From the point of view of architectural beauty, the Church of the Escorial is the finest of the several buildings within the walls. The eye is at once arrested by the tall towers on either side, the immense dome, with its superimposed massive lantern and cross, and the portals of the vestibule. As for the height of the towers, it is safe to say that they are considerably over 200 feet, though writers variously give the height as 260 feet and 270 feet. The structure is of granite throughout, huge in its plan, and severe in its Doric simplicity. The tower on the right has a clock and a peal of bells. Each of the belfries has a platform with a balustrade, and the cupolas have a lantern tower, with several windows, and a lesser cupola above, crowned by a spire. On the top of the spire are a ball, a cross, and a weathercock. These towers are perhaps the most ornamental parts of the whole pile. Before the Church, or Templo, is the handsome Vestibule, with five arches, each having a door. The total number of the portals is ten. There is a decorated dome to the Vestibule, and doors leading to the Monastery and the College. The chief door of the Church is in the centre, and it is only opened to admit members of the reigning family of Spain. We enter the main edifice by a small door. Upon black marble, in letters of copper, is a Latin inscription setting forth that ‘Philip, King of all the Spains, of the two Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, laid the first stone of this church on the feast of San Bernardo, 1563: the divine offices were first celebrated on the Eve of the feast of St. Lawrence, 1586.’ The right door has the following legend: ‘Philip II., King of all the Spains, of the Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, had this church piously and solemnly consecrated by the nuncio of His Holiness, Camilli Cojot of Alexandria, on August 30th, 1595.’ The Coro Bajo, or Lower Choir, is the first part of the church upon entering from the Vestibule. It is paved with marble, and has a gallery, balconies, and two rows of stalls. A variety of woods were used in the stalls, such as box, cedar, walnut, and ebony, and the designs were drawn by Herrera, who directed the work of Flecha the decorator. Under Flecha four Spanish carvers assisted in the work of cutting the thistle leaves and the beautiful mountings of the choir stalls. The Prior’s seat is especially decorative; and one stall, wider than the others, was used by Philip II. A fine lectern of jasper and marble, supported by bronze pilasters, stands in the Choir. In a small shrine upon the structure, formed by columns, is an effigy of the Virgin. The cross of this structure is of the wood from which Philip’s coffin was made. In height the lectern is sixteen feet.