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Explanation of the Coat of Arms/Emblem
of El Escorial
How El Escorial came to be built.
In the 16th century, Spain was
at war with France. The Spanish
won a great victory over the
French in the Battle of San
Quentin (1557). This battle took
place on the Feast Day of St.
Lawrence (San Lorenzo). To honor
Spain's success in this battle,
Philip II built the palace-monastery
of El Escorial. It was dedicated
to St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence
was an early Christian who was
martyred by the Romans —
tradition says, by being roasted
alive on a square gridiron.
Because El Escorial was
dedicated to St. Lawrence, the
building was shaped to resemble
a gridiron (the emblem of St.
Lawrence) — basically four walls
forming a perfect square, with
towers at each corner.
“La parrilla es el símbolo
tradicional de San Lorenzo,
diácono y mártir, patrón del
pueblo, porque en una parrilla
sufrió el martirio, asado a
fuego lento. La rama de la
palma es el símbolo del
martirio, o sea, San Lorenzo.”
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