Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Gracia, San Lorenzo de El Escorial

The Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Our Lady of Grace) in San Lorenzo de El Escorial is easy to confuse with Philip II's famous monastery-palace in the same town, but it is an entirely separate, much smaller shrine with its own centuries-old story.

Where does this shrine come from?

Local tradition holds that shepherds discovered an image of the Virgin inside a cave in the Herrería forest, sometime after the Reconquista reached this part of Castile. Long before Philip II broke ground on the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the surrounding countryside — especially the Herrería forest — was scattered with hermitages tended by solitary hermits. By the late 16th and early 17th centuries most of these had fallen into disuse, leaving only the hermitage dedicated to Our Lady of Grace still active. In 1619, Brother Diego de San Jerónimo bequeathed the hermitage and all its holdings to King Philip III, after which the Jeronymite monks of the nearby monastery took over its care.

Two sites, one devotion

What makes this sanctuary distinctive is that its cult is split between two locations. Throughout the year, the image of the Virgin is venerated in the sanctuary on Floridablanca Street, right in the center of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Once a year, on the second Sunday of September, the statue is carried out to the original hermitage on the Carretera de la Herrería, south of town, for a lively romería — a harvest thanksgiving pilgrimage that has continued in some form since the 16th century.

Why the tradition still matters

Devotion here waned in the early 20th century but was revived thanks to the efforts of the priest Teodosio Martínez Pardo, who arrived in March 1944 and pushed to rebuild the old hermitage and restore the annual pilgrimage. His work led directly to an official honor: on August 30, 1946, the town council declared Our Lady of Grace the patron saint of the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Today, the Brotherhood of Romeros Virgen de Gracia keeps the tradition alive, organizing the yearly romería and preserving the memory of the forest's early hermits.

How do you get there?

The in-town sanctuary sits on Floridablanca Street, an easy walk of a few minutes from the center of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and its train station. The forest hermitage lies several kilometers south, along the Carretera de la Herrería; driving is the simplest option, though on the day of the romería many locals walk there as part of the procession. It's worth double-checking the address before setting out, since this site is unrelated to — and much less visited than — the grand Royal Monastery of El Escorial nearby.

When is the best time to visit?

The second Sunday of September is the standout moment, when the romería fills the forest hermitage with music, processions, and shared meals among families from across the region. Outside that date, the Floridablanca sanctuary can be visited year-round, and pairs well with a walk through the Herrería forest, which is popular with hikers and cyclists regardless of the festival calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same place as the Monastery of El Escorial? No. The Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Gracia is a separate, much smaller shrine in the same town, unconnected to Philip II's monumental monastery-palace.

Where is the image of the Virgin kept normally? In the sanctuary on Floridablanca Street, in the center of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. It travels to the forest hermitage only once a year.

When does the romería take place? On the second Sunday of September — an annual harvest thanksgiving pilgrimage dating back to the 16th century.

Can you visit the forest hermitage outside the festival? Yes. The image itself is only there around the pilgrimage, but the hermitage and its surrounding forest make for a quiet walk any time of year.