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On two different trips to Madrid, I decided to check out the area around Parque del Retiro, which contains some of the city’s best museums.
Everything in this entry is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences. As far as the park, I didn’t visit but hope to save it for a future trip.
Alcalá Gate
I started both times at the Alcalá Gate (Puerta de Alcalá), which sits at the northwest corner of the park. This triumphal arch was built in 1778 and was once a gate on the Walls of Felipe IV. It was commissioned by King Carlos III and designed by Francesco Sabatini (1721-1797).
Parque del Retiro
From there, I walked past the gates of Parque del Retiro. It was property of the Spanish monarchy from 1505 until it became a public park in 1868.
Royal Spanish Academy
I then walked down some quiet streets to a small plaza with a monument to Princess María Cristina de Borbón. The Royal Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española) is on the west side of the plaza. It was founded in 1713 with the purpose of ensuring the stability of the Spanish language. The building was constructed in 1894.
Casón del Buen Retiro
Also on the plaza is the Casón del Buen Retiro, an annex of the Prado Museum (see below). The building houses the museum’s study center and library. It was built in 1637 as the ballroom (Salón de Baile) of the royal palace of Buen Retiro and is one of two surviving buildings of the palace. The picture below shows the west façade, which was reconstructed by architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco (1843-1923) in the late 19th century.
Church of San Jerónimo el Real
The Church of San Jerónimo el Real (Iglesia de San Jerónimo el Real) was built between 1502 and 1505 as part of a monastery that once stood next to the royal palace of Buen Retiro.
It’s got a beautiful interior with some important paintings and sculptures.
Prado Museum
In front of the church is the Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado), Spain’s national art museum. The building was designed in 1785 by Juan de Villanueva (1739-1811) as the Natural History Cabinet under Carlos III. It was never used as such and opened to the public as the Prado in November 1819 under Fernando VII. Some very important works of art are housed there, but I decided not to visit until I had more time. Admission is €15 (as of June 2023).
Plaza de Murillo
South of the Prado is Plaza de Murillo, which contains a statue of painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682).
Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid
There you can also find the gates to the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid (Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid), which was founded on October 17, 1755, by Fernando VI. General admission to the garden and exhibition is €7 and to the garden only is €4 (as of June 2023). Children under 18 are admitted free.
Fomento Palace
I walked south to Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, also known as Plaza de Atocha, where I spotted the Fomento Palace (Palacio de Fomento). This building serves as the Ministry of Agriculture and was originally built in 1897 as an office building. Free guided tours are available at 12pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tours with guides in period costume take place at 8pm every Friday and Saturday evening for €8 (as of June 2023). All tours should be reserved in advance via email.
Reina Sofia Museum
The Reina Sofia Museum (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía) is Spain’s national museum of 20th century art. It opened in 1992 and is located on Plaza de Atocha. It’s one of the world’s most visited art museums. Admission is €12 (as of June 2023) and it’s open daily except Tuesdays.
The 18th century building, which once served as the Madrid General Hospital, is the home of some of the most important works by Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) and Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) among other Spanish and international artists. I wasn’t allowed to, but I snapped a photo of Picasso’s Guernica, which is the main reason I visited the museum.
Next Time
On my next visit, I plan on seeing much more of the area and the whole park. There are several museums and other highlights to see, but my short time in the city on my first few visits haven’t allow me to dedicate enough time to the area.
