Parque del Buen Retiro, Madrid facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Retiro Park

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Location	Madrid, Spain
Area	1.4 km2 (350 acres)
Created	1680
Operated by	Ayuntamiento de Madrid
Status	Public park

The Retiro Park (or Parque del Buen Retiro in Spanish) is one of the biggest and most famous parks in Madrid, Spain. For a long time, it was a private garden for the Spanish royal family. But in the late 1800s, it became a public park for everyone to enjoy.

Exploring Retiro Park's Location
History of Retiro Park
Amazing Features of Retiro Park
Fun Activities in Retiro Park
- Concerts and Book Fairs
- Sports and Play Areas
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Retiro Park's Location

Retiro Park is a large and popular park right next to the city center of Madrid. It covers about 1.4 square kilometers (350 acres). The park is very close to the famous Puerta de Alcalá gate and not far from the Prado Museum. It is a beautiful park filled with sculptures, monuments, art galleries, and a peaceful lake. Many events happen here, making it one of Madrid's top attractions. The park is completely surrounded by the city today.

History of Retiro Park

Early Beginnings of the Park

The story of Retiro Park began in 1505. At that time, a monastery was moved to the area where the San Jeronimo el Real Church now stands. The royal family built a special retreat as part of this church.

Later, in 1561, King Philip II moved the Spanish court to Madrid. He had the Retiro area made larger by his architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo. New paths lined with trees were also created.

Creating the Royal Gardens

The gardens grew even more in the 1620s. This happened when Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, a powerful friend of King Philip IV, gave the king more land nearby. Olivares wanted to build a royal house for the king that would be even better than the grand villas in Rome. Even though it was outside Madrid back then, the cool, wooded area was perfect.

In the 1630s, several buildings were quickly put up. Two of these still stand today: the "Casón del Buen Retiro," which was a ballroom, and the "Salón de Reinos" (Hall of Kingdoms). The Hall of Kingdoms was decorated with famous paintings by Velázquez and Zurbarán.

Fountain of the Fallen Angel

Water Features and Grand Events

The Count-Duke of Olivares hired Cosimo Lotti, a garden designer, to work on the park in the 1630s. Water was a key part of the garden from the start. The large pond, Estanque del Retiro, was used for pretend naval battles and other water shows. There were also canals and other ponds. Buen Retiro was called "The world art wonder of the time." It became the center of Habsburg royal life when Spain was a very powerful country. During the reigns of King Philip IV and King Charles II, many amazing plays were performed in the park for the royal family.

Paseo de la Argentina

Avenida de México

Changes and Public Access

After King Philip IV died in 1665, the gardens were not well cared for. However, they have been fixed up and changed many times since then. They were opened to the public in 1767 and became owned by the city in 1868.

King Philip V (1700–1746) ordered the creation of a parterre, which is a French-style garden. King Ferdinand VI used Buen Retiro for grand Italian operas. King Charles III (1759–1788) made the park's edges more beautiful with elegant iron fences. The Astronomical Observatory was built during the time of King Charles IV (1788–1808).

Most of the Buen Retiro Palace was destroyed during the Peninsular War (1807–1814) when France invaded Spain.

Becoming a City Landmark

During the reign of Queen Isabella II, the "Retiro" changed a lot. The gardens became very green with many shade and fruit trees. Areas that were once empty, like the "Campo Grande," were also landscaped. The gardens finally became public property in 1868, when Queen Isabella was overthrown. In 1883, the park hosted a big national mining exhibition.

El Retiro slowly became the green heart of Madrid. In the early 1900s, the Monument to Alfonso XII of Spain was built next to the pond. Many statues, fountains, and monuments have filled the park, turning it into an outdoor sculpture museum.

New gardens were created in the 1930s and 1940s by Chief Gardener Cecilio Rodriguez. He designed and built the beautiful rose garden.

Amazing Features of Retiro Park

Rosaleda (rose garden)

Casita del Pescador

The Great Pond and Alfonso XII Monument

Near the northern entrance of the park is the Estanque del Retiro (Retiro Pond). This is a large, human-made pond. Next to it is a grand monument to King Alfonso XII. It has a curved row of columns and a statue of the king on horseback at the top.

The Rose Garden and Fallen Angel

The Rosaleda (rose garden) was added in the early 1900s. It was inspired by a famous rose garden in Paris. Near the roses, you'll find the Fountain of the Fallen Angel, built in 1922. The main sculpture, El Angel Caído (The Fallen Angel), was made by Ricardo Bellver. It shows Lucifer falling from Heaven, inspired by a poem called Paradise Lost. Some say it's the only public statue of Satan in the world.

Historic Buildings and Art Galleries

A few buildings from the old Buen Retiro Palace still remain. These include the Casón del Buen Retiro and the Salon de Reinos. They now hold museum collections. The Casón has paintings from the 1800s and 1900s, including art by the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla.

Since it became a public park, Retiro has hosted many international exhibitions. Some special buildings from these events are still there. These include the Velázquez Palace (1884) and the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace). The Crystal Palace is a glass building inspired by The Crystal Palace in London. It was built in 1887 to show off plants from the Philippines. It's truly one of the most amazing buildings in the gardens.

Statue Walk and Memorials

The Paseo de la Argentina, also known as Paseo de las Estatuas (Statue Walk), is decorated with statues of kings. These statues were originally made for the Royal Palace between 1750 and 1753.

Today, you can find art galleries in the Crystal Palace, Palacio de Velázquez, and Casa de Vacas.

Retiro Park also has the Forest of Remembrance (Bosque del recuerdo). This is a special monument to remember the 191 people who lost their lives in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks.

Fun Activities in Retiro Park

Crystal Palace in Retiro Park

Artificial mountain

Statue

Concerts and Book Fairs

From late May to early October, the Madrid Symphonic Band gives free concerts every Sunday at midday. They play at the bandstand near Calle de Alcalá.

The park also hosts an annual Book Fair. You can even find shelves for used books where people leave their old books, magazines, or newspapers. Many events happen throughout the year, like concerts, fireworks, and holiday celebrations.

Sports and Play Areas

There are outdoor exercise areas for both older people and younger people. The older area has equipment for stretching and staying active. The younger area has bars for pull-ups and sit-ups.

Around the Retiro Pond, you can watch puppet shows and street performers. You can also rent rowboats to paddle on the pond. If you prefer, there's a solar-powered boat you can ride.

Retiro Park offers many different sports courts managed by the city.

For children, there are several playground areas. There are also ponds with ducks that you can feed. Inside the Palacio de Cristal, a stone slide has been added for kids to enjoy.

The main paths and walkways are popular with families, runners, bikers, and rollerbladers.