Visit with your tour guide. A visit to the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the best way to explore the history of Spain and especially the reign of Felipe II. With an area of 33,327 square meters, it is located on the southern slope of Mount Abantos at an altitude of 1,028 meters in the Sierra del Guadarrama, which gives it a high landscape value. The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial has been on the list of World Heritage Sites since November 2, 1984.