Spanish commemorative 2 euro coins - San Lorenzo del Escorial Monastery — UNESCO's World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites
Commemorative 2 euro coins from Spain
Reverse: left from the coin centre face value: 2, on the right inscription: EURO; in the background of the inscription a map of Europe; in the background of the map vertically six parallel lines ending on both sides with five-pointed stars (the reverse is common for all euro coins)
Number of coins to be issued: 8 million
Date of issue: February 2013
Face value: 2 euro
Diameter: 25.75 mm
Thickness: 2.2 mm
Weight: 8.5 gr
Composition: BiAlloy (Nk/Ng), ring Cupronickel (75% copper - 25% nickel clad on nickel core), center Nickel brass
€2 Edge Inscription: The Spainish €2 coin edge inscription is '2', followed by two stars, repeated six times alternately upright and inverted.
Mint Location: Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (National Factory of Coins and Stamps), in Madrid, Spain.
Mint Marks: Mintmark of the Madrid mint: the letter 'M' under a crown.
Located at the lower left side, inner circle.
National Identification: Text: 'ESPAÑA'; Local short form of Spain.
Spanish UNESCO World Heritage Sites series:
Spain started the commemorative coin series Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la UNESCO (UNESCO World Heritage) in 2010, commemorating all of Spain's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which could continue until 2050. The order in which the coin for a specific site is issued coincides with the order in which they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The coins issued are: 2 euro 2010 Mosque-Cathedral, Historic Centre of Córdoba, 2 euro 2011 Patio de los Leones of the Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada, 2 euro 2012 Burgos Cathedral, 2 euro 2013 Monastery and Site of the Escorial, Madrid, 2 euro 2014 Works of Antoni Gaudí, 2 euro 2015 Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain, 2 euro 2016 Old city of Segovia and its aqueduct.
El Escorial - Monastery and Site of the Escorial, Madrid
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the King of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and school. There is another town, 2,06 km further down the valley (4,1 km road distance), called 'El Escorial'.
The Escorial comprises two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural significance: the royal monastery itself and La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five kilometres away. These sites have a dual nature; that is to say, during the 16th and 17th centuries, they were places in which the power of the Spanish monarchy and the ecclesiastical predominance of the Roman Catholic religion in Spain found a common architectural manifestation. El Escorial was, at once, a monastery and a Spanish royal palace. Originally a property of the Hieronymite monks, it is now a monastery of the Order of Saint Augustine.
Philip II of Spain, reacting to the Protestant Reformation sweeping through Europe during the 16th century, devoted much of his lengthy reign (1556–1598) and much of his seemingly inexhaustible supply of New World gold to stemming the Protestant tide. His protracted efforts were, in the long run, partly successful; however, the same counter-reformational impulse had a much more benign expression thirty years earlier in Philip's decision to build the complex at El Escorial.
Philip engaged the Spanish architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo, to be his collaborator in the design of El Escorial. Juan Bautista had spent the greater part of his career in Rome, where he had worked on the basilica of St. Peter's, and in Naples, where he had served the king's viceroy, whose recommendation brought him to the king's attention. Philip appointed him architect-royal in 1559, and together they designed El Escorial as a monument to Spain's role as a center of the Christian world.
On 2 November 1984, UNESCO declared The Royal Site of San Lorenzo of El Escorial a World Heritage Site. It is a popular tourist attraction, often visited by day-trippers from Madrid - more than 500,000 visitors come to El Escorial every year.2 euro commemorative coin Spain 2013 Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial; Spanish commemorative coins 2013 uncirculated; 2Euro Spain 2013 Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial commemorative coin;