Buen Retiro Park

During the reign of Isabella I in 1505, the Jeronimos monastery was relocated to its present site and a new monastery was constructed in the Isabelline Gothic style, which included a retreat for the royal family as part of the church.

In 1561, King Philip II moved the Spanish court to Madrid and had the Retiro, a park in the city, expanded by architect Juan Bautista de Toledo, with formal tree-lined avenues added.

Later on, in the 1620s, Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, who was a favourite of Philip IV, gave the king several pieces of land in the area for recreational use. Olivares aimed to build a royal residence in a place that the king preferred, which would surpass the villas built for the Roman nobles in the hilly outskirts of Rome during the previous century.

The location of the new residence, although in the outlying areas of Madrid at the time, was not far from the existing fortress residence, and the cool, wooded area was an ideal spot.

In the 1630s, two buildings, the Casón del Buen Retiro and the Salón de Reinos, were quickly erected under the guidance of architects Giovanni Battista Crescenzi and Alonso Carbonell. The latter structure featured paintings by Velázquez and Zurbarán and frescoes by Luca Giordano, and it still stands today.

In the 1630s, the Count-Duke of Olivares commissioned the creation of Buen Retiro Park, located in Madrid, Spain. The park was designed by Cosimo Lotti, a garden designer who previously worked on the Boboli Gardens for the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The park was distinguished by its water features, such as the Estanque del Retiro, a large pond where mock naval battles and aquatic displays took place, as well as the great canal, the narrow channel, and the chamfered or bellflower pond. Buen Retiro was considered a masterpiece of art during the Renaissance and became the center of Habsburg court life, hosting magnificent plays and operas for the royal family and court.

After the death of Philip IV in 1665, the gardens were neglected until they were restored and changed numerous times, including the creation of a French-style garden by Philip V and the planting of shade and fruit trees during the reign of Queen Isabella II. The park was eventually opened to the public in 1767 and became the property of the municipality in 1868.

Throughout the years, the park has undergone many changes, including the destruction of the Buen Retiro Palace and its gardens during the Peninsular War when the troops of the First French Empire built the citadel of Madrid in its grounds. The reign of Queen Isabella II saw significant changes, and the park eventually became the green heart of the city. The park has been home to countless statues, fountains, and commemorative monuments and has been converted into an open-air sculpture museum.

In the 1930s and 1940s, new gardens were created, including the rose garden designed and built by Chief Gardener Cecilio Rodriguez. Today, Buen Retiro Park remains a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike, featuring many notable sights such as the Monument to Alfonso XII of Spain, which was erected at the beginning of the 20th century next to the pond.

Near the northern entrance of the park lies the Estanque del Retiro, a large man-made pond, along with the monument to King Alfonso XII. The monument features a semicircular colonnade and an equestrian statue of the monarch atop a tall central core.

In the early 20th century, the Rosaleda, or rose garden, was added to the park, inspired by the Bagatelle rose garden in the Bois de Boulogne. Adjacent to the roses is the Fountain of the Fallen Angel, erected in 1922, which features El Angel Caído (the Fallen Angel) at the top, a sculpture by Ricardo Bellver (1845-1924) inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost. This statue is believed to be the only known public monument to Satan.

The few remaining buildings of the Buen Retiro Palace, including the Casón del Buen Retiro and the Salon de Reinos, now serve as museum collections. The Casón exhibits 19th- and 20th-century paintings, including works by the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla. Meanwhile, the Ejército, one of Spain's top army museums, has moved to Toledo.

Since the late 19th century, the Parque del Retiro has been used as a venue for various international exhibitions, with several emblematic buildings remaining as testimonies to such events. The Velázquez Palace, also known as the Mining building, was designed by architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco in 1884, and is now an art gallery. The Palacio de Cristal, a glass pavilion inspired by The Crystal Palace in London, was built in 1887 for the Philippine Islands Exhibitions and now serves as another art gallery. The Paseo de la Argentina, or Statue Walk, is adorned with statues of kings from the Royal Palace, sculpted between 1750 and 1753.

The Retiro Park is also home to the Forest of Remembrance (Bosque del recuerdo), a memorial monument honoring the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks. Additionally, the Crystal Palace, Palacio de Velázquez, and Casa de Vacas now house art galleries.

Every Sunday between late May and early October at midday, the Banda Sinfónica de Madrid offers free concerts from the bandstand located in the park near Calle de Alcalá. The bandstand, known as 'Kiosko del Retiro', was composed by Manuel Lillo Torregrosa specifically for this purpose.

Retiro Park is also home to an annual Book Fair, as well as shelves dedicated to used books, magazines, and newspapers that are donated by locals. The park hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including concerts, firework shows, and holiday and cultural celebrations.

Visitors can take advantage of the outdoor exercise areas, which cater to both older and younger visitors. The older section offers equipment to stretch and manage arthritis, while the younger area has bars for triceps dips, pull-ups, and sit-ups. Locals even bring their own weights in the form of larger stones.

Around Retiro Pond, visitors can enjoy puppet shows, street performers, and fortune tellers. Rowboats are available for rent to explore the Estanque, and horse-drawn carriages offer a romantic option for sightseeing.

Retiro Park also boasts a variety of sports courts managed by the city, as well as multiple playground areas for children. The Palacio de Cristal has even been modified to include a stone slide.

The park's paths and walkways are popular among families, runners, bikers, and rollerbladers alike.