El Escorial - Monasterio de San Lorenzo del Escorial Church

The interior of the church, which has frescoes by Luca Giordano, is notable for its austerity and monumentality. The dome over the crossing admits a flood of cold light which illuminates the precious materials used in Herrera's 30m/100ft high retablo. Approached by a flight of 17 steps, this is a four-story structure of jasper and red marble, with pictures by the Italian painters Zucaro and Tibaldi and statues of Fathers of the Church and Evangelists by Pompeo and Leone.