The monuments controversial past aside, it is considered to be one of Spain’s most important architectural achievements of the 20^th century. The site was intended to be larger than life, to “defy time and memory”. In its style, it is considered to be Neo-Herrerian, an updated take on the style made famous by Juan de Herrera (Spain’s most acclaimed architect) style. Juan de Herrera lived during the XVI century and was the chief architect of El Escorial, the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, and the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. The Neo-Herrerian style is uniquely Spanish and was widely used in public buildings after the Spanish Civil War as a symbol of power and grandeur.

The monument spans over almost 4 acres of the Guadarrama mountain range and sits 3000 feet above sea level. The complex includes a Basilica, an abbey, a guest house, the Valley, and several cylindrical 16th-century monoliths known as the Juanelos. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring feature is the 500-foot cross that towers over the complex and is easily visible for over 20 miles.

The site took almost 20 years to build. Construction started in 1940 and the monument was officially inaugurated on the 1^st April 1959. Though there is no real way of knowing, the government at the time claimed that construction cost 1,159 million pesetas and was paid with earnings from the national lottery draws and donations.