El Escorial (1)
The Spanish reckon that the palace of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the 8th wonder of the world... It isn't - but it is impressively austere. It was built in the 16th century by King Felipe II. (Felipe was known in England as Philip of Spain; he was the consort of Queen Mary I and, after her death, the arch enemy of Elizabeth I.)
Felipe / Philip was a religio-maniac - his Spanish Armada was intended to win back England for the Roman Catholic church - and the palace was actually built as a combined royal residence and monastery. Felipe is reputed to have spent most of his time tucked way in one small room, plotting the downfall of the "heretic" English queen.