The royal apartments are adorned with the finest paint ings, which are displayed in two adjacent galleries. One of these is called the Gallery of the Infanta, and the other, which is the principal one, is 70 feet long, on the walls of which are traced many of the military atchievements of the Spaniards, from which it has received the name of the Battle Hall.
The Campana communicates with the main building by a double gallery, one above the other, 86 feet long, and adorned with Ionic columns. The church is ascend ed by a fine staircase, 136 feet broad, and 34 long, which leads to a piazza, forming the foreground of the church This piazza opens to five arcades resting on pilasters, which support Doric semicolumns. Above these is raised a second body, adorned with six statues of the kings of Israel, IS feet in length, and formed of white marble inlaid with black. This front is flanked by two towers, which are used as belfries. The inside of the church, which is Doric, is in the form of a Greek cross, with a lofty dome in the centre. It is 313 feet long, and 194 broad, and contains 48 altars, enriched by fine paintings. A fine marble statue of St Lorenzo is placed over the holy water pot, and is supposed to have been an antique discovered at Rome. The interior of the choir is exquisitely finished, and the fine paint ings of Cambiaso cover the walls and ceilings. The pulpit of cedar and ebony, resting on four columns of bronze, is finely ornamented; and there arc two rows of stalls, including 228 scats. The chancel, 'which is raised by 12 steps, is adorned with bronzes, and has fresco paintings on its roof. It contains two mauso leums, one representing the statues of Charles V., his Empress Elizabeth, his daughter the Empress Mary, and his sister the Queen of France and Hungary. The other exhibits the statues of Philip II. and of his three queens, Anne, Mary, and Elizabeth, all of gilt bronze. Three doors, adorned with chrystal and bronze, lead un der an arch into the chancel, and conduct to three com partments, where the royal family assist at divine ser vice. The principal altar consists of four bodies of architecture. In the first arc six Doric columns, in the second six fluted Ionic columns, in the third Ibur flu ted Corinthian columns, and in the fourth two Com posite ones. Fifteen statues, and several paintings, are
attached to these, several of which are very beautiful. The ornaments of the columns and pilasters arc of gilt bronze. In the centre of the altar stands a Corinthian circular table, 14 feet 7 inches high, and 6 feet 7 inch es in diameter. It is adorned with the statues of the twelve apostles, in gilt bronze, and with eight column; of red jasper marble, which can scarcely be distinguish ed from agates. This beautiful structure terminates in a dome of jasper marble, which contains a statue of Christ, and is adorned with a topaz as large as the hand, and encased in a rose of gold. Within this taber nacle is inclosed another, more gorgeous and magnifi cent; it is of a square form, 19 inches high. It is de corated on each side with four columns and four pilas ters, having their bases and capitals of gold enamel, and the cornice of silver. It is crowned with small pyra midal spires, placed on pedestals of vermilion stone, embossed with gold. Two doors of rock crystal, stud ded with gold, appear at the two sides, and the whole, like the larger tabernacle, terminates in a dome, on the top of which is an emerald attached to a rose of gold, and on the inside a beautiful topaz inclosed in gold enamel.
The sacristy is included in one beautiful nave, 93 feet long, and 80 feet broad, and is enriched with re lics, shrines, chalices, crosses, chandeliers, and paint ings of inestimable value. On the altar called Santa For ma, adorned with the finest marble and bronzes, is pre served a splendid tabernacle, presented by the Emperor Leopold.
The treasury of this church contains many articles of great value : among these are a statue of St Lorenzo, which weighs 900 marks of silver, and 36 marks of gold ; an allegorical statue of the city of Messina, which bears in its hand an ostensoire of gold, weighing 50 marks ; a small temple of gilt bronze, more than 100 feet high, adorned with eight Doric columns, and sur mounted with a dome; a crucifix of silver, attached to a cross of gilt silver, having a topaz on the head, a large ruby in each hand, and a brilliant stone, an inch in dia meter, at the feet, which was long considered as a dia mond.