Un tourist trip to Madrid it is not complete if not Visit Retiro Park.
Behind the Paseo del Prado, where the most important are concentrated museums of Madrid, and next to the Puerta de Alcalá, Pick up It is not only a large urban park of 118 hectares, but also some artistic gardens with a long history behind it.
Prior to your highly recommended walk through Retiro Park, it will be interesting for you to know some historical data and curiosities thereof.
Curiosities about the history of Retiro Park
The origins of Retiro Park are those of some royal gardens.
Its history dates back to the creation of the Buen Retiro gardens, at the time of Philip IV, In XVII century.
These artistic gardens to enjoy court They spread out next to the Monastery of los jeronimos, of which now only its Jerónimos church.
From the time of the reign of Ferdinand VII They are enclosures, like the Menagerie or Royal Embarcaderoas well as a Artificial Mountain which was part of the so-called Garden of Whims.
During the time of the War of independence, He then Good retirement park It became a fortress and garrison for French troops, which caused significant destruction and deterioration.
El retirement park went from being royal gardens to a municipal heritage park 1868 the year.
From then on, the park was opened to the visit of Madrid residents.
A corner as prominent as the Crystal Palace, and the nearby Velázquez Palace, were built on the occasion of the celebration at the Retiro de international exhibitions, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
At that time, the gardens of the Rosaleda by Cecilio Rodríguez and the Monument to Alfonso XII adjacent to Estanque.
A final addition to the Retiro Park grounds is the Forest of Remembrance, monument erected in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack of March 11, 2004.
More information and photos of Retiro Park
Facing your visit to Retiro Park, you will find these articles interesting and useful with extensive information and photos of these artistic gardens in Madrid.
The Best Photos of Retiro Park in Madrid
Curiosities of the Crystal Palace in Retiro Park
It opened on the date of Philip IV, yes...but it is not the 19th century. Change that 🙂