Merriam Webster: 1 the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time
A trip to El Escorial was a breathtaking way of being introduced to how Catholicism and Spanish culture are intertwined. King Philip II of Spain built the royal residence and monastery in the 16th century, and it remains a famous cultural site in the town of San Lorenzo outside Madrid. It amazed me to learn that the basilica was built connected to the royal residence, as I realized how here, faith and history are so closely connected.
As one of our first outings in Madrid, we went for a short hike in the hills around El 
Escorial, so it made its first grand impression on me with a view from above. After our hike, when we entered the basilica, what most called my attention were the frescoes on the ceiling. Many are images of heaven, and as you stand underneath them, the painting is done so that it looks as if you were looking up into heaven from where you stand. It truly drew me towards God, as was very fitting in a place of worship full of such history, culture and Catholicism.
