Which monastery library kept many banned texts collected by Philip II and Philip III?

Which monastery library kept many banned texts collected by Philip II and Philip III? The answer is the Monasterio del Escorial.

The Royal Library of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was created as part of Philip II’s monumental monastery complex near Madrid. Philip II was a highly educated ruler and an enthusiastic collector of manuscripts, printed books, scientific works, maps, and texts from across Europe and the Mediterranean.

His library also preserved works prohibited by the Inquisition. Rather than destroying every banned book, authorities could restrict access to scholars, clergy, or specially authorized readers. This made El Escorial an important repository for texts that were officially censored elsewhere.

Philip III continued his father’s policy. He granted the library the right to receive a free copy of every book published within the empire, helping its collections expand. The library suffered a catastrophic fire in 1671, but much of its renowned collection survived. The site is often called simply El Escorial or the Escurialense.