With 125 hectares and more than 15,000 trees, El Retiro Park is the most important park in Madrid and one of the favorite places for both locals and tourists. Some of its gardens deserve special attention: the Vivaces garden, the Cecilio Rodríguez gardens, the gardens of the Architect Herrero Palacios, the Rosaleda and the French Parterre with the ahuehuete, the oldest tree in Madrid. Since July 25, 2021, it is recognized, along with the Paseo del Prado, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the most important architectural and historical elements of the park there are: the Estanque Grande, the Palacio de Velázquez and the Palacio de Cristal, both used as exhibition halls of the Reina Sofía Museum. In addition, El Retiro houses notable sculptures and fountains such as the monument to Alfonso XII, a project by the architect José Grasés Riera -with a viewpoint from which to enjoy beautiful views of the city- or the Fernando VII reserve that includes the Casa del Fisherman, the Artificial Mountain and the Smuggler's House. Also noteworthy are the statue of El Ángel Caído, the water wheel, the Galapagos fountain, the surprising Hermitage of San Pelayo and San Isidoro; the Forest of Memory, in homage to the victims of the terrorist attacks that took place in Madrid on March 11, 2004, and the Puppet Theater.
Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain