Park

Spanish Gate and statues walk

This is the main gate and the most monumental entrance to the park.

From here climb the stairs to reach the statues path. These statues of Spanish kings were originally designed to decorate the top of the Royal Palace, but due to safety reasons they were taken down and arranged throughout the city.

Walk straight across the path to find the lake.

The Lake

On the night of San Juan in 1631, the lake was opened to great fanfare and celebration.

The lake was used as a water stage where naval battles were enacted for court enjoyment.

The park used to have their own shipyard to build boats for such entertainment.

The most popular play was one performed on a magic night by the famous opera singer, Farinelli, who deployed the full power of his voice during a solar eclipse.

Crystal Palace

Erected in 1887, it was designed in iron and glass as a greenhouse to exhibit exotic plants brought from Philippines and to show the people of Madrid how daily life was in the faraway Spanish colony. In order to reproduce the real life atmosphere, indigenous groups were also brought from Luzon Island.

Nowadays it holds temporary exhibitions from the Reina Sofia museum.

The Rose garden and the oldest tree in Madrid

Created in 1915, it was designed as a replica of the Bagatelle Rose Garden in Paris. Roses display their best colors in all their splendor in the month of June.

The oldest tree in Madrid, planted over 400 years ago, is located in the garden and is 40m high and 6m wide. Surrounded by a fence, you’ll find it on your left hand side if your back is to the gate.

Legend says that just after the Night of Sorrows, Hernán Cortes hugged the tree crying for the loss and death caused by Indians in a previous battle in Mexico.  Upon his return he brought a small seed to plant on his arrival in Spain. The tree is known as ahuehuete, and served as an artillery base for Napoleon troops during the war of Independence.