5/5 SARDAR Manpreet Singh K. 3 years ago on Google
El
Retiro
Park
El
Retiro
Park
has
become
Madrid’s
most
renowned
park since
it
was
first
opened
to
the
public
in
1868.
The
park’s
official
name
is
Parque
del
Buen
Retiro.
Retiro
is the
most
important
park
in
Madrid,
and
one
of
the
most
popular
places
to
visit
both
for
locals
and
tourists.
It's
118
hectares
of
green
space
in
the
very
centre
of
the
city.
This
major
urban
park
was built
in
the
middle
of
the
17th
century to
be
enjoyed
by
king
Felipe
IV.
Although
the
park
was
partially
destroyed
during
the
War
of
Independence,
it
recovered
its
charm
and
elegance
and
became
public.
El
Retiro
is
packed
with
things
to
see
like
monuments,
galleries,
statues,
lakes
and
magnificent
buildings. There
are
also numerous
activities
on
every
day,
from
yoga,
roller-blading,
puppet
shows,
musicians,
fortune
tellers
and
stands
with
food
and
different
objects
for
sale.
Top
attractions:
Estanque
(Lake):
The
gardens
house
a
large
artificial
lake
where
many locals
and
tourists
rent
rowboats
to
explore
the
“Estanque” or
you
can
hop
on
a
larger
boat
that
goes
around
the
pond.
It
is
very
close
to
the
entrance
of Puerta
de
Alcalá.
Monument
to
King
Alfonso
XII:
This
enormous
monument
is
located
on
the
edge
of
the
artificial
lake
and
was
inaugurated
in
1922.
On
Sundays,
musicians
normally
gather
near
this
landmark to
play
various
instruments.
Palacio
de
Cristal
(Crystal
Palace):
Built
in
1887
in
a
wooded
area
with
a
small
artificial
lake,
full
of
small
tortoises, the
Crystal
Palace
houses
numerous
contemporary
exhibitions.
When
it
was
built,
it
was
initially
used
as
a
greenhouse.
Palacio
de
Velázquez
(Velázquez
Palace): Located
very
near
the
Palacio
de
Cristal,
this
art
gallery
always
features
temporary
art
exhibitions
and
is
free
to
visit:
highly
recommended
for
fans
of
art.
Paseo
de
la
Argentina: Also
known
as
the Paseo
de
las
Estatuas (Statue
Promenade
in
English)
is
a
broad
promenade
with
two
lines
of
statues
dedicated
to
Spain’s
monarchs.
The
first
statues
were
commissioned
by
Ferdinand
VI
to
decorate
the Royal
Palace.
Great
for
kids
El
Retiro
is
not
only
one
of
the
most
visited
parts
of
Madrid, it
is
also
ideal
if
you
are
travelling
with
children. Almost
every
Saturday
and
Sunday
the
puppet
theatre
offers
great
shows
for
kids,
actors
dress
up
as
cartoon
characters,
you
can
take
them
rowing
in
the
big
lake
and there
are
also
numerous
play
and
swing
sets.
Location
Between
the
streets
of
Alfonso
XII
and
Menéndez
Pelayo.
Schedule
From
October
to
March:
6
am
until
10
pm.
From
April
until
September:
6
am
until
midnight.
Transport
Metro:
Retiro,
line
2.
Bus:
1,
2,
15,
19,
20,
26,
28,
51,
52,
61,
63,
68,
74
and
146.
Nearby
places
Puerta
de
Alcalá
(613
m)
Prado
Museum
(757
m)
Naval
Museum,
Madrid
(781
m)
Cibeles
Palace
(809
m)
Royal
Botanic
Garden
(816
m)
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