The environment
Robledo de Chavela
Robledo de Chavela is located in the western mountains of Madrid, 63 km. from the capital, an area located halfway between the mountais of Guadarrama and the mountains of Gredos.
Robledo borders the following towns:
- To the norht with Santa Maria de la Alameda and Zarzalejo.
- To the east with El Escorial, Navalagamella and Fresnedilla de la Oliva.
- At south with Colmenar del Arroyo and Navas del Rey.
- To the west with Valdemaqueda and Cebreros.
The town is longitudinally traversed by a montain range, whose most representative heights are the hills:
- San Benito (1626m.)
- La Almenara (1259m.)
- El Almojón (1178m.)
This location make Robledo de Chavela an excellent place for holidays or to relax a few days from de city noise.
With a cool summer climate and clear days in winter is the ideal place for isolate and have a rest.
The surface of Robledo has a significant forest resources, which include vast pine forests of wildlife value, and oak of high floristic diversity and geomorphological interest.
The municipality is part of the Imperial Route and Robledo you can find the old houses that dot many points of this municipality, attest to the historical heritage that Robledo de Chavela began to treasure since the eighteenth century, when he left aside his pastoral origins to become the seed of what it is today.
The most emblematic and beloved construction by all the residents of Robledo is the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, located at the highest point of the urban center. It has a defensive aspect as a result of Gothic architecture, this work dates from the XV and XVI centuries and its most valuable piece is the Main Altarpiece that, with a Hispano-Flemish aesthetic, consists of 32 tables on the life of the Virgin Mary.
The Town Hall was an old prison, it also functioned as a school and library before hosting the City Hall. It is one of the most characteristic buildings in the urban area, with granite masonry and a lintel portico on the first floor.
Robledo de Chavela also has three chapels:
San Antonio de Padua on the hill of Robledillo
Our Lady of the Sweet Name of María de La Antigua.
And the hermitage of Navahonda that is located at the foot of Mount Almenara.
On the road that goes towards Navas del Rey you can follow the fourteen stations or granite crosses that make up the Vía Crucis of the eighteenth century.
SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL
Located to less of 20 km from Robledo de Chavela, San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a noisy and nice village that offers to visitant an exclusive architectural heritage, a natural and privileged environment, and cultural proposal of quality.
San Lorenzo de El Escorial have a value architectural heritage that justify in a big measure, the touristic attractive of the town.
The most emblematic and significant building is the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, that for its unique character was declarated such as Monument of World Interest by the UNESCO IN 1984.
We offer the posibility to organize the guided visit to Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
NASA Satellite Tracking Station
Near Robledo de Chavela, within its boundaries, is the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC), the only NASA installation in Spain in collaboration with the INTA (National Institute of Aerospace Technique). Its belongs to the Deep Space Net, and its first aerial was placed in 1961 for the Mariner Program.
This Base of Aerospace Monitoring aims to track all vehicles that NASA send into space, manned or unmanned.
Its activity is synchronized with other two international bases: Golsdtone (California) and Canberra (Australia).
The station has a visitor center that offers visits from tuesday to friday, and the weekends.
Currently the center has incorporated a telescope with one antenna that is adapted to realize observations for educational purposes.
In his auditorium, projections and presentations are carried out on the space and in the three remaining rooms, a descriptive exhibition about the activities of NASA and the MDSCC can be done
Visits
Admission is free and the schedule of visits for daily days (except July and August *) is from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., previously arranged visits (necessary to call by phone to arrange a visit.) 918677321).
On Saturdays and Sundays, throughout the year, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (it is not necessary to arrange a visit, unless it is a group equal to or greater than 15 people, which then it is necessary to call by telephone).
The holidays the visitor center will remain closed.
* Hours during July and August: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 17:00, previously arranged visits.
For more information you can call (+34) 918677321 or get in touch by email centrodevisitantes@mdscc.nasa.gov
From our Hotel we manage your visit to the Center. Check in at the Reception.