Retiro Park is a large 118-hectare park in Madrid, created between 1630 and 1640. It began when Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel (Count-Duke of Olivares), offered the king (Philip IV), the land next to the Jeronimos Monastery for the distractions of the Court around Madrid. The place was not too far from the Royal Palace and the area was wooded. Some buildings were built as the Palace of the Buen Retiro, the theater, the ballroom, the Army Museum and the room of the Kingdoms. There is a large octagonal pond, a rose garden, fountains, 12 important statues in the Gallery of the Park and two palaces: Velázquez and Crystal (now showrooms), many trees (around fifteen thousand), French gardens and flowers. Among its most remarkable gardens we find the garden of perennials, the gardens of Cecilio Rodriguez (with Andalusian style), the French parterre and the garden of architect Herrero Palacios. The park is considered a lung of Madrid.
Tips
The park is open all year round and admission is free.
You can get there by bus or metro.
You will find plenty of space to walk and you can also go rowing. This is a good place to walk in hot summer days.
