Jardines+del+Retiro+(Ingles)

This page was created by Sergio Gómez-Pardo.

Jardines del Retiro I

His situation in the heart of the city and the traditional activities of leisure, boats, puppers, concerts outdoors, kiosks, etc.....It do that the people of Madrid and the visitors use as place as place of meeting. Singers, musicians, puppeteers, painters, throwers of letters, turn the park the holidays into a many-colored(mixed), very attractive place for the walk and the entertainment.

media type="youtube" key="P23OwWgIwx4" height="344" width="425"toc

1. History
The Gardens were originated between 1630 and 1640. The Count Duke of Olivares, the king gave some land that had been leased from the Duke of Fernan Nunez for the recreation of the Court. With the reform of the Fourth Royal near the monastery, began the construction of the Palacio del Buen Retiro. In that moment, the park had 145 acres. This second royal residence would be in the outskirts of Madrid. It was not overly away from the palace and turned out to be a very nice place as it was in a very forest and fresh.

**2. Paseo de las Estatuas.**
The Paseo de la Argentina del Retiro is popularly known as Statuary Walk, as it is flanked by a number of them dedicated to all the monarchs of Spain and ordered to decorate the Royal Palace in Madrid, during the reign of Ferdinand VI. At first the idea was to adorn the cornice of the palace. The statues were made by several authors, under the direction of the court sculptor Domenico Olivieri and Felipe de Castro. The statues came to be placed on the ledge of the Royal Palace as you can see in some engravings of the time, but the arrival of Carlos III in Madrid the king gave the order to withdraw it considered too baroque Palace. For this reason, were placed in various locations throughout the city (Plaza de Oriente, El Retiro, Sabatini Gardens) and some even took to other provinces.



**3. La Fuente del Ángel Caído.**
In the square stands the same since 1885 the Fountain of the Fallen Angel. It consits of a sculpture by Ricardo Belver in Madrid 1877 (and cast in bronze the next year) and inspired by a verse of Paradise Lost (1667) of Milton, and a pedestal of granite, bronze and stone designed by the architect Francisco Jareño. At the bottom, the pipes so water represent man faces infernal beings.



4.1 The Gate of Philip IV:
La Puerta de Felipe IV gives the Calle de Alfonso XII, in front of the Cason del Buen Retiro, was lifted in 1690, the door was originally in the Carrera de San Jerónimo, where today is the Plaza de Canovas del Castillo (Neptune), since by then and mid-nineteenth century until there lay the Parque del Retiro.

4.2 The Gate of Spain:
 The door to the street Spain Alfonso XII is the work of Joseph Urieste and evening, completed the building in 1893.

Puerta de Hernani:
Puerta de Hernani is one of the gates of the Gardens of Retreat is situated across the street of Alcala.

5.1 Cuba Memorial:
This is a detail dedicated to Christopher Columbus, located in the Plaza of El Salvador in the Retiro's Park by Francisco Asorey, Mariano Benlluire, Miguel Blay and Jhon Christopher in 1930-31, is made in marble, granite and bronze, measuring 8'50 x 12'00metres, opened in 1952.

The Monument to General Martinez Campos, is located in The Plaza of Guatemala in the Retiro's park designed by Mariano Benlluire, began construction in 1904 and ended in 1907, consists of a stone pedestal that holds a bronze statue made by General Martinez Campos.

5.3 Monument S.M. King D. Alfonso XII
The Monument to S.M. King D.Alfonso XII, is located in the Retiro Park, Grases designed by Jose Riera and the statue by Mariano Benlliure, started its construction in 1901 and ended in 1922, this turned to stone and bronze sculptures were done by 22 artists, the statue is made of bronze monument fdel dimensions are: height, 30 meters, length, 86 m, width 58 m and the statue of King: height, 6.5 meters, length, 6.5 m, width 3.5 m.