Today's topic: Parque del Retiro. The gardens here are about as beautiful as any I have seen with exquisitely pruned trees and landscaped green spaces. In the center of the park is the Palacio de Cristal (built in 1887) which was originally built as a winter garden, but which now houses art exhibits. In the summer of 2019 when I was last there, the was a sculpture exhibit.
In the 17th century, King Felipe IV laid out the park as a space for kings and queens to relax and enjoy. In 1868, the park was opened to the public and has been a space for all residents and visitors to enjoy. In addition to enjoying the beauty of the gardens, including lots of peacocks and other birds, the manmade lake is a lovely place to sit, have coffee and rent a rowboat.