ABSTRACT
El Escorial, with its 1600 paintings (some by great masters such as Goya, El Greco, and Velasquez) and 500 frescoes and its library and mortuary, had an impact on Spanish culture that was long lasting, and has a historical importance that might explain why it is such a popular tourist attraction. It attracts around 500,000 visitors a year. El Escorial is an easy day trip from Madrid, which has not just Spain’s greatest museum but one of the world’s greatest museums, the Prado.
