Juan de Herrera’s Architectural Challenge: Understanding the Planar Vault of El Escorial | Chapter 8 | Engineering Research: Perspectives on Recent Advances Vol. 6

Arches and vaults have long been essential elements in historical architecture, primarily due to their ability to transmit compressive forces through curved forms. These shapes, dictated by structural necessity, are ubiquitous in masonry construction. However, within the Basilica of the Monastery of El Escorial—one of the most iconic architectural works of the Spanish Renaissance—visitors encounter an extraordinary exception: a planar, or flat, vault located beneath the choir loft. Unlike typical vaults, this structure lacks curvature entirely, making it a remarkable anomaly in the context of traditional stone masonry.

 

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the flat vault’s construction, structural behavior, and historical significance. Drawing from historical documentation, architectural drawings, and modern measurement techniques, the study examines the geometric logic and mechanical principles behind this seemingly counterintuitive design. The vault’s minimal thickness, coupled with its ability to span a wide area and support substantial loads, reflects an ingenious use of stereotomy and force distribution that anticipates modern engineering concepts.

 

By situating this architectural solution within the broader context of 16th-century innovation, particularly under the guidance of architect Juan de Herrera, the article highlights how the vault embodies a unique blend of aesthetic simplicity, constructive efficiency, and structural daring. More than five centuries later, this vault remains not only a testament to the technical mastery of its time but also a subject of continued fascination and study for architects and engineers alike. In conclusion, the vault analysed is more than 500 years old. Its age demonstrates that Herrera’s solution was mechanically optimal. Herrera achieved a reduced stress level to be accepted by the mortars and an optimal structural typology constructively. The number of joints is small, its thickness is thin and the good workmanship fits the ashlars excellently. Therefore, Juan de Herrera demonstrated great knowledge and marvelous assurance by uniting, in this small work, novelty with perfection.

 

 

Author (s) Details

 

Rubén Rodríguez Elizalde
Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Rambla del Poblenou, 156, 08018 Barcelona, Spain.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/erpra/v6/5247