That is because as the Spanish were plundering the Americas, they had a slight internal problem. It was called the Protestant reformation. Spain, a devout Catholic country, was so worried about it that they acted fairly harshly to counter it. This counter reformation has been infamously known as the Spanish inquisition, where countless people have been reported tortured and forced to “convert”

  What is important about this fact is that Spain did build one monument during this time to show power and to invoke fear into the so called heretics. That was the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Built by King Philip II, the inquisition was at least directed from this imposing monolith of power. To Protestants, Jews and Muslims, it represents pure evil. To the king, it represented a sign of his faith. Today, with no mention of the Inquisition at all, it is a time capsule of art and treasures from Spain’s Golden Age. I hope you enjoy the photos. Any comments, please E-mail me,

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