Seat of Philip II

The Seat of Philip II is a set of stepped platforms and other elements carved into a granite rock outcrop, known as Canto Gordo, located at the foot of Las Machotas, near San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

It has traditionally been believed that this place served as an observatory for King Philip II during the construction of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo, which lasted from 1563 to 1584.

However, the most widely held theory today, supported by archaeological findings in the area, suggests that it is an ancient sacrificial altar of the Vetton, a pre-Roman people who inhabited the Iberian Peninsula. This hypothesis is based on the similarities with other altars, such as the sanctuaries of Ulaca or Panóias, and on the discovery of an anthropomorphic figure and other smaller altars in its vicinity.

The site is located in the Paraje Pictoresco del Pinar de Abantos and Zona de La Herrería, a protected natural area of ​​great ecological and scenic value, about 2.5 kilometres south of the town centre of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. At its feet lies the forest of La Herrería, made up mostly of oaks or holm oaks, although there are also other tree species such as the Montpellier maple, the wild cherry, the linden and the chestnut. A specimen of Montpellier maple, located in the grounds of the Silla de Felipe II, is catalogued as a Singular Tree by the Community of Madrid, with more than 10 metres in height.

The Seat of Philip II is a very popular tourist destination thanks to its panoramic views of the Monastery of El Escorial and its surroundings, where we also find the hermitage of the Virgen de Gracia. In addition, the natural setting in which it is located offers the possibility of taking various hiking routes and enjoying nature.