to Juan de Villanueva, author of both the Casita del Infante (or de Arriba), in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, and the Casita del Príncipe (or de Abajo), in El Escorial. They were erected as recreational pavilions for royalty. The gardens laid out around the latter palace are among the most important of Madrid's neoclassicism.

The Valley of the Fallen, in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, is one of the most visited monuments of the Imperial Route.

Guadarrama also has several 18th-century buildings. Of note are the church of San Miguel Arcángel, the Fuente de Piedra, begun in 1785 in Baroque style, and the Puente del Rosario, built in the time of Charles III over the Guadarrama River.^[12]

The Imperial Route includes the Valley of the Fallen, in the vicinity of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the most important 20th-century construction on the itinerary. This funerary monument, erected between 1940 and 1958, is located in the area known as Cuelgamuros. It consists of a basilica, carved into the stone, an abbey, an inn and a 150 m (490 ft) high cross, which crowns the Risco de la Nava (1,390 m; 4,560 ft). The base of the cross is guarded by four large sculptures (approximately 18 m; 59 ft), representing the evangelists, the work of Juan de Avalos. It is one of the most visited destinations on the Imperial Route.

The Aerospace Base of Robledo de Chavela, one of the tourist attractions of the Route

Another 20th-century construction is the Palace of Canto del Pico, which presides over a mountain over 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high in the municipality of Torrelodones. This building, which presents certain modernist touches, was conceived as a house museum. Different architectural elements from various Spanish monuments are integrated into its structure.

Near Fresnedillas de la Oliva, although in the municipality of Robledo de Chavela, is the NASA Aerospace Base and the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), in operation since 1967. Some of its antennae reach up to 70 m (230 ft) in diameter.