''El Retiro'' gradually became the heart of the city. At the beginning of the 20th century, the monument to Alfonso XIII was erected next to the pond. Countless statues, fountains and commemorative monuments have filled the park and converted it into an open-air sculpture museum. Worthy of special mention among them are the Artichoke Fountain, designed by Ventura Rodriguez ant the Fallen Angel, peculiar in that main statue is dedicated to the devil. The thirties and forties witnessed the creation of new gardens attributed to Chief Gardener Cecilio Rodriguez who designed and built "the rose bed" and his namesake gardens.
The park's location in the city centre and its being a venue for traditional leisure activities - row boats, puppets shows, open-air concerts, kiosks, etc. - have made it a central meeting place for residents of Madrid and visitors alike. On public holidays, singers, musicians, puppeteers, painters, card-readers and palm-readers, turn the park into a colourful and entertaining place for a stroll.
Origin
The "Jardines del Buen Retiro" date back to the 1620s, when Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares and Philip IV primer minister, gave the king several tracts of land in the vicinity of the "Monasterio de Jerónimos" in Madrid, for the Court's recreational user. Thus, with the remodeling of the Royal Charber that stood adjacent to the monastery, construction of the Buen Retiro Palace was undertaken. Although this second royal residence was to be built in what when then the outlying areas of Madrid, it was actually not far from the existing Alcázar or fortress - residence and the location in a cool, wooded area proved to be ideal.
Architecture
Under the supervision of architects Giovanni Batista Crecenzi and Alonso Carbonell several building were erected, two of which are still standing: the "Casón del Buen Retiro" which served as a ballroom, and the building that today house the Military Museum, the "Salón de Reinos" (hall of Kingdoms), its wall decorated with paintings by Velázquez and Zubarán and frescoes by Luca Giordano.
Gardens
The gardens were planted at the time of construction, and were worked on by - among others - Cosme Lotti, landscape architect for the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Water was a distinguishing trait of the garden from the outset: the great pond which served as the setting, for mock naval battles and other aquatic displays, the great canal, the narrow channel, the chamfered or bellflower pond, created - along with the chapels - the basic layout of the gardens.
Throughout its history the garden has undergone many transformations. Philip V (1700-1746) ordered the creation of a parterre, the only French-style garden in the complex. Charles III (1759-1788) saw to the beautification of its perimeter, replacing the old walls with elegant wrought-iron railings, and he was also the first to allow public access to the gardens. Juan de Villanueva's Astronomical Observatory was built during the reign of Charles IV (1788-1808).
Cultural frame
The reign of Isabella II saw profound changes in the "Retiro". During the queen's minority, the gardens enjoyed a particularly prosperous period, with the planting of shade and fruit trees, and previously unplanted areas like the so called Campo Grande, were Landscapes as well.
Since assuming its role as a public park the late 19th century, the "Parque del Retiro" has been used as avenue for various international exhibitions. Several emblematic buildings have remained as testimony to such events, including the Minig building, popularly know as the Velázquez Palace, and the Crystal Palace, undoubtedly the gardens' most extraordinary building. Built along with its artificial pond in 1887 for the Philipinne Islands Exhibitions, it was first used to display flower species indigenous to the island. The landscape-style gardens located in the former "Campo Grande" are also a reminder of the international exhibitions that have taken place here in the past.
Useful Facts
Address
Plaza de la Independencia s/n. 28001, Madrid.
Main entrance from Plaza de la Independencia Alcala St, Menedez Pelayo Ave, Alfonso XII St And Poeta Esteban de Villegas St
Tel.: 91 558 87 90 Madrid Municipal Parks and Gardens ServiceTransportation
City buses: 1, 2, 9, 15, 19, 20, 28, 51, 52, 74, 146.
Subway: Retiro, Línea 3
Spanish railways: Estación de Atocha
Opening hours
- From May to October: open from 6:00 a.m. to midnight
- From November to April: open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Cost-free
- Free access for groups
Services
- Cafeterias and stands
- Municipal ("Casa de Vacas") and Ministry Of Cultura (Crystal Palace and Velázquez Palace) exhibition halls. Puppet theatre
- Handicapped access
