During your walk through Retiro Park trust your tourist trip to Madrid, the nerve center of your visit will undoubtedly be the Estanque.
In this artificial lake Pick up You can see the largest monument preserved in this large urban park of the capital, the one dedicated to King Alfonso XII, which opened in 1922.
El monument to Alfonso XII in the Retiro Park in Madrid It was built from 1902, at the initiative of the Queen Maria Christina, and was paid for through a popular subscription.
The winner of the public competition that was called was the project of the Catalan architect Jose Grases Riera, author also in Madrid of Longoria Palace, one of the city's outstanding modernist buildings.
El monument to Alfonso XII you will see it on the eastern shore of the aforementioned Pond of the Retreat.
What is the Monument to Alfonso XII like?
It is an architectural work that combines a large semicircular colonnade 86 meters long and 30 meters high, with numerous sculptures distributed throughout the entire monument.
In the center of the monument there is a large equestrian statue of king Alfonso XII made in bronze by the prestigious sculptor Mariano Benlliure.
And in front of it, a large staircase descends to the edge of the pond, which is usually a popular place to watch the sunset.
But in the creation of this grandiose monument they participated until twenty sculptors who sculpted the numerous sculptures that you can see throughout it.
Best panoramic views of the monument to Alfonso XII You will have them from the opposite shore of the pond, especially taking advantage of the evening light that provides a warm play of colors.
But to appreciate the grandeur of the monument and its sculptures, it is best to come and walk through it.
Thus, you will be able to verify the predominant position next to the pond of the sculptures of four stone lions.
You will also be able to see sculptures of mermaids and, above all, various allegorical sculptures on topics such as Science, Agriculture, Army or the Marina.
When can you go up to the viewpoint of the monument to Alfonso XII
During the year there are different periods in which it is possible go up to the viewpoint of this great monument of the Retiro.
It was recently when this possibility was opened after spending decades without it being possible to go up to said viewpoint, which happened for a short period of time in the 80s.
Conclusion free visits carried out with a guide specialized in the history of the monument, which are carried out within the program Walk Madrid of the capital's city hall.
Specifically, during the months of March, April, September and October This is when these visits can be made with a duration of half an hour, and with a very limited capacity.
When these visits are launched, the schedules are usually from Monday to Sunday, in the morning and afternoon.
They have to Book in advance, and the truth is that the quota is usually filled in the first days.
Here you can sign up for the visits to the viewpoint of the monument to Alfonso XII.
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