Saturday, September 6, 2014

Parque del Buen Retiro


One of my favourite stops in Madrid is Buen Retiro Park. Jess and I stopped here to have a picnic lunch and have a wander through the gardens. The weather was fantastic with blue skies and a bit of cloud.

The park is one of the largest parks in Madrid and originally belonged to the Spanish Monarchy until the 19th Century. 




One of my favourite parts of the park is the Monument to King Alfonso XII. It was completed in 1922 and has many beautiful statues and sculpted figures. I really like the mermaids at the base of the monument and how they rest on different sea creatures.













Below is the Velázquez Palace which was built in 1881 as an exhibition hall.  I have never been inside but always enjoy looking at the tile work on the building and enjoy its design. 






The Crystal Palace below was built in 1887 and is made almost entirely of glass set in an iron framework. It was originally made as a greenhouse to house flora and fauna from the Philippines but now is empty and used for art exhibits.














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