The Palace Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, seen from the Herrería Woods. Mount Abantos gives a suitable backdrop.

Superbes photo et vue. Nicole.

I can understand why it stood for power, it does look very imposing there on the mountainside surrounded by the stark mountains. Beautiful photo

Thank you, Jenny.
Felipe II was the ruler of a humungous empire and he tried to run all of it personally. So he built this monastery palace where he could go through all the accounts of the empire and at the same time hear mass without missing a beat, so to speak. It also helped that in the mountains it was a little cooler in the summer months than his other capitals at Madrid, Toledo and Valladolid.

Fantastic view!************************