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Strolling the manicured pathways of the Retiro was once the preserve of kings and queens, but nowadays it is a blissful pastime for Madrileños and visitors of the pleasure garden. At dusk, as the temperature drops, it feels as though half the city turns out to see and be seen.
t Visitors can seek shade beneath the colonnade encircling Alfonso XII’s monument.
Experience East Madrid
t The Palacio de Cristal at sunset, in the southern part of the Parque del Retiro
The Retiro, which is situated in Madrid’s smart Jerónimos district, takes its name from Felipe IV’s royal palace complex, which once stood here. Today, all that is left of the palace is the Casón del Buen Retiro – now the Prado’s library – and the Salón de Reinos, both located just outside the park.
Used privately by the royal family from 1632, the park became the scene of elaborate pageants, bullfights and mock naval battles. In the 18th century it was partially opened to the public, provided visitors were formally dressed, and in 1869 it was fully opened.
A short stroll from the park’s northern entrance down the tree-lined avenue leads to the bustling estanque (pleasure lake). This is a hub for much of the park’s activity, and rowing boats can be hired here. On one side of the lake is a half-moon colonnade in front of which an equestrian statue of Alfonso XII rides high on a column. Opposite, portrait painters and fortune-tellers ply their trade.
To the south of the lake are two ornate palaces. The Neo-Classical Palacio de Velázquez and the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) were built by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco in 1883 and 1887 respectively and regularly hold contemporary art exhibitions.
The gardens are also home to many elegant marble monuments and statues. Among them is El Ángel Caído (Fallen Angel), which is a late 19th-century sculpture by Ricardo Bellver that crowns one of the park’s fountains. It is one of perhaps three statues of the devil in the world.
Picture Perfect
Those in Glass Houses
The intricate iron architecture of the Palacio de Cristal can be perfectly captured reflected in the lake. Get the best shot of the east-facing structure at sunrise, when the light reflects off the hundreds of glass panels.