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 Parque del Retiro |
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Parque del Retiro - Retiro Park
Originally, Retiro was a site for Felipe II s hunting adventures.
In the 1630s, a duke from Olivares designed the Retiro Park particularly for Felipe the fourth. It became the surrounding of the Buen Retiro Palace .
The Buen Retiro Palace benefited, having the park strictly for royalty but only until the end of Carlos III s era. It was then opened for public use in 1770. Unfortunately, the Napoleonic Wars demolished the palace.
The Retiro Park still stands as Madrid s largest and most breathtaking park. It has 130 hectares of woodland that forms a green island of more than 15 thousand trees in the middle of an asphalt river.
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One of the highlights of the Retiro Park is the stone figure of Spain s King and Queens that peep out from the vast trees and thick bushes.
The Retiro Park is also home of the renowned artificial lake where visitors could hire rowboats and enjoy the peaceful water.
It also includes the Cecilio Rodriguez Garden , a delightful rose garden, and numerous secluded areas where one can enjoy tranquil privacy.
At the center of the park, you can see two outstanding buildings known as the Palacio de Cristal , where some artworks are sometimes exhibited, and the Palacio de Velasquez .
Around the park, you will see people touring the park with horse-drawn carriages, riding around their bikes, competing chess matches and enjoying pickup games of bocciball. There are also street entertainments such as puppet shows, pavement artists and street performers around the park.
If you wish to have a nature trip, the Retiro Park is the best way to experience it. You can ride the metro and go down at the Banco, Atocha, Retiro or Ibiza stations.
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