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Covering over 125 hectares and comprising more than 15 , 000
trees , El Retiro Park is a green oasis in the heart of the city . In
it you ’ ll find all kinds of interesting monuments and gardens ,
including the Jardín de Vivaces , the Jardines de Cecilio
Rodríguez ( Andalusian - inspired classicistic gardens ), the
Jardines del Arquitecto Herrero Palacios , the Rosaleda rose
garden and the Parterre Francés , which holds a Mexican conifer
that is nearly 400 years old and is believed to be
Madrid ’ s oldest tree .
Not only is it one of Madrid ' s green lungs , it also offers culture ,
leisure and sport to locals and visitors . Its most important
architectural and historical features include : the Large
Lake that offers several activities , such as boating and a solar
energy education centre , as well as a canoeing school for
children and teenagers aged 7 to 17 , the Velázquez Palace and
the Glass Palace , both of which are currently used as exhibition
venues . The Glass Palace , a romantic pavilion created to
accommodate a display of exotic plants for the Philippines
Exposition of 1887 , is one of the main examples of iron
architecture in Spain .
El Retiro is also filled with interesting sculptures and fountains
such as the magnificent Monument to Alfonso XII , which
watches over the lake and in spring of 2018 opened to the
public an observation deck offering wonderful vistas . Near the
Rose Garden , you ’ ll come across the statue of the Fallen Angel ,
the only sculpture in the world dedicated to the devil which
curiously enough sits 666m above sea level . Other spots worth
visiting are the Galápagos Fountain , which was built in honour
of the then princess Isabella II , the Teatro de Títeres , which is
the only theatre in Europe that stages puppet shows every
weekend , and the large area known as Reservado de Fernando
VII , which King Ferdinand VII decided to keep for himself and
his family while the rest of the park remained open to the
public . In this section of El Retiro , between Calle O ’ Donnell and
Calle Menéndez Pelayo , you ’ ll find some of the king ' s " whims ",
small buildings or monuments designed as little retreats for
the monarchs to rest and relax : Casa del Pescador , the Montaña
Artificial and the Casa del Contrabandista which
accommodates Florida Retiro , a modern venue with a
restaurant that hosts all kinds of events . In addition , this park
is home to the statue of The Fallen Angel , the only sculpture