Shrine Of Our Lady Of Grace, San Lorenzo De El Escorial, Spain Editorial Photo

San Lorenzo de El Escorial is located on the southern slopes of the Mount Abantos and the Monastery of El Escorial is the most prominent building in the town and is one of the main Spanish Renaissance monuments. When the construction of El Escorial Monastery began in 1563, a shrine already existed in La Herrería Forest housing an image of the Virgin Mary that some shepherds had found in a cave, possibly having been hidden during the Moorish invasion. Unfortunately, the original image was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War. The shrine was rebuilt in 1945 thanks to the group that preceded the Brotherhood of Pilgrims of Our Lady of Grace, thus reviving the tradition of the romería. The new shrine was built using stone from La Herrería Forest. Next to the shrine is the Pilgrims’ Cross, made of white stone, which features an image of the Virgin holding the Christ Child in her arms.