The Landscape of Light: A Journey Through the Art Walk and Buen Retiro Park

Among the 41 inscribed monuments, highlights include the Cibeles, Apollo, and Neptune fountains; the statues of Diego Velázquez, Goya, and Murillo; the Monument to the Fallen for Spain; and the Royal Botanical Garden itself as a heritage unit.

The 48 buildings include administrative headquarters such as the Madrid Stock Exchange, the Bank of Spain, and Cibeles Palace; cultural spaces like the headquarters of the Royal Spanish Academy, the Instituto Cervantes, and Casa de América; and scientific and educational facilities like the Royal Observatory of Madrid. This cultural dimension reaches its peak in the so-called Golden Triangle of Art, comprised of the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, and the Reina Sofía National Art Center. The Prado Museum, housed in the Villanueva building and complemented by the Hall of Realms and the Casón del Buen Retiro, is rooted in the Enlightenment project that sought to provide Madrid with institutions dedicated to knowledge and artistic education. Surrounding it are other museums such as the Naval Museum, the National Museum of Anthropology, and the National Museum of Decorative Arts, consolidating an internationally renowned cultural axis. The ensemble also includes churches like San Jerónimo el Real, iconic hotels such as the Westin Palace and the Mandarin Oriental Ritz, and the Niño Jesús University Children's Hospital.

The landscape is completed by 20 unique trees, including the ahuehuete (Montezuma cypress) of the Buen Retiro, distributed throughout the Botanical Garden, the Retiro, and the surrounding boulevards and squares.

The Buen Retiro Park, popularly known as El Retiro, is one of Madrid’s most iconic spaces and one of its main tourist attractions. This historic garden and public park, covering 291 acres (118 hectares) with a perimeter of 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers), constitutes an extraordinary heritage site where nature, art, and history have coexisted since the 17th century. It is home to more than 19,000 trees of 167 different species, some of which are classified as "unique" or "remarkable" trees.

The origins of El Retiro date back to 1629, when the Count-Duke of Olivares promoted the expansion of the Royal Quarters located next to the Jerónimos Monastery and the construction of a palatial residence for Philip IV. The new Buen Retiro Palace, built in 1640 under the direction of architects such as Giovanni Battista Crescenzi and, notably, Alonso Carbonel, was conceived as a place of rest and recreation for the monarchy. Although its exterior architecture reflected the characteristic sobriety of the House of Austria, its interiors were renowned for their sumptuous decoration.

The complex integrated not only the palace but also asymmetrical gardens, ponds, navigable canals, recreational hermitages, squares for festivities, a lion house, and a theater—the Coliseo del Buen Retiro—where Golden Age plays were performed. Sophisticated hydraulic infrastructure allowed for water supply and the creation of spaces like the Large Pond (Estanque Grande), a setting for celebrations and aquatic shows that is still preserved today.

New transformations were introduced in the 18th century. Under the reign of Philip V, French-inspired reforms were planned, resulting in the creation of the Parterre. With Charles III, the Royal Site received an Enlightenment boost: in 1767, public access for recreational purposes was authorized, and scientific initiatives were promoted, such as the creation of the Royal Astronomical Observatory, part of an ambitious program dedicated to the Natural Sciences.

The Peninsular War (1808–1814) caused severe damage to the complex, prompting further interventions in the 19th and 20th centuries. During the reign of Ferdinand VII, a restoration with a distinct Romantic character took place, incorporating new landscaping elements. Under Isabella II, new plantations and promenades were promoted, and in 1868, the former Royal Site was officially transferred to municipal hands and declared a public park.

Since then, El Retiro has seen intense construction and cultural activity. In the final decades of the 19th century, it hosted international exhibitions and contests, for which buildings like the Velázquez Palace and the Glass Palace (Palacio de Cristal) were erected. New walkways, fountains, and ponds were also created, largely shaping the park's current appearance.

Among its most emblematic elements are the Large Pond and the Monument to Alfonso XII, the Palacio de Cristal, the Velázquez Palace, the Parterre, the Philip IV Gate, the Royal Astronomical Observatory, and the Artichoke Fountain, as well as older remains like the Hermitage of San Pelayo and San Isidoro.

Protected as a Site of Cultural Interest and recognized in 2021 as a UNESCO World Heritage site within the Landscape of Light—alongside the Paseo del Prado and the Jerónimos neighborhood—El Retiro is today a vibrant, open space where historical memory and natural beauty integrate into the heart of Madrid, offering a privileged environment for walking, culture, and relaxation.