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This spectacular Nativity Scene was devised in 1997 by the local artist Mariano Blázquez “Pardito” and his team, who from the outset received the cooperation and support of the Local Authority of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
Some 6000 square metres of the Historical-Artistic Complex of San Lorenzo de El Escorial are physically transformed to make way for the different settings of the Monumental Nativity Scene. Settings which decorate the streets and squares of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, promoting economic and social activity in the traditional town centre.
These scenes commemorate the birth of Jesus and reproduce the features of Palestine from twenty centuries ago. We would highlight a number of particularly notable settings, which are perfectly reflected in the corresponding photographs.
The settings are decorated with more than 500 life-size figures, 186 of which represent men and women performing different trades, while 364 are the animals traditionally included in a Nativity Scene.
The most notable figures represent the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the Christ child, the Three Kings and King Herod.
And then there are the craftspeople, shepherds, merchants, traders, children, Roman soldiers and nobles, the Roman chariot, fisherfolk, boats, etc.
One new feature added in 2011 was the inclusion of a marker on each figure indicating their individual name, chosen from among those typical of the era represented.
There were also plenty of sheep (93), hens and chickens (63), goats (32), pigs (21), ducks (20), camels (18), donkeys (14), lambs (13), cows (7), dogs (7), doves (7), turkeys (6), geese (6), vultures (4), horses (4), oxen (3), flamingos (3), elephants (2), giraffes (2), tiger (1), puma (1), etc.