To celebrate the Phillipine Islands Exhibition and, as a way to promote the diversity of the Islands' flora, some kind of greenhouse was needed in order to store the plants easily. So, in 1887, the Parque del Buen Retiro, the Palacio de Cristal and the lake were all built.
Its walls, as the name suggests, are of glass and supported by Ionic iron columns. An outstanding feature of the exterior is the Grecian style doorway, which faces the lake. The lake, in turn, offers us several examples of Pond Cypress which, unusually, have their roots and part of their trunks submerged.
It is, without doubt, the most outstanding building in the Parque del Retiro and has, for years, housed temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Nature and art make a fascinating combination.
Location: Parque del Buen Retiro.
GPS: 40º 02' 31,73"N / 3º 35' 57,64"W - Tel: + 34 91 891 13 95 - Fax: + 34 91 892 04 06 - E-Mail: info@campingaranjuez.com