The SLU-Madrid History Club held their first off-campus event of the semester, taking students to visit the 16th-century El Escorial monastery.
The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is located roughly an hour outside of Madrid, accessible by bus and train. Students met in the Moncloa metro station and traveled by bus to the historical site together.
The History Club, led by students Lau Dodd and Sean Rivero, invites students to visit historical locations in Madrid and its surroundings. During the trip, Dodd and Rivero explain the historical context of the sites they visit.
The El Escorial trip was led by Rivero as Dodd was unable to attend due to injury. Rivero will also be taking over the club for the remainder of while Dodd recovers.
After arriving at El Escorial, students were welcomed with strong winds, rain, and hail. This resulted in students not being able to visit the outside gardens of El Escorial for too long.
“It was so cold I could not wait to be inside the monastery,” said Ariana Castillo, a member of the club. “But I’m glad I went. I hadn’t been before and it is mainly inside, so I feel like I still got to see a lot of the main parts.”
El Escorial possesses Renaissance art, a cathedral and crypt containing the tombs of past Spanish monarchs. Club members walked the large monastery for a couple of hours, then got lunch together in a local Tapas bar, El Sol Sale Para Todos. Students are required to pay for tickets to the sites the club visits and meals.
Though Dodd was unable to attend the trip, they hope to welcome more students to similar excursions in the near future.
“History club is a chance for students to experience the culture, history, and ambiance of Madrid firsthand,” said Dodd.