Highlights of Madrid: Quinta de la Fuente del Berro Park

Greetings,

I will be continuing my series of photos from the city of Madrid, Spain.  In this post, I am highlighting the Quinta de la Fuente del Berro Park, a famous park that is a must-see site.  A madrid website describes the park in this way:

"One of the best-known parks in Madrid, and one of those with an interesting history is the Quinta de la Fuente del Berro Park (Villa of the Watercress Fountain). It can be found in the western part of the Spanish capital next to the M-30 (a main transport artery in Madrid, also called La Paz Avenue). This park neighbours other green areas such as Elipa Park and Roma Park, which also present the ideal conditions for a nice afternoon or just a few hours in peace. The park of the Watercress Fountain prides itself on a source of water that is said to have been the one of best quality in Madrid for a long time. The shadowy trees and the winding pathways crossing the lawns lure visitors to sit on the ground and enjoy the sun, but this is not the only thing that the park has to offer. There are many statues and an old mansion on the park’s premises that are also of significant interest.

The park’s origin is connected to the property located in the vicinity of the Abronigal stream. The first records of the property date back to the 17th Century when Bernadino Fernandez de Velasco, Count of Haro, bought some land with the aim of building a villa that was to be called Miraflorez. In December 1630, King Felipe IV acquired the mansion with gardens, orchards and vines with the idea of turning them into the new Royal Place. The great deal of fruit trees, cypress, poplars and the cultures on the arable land were well irrigated by the richly watered soil, thanks to the Abronigal stream and the system of meliorations. In 1640, the site yielded to the Benedictine monks who had been expelled from the monastery of Montserrat because they rebelled against the royal power. Yet, the King reserved the right to use the water that was transported to the palace on donkeys’ backs. At the beginning major improvements to the irrigation facilities were done and although the place continued to be used by holy people, the water was still used by the royal family. Martín Estenoz bought the property in 1800, except for the house and the water source of the King, and began to erect a defensive wall around the property.

At the end of the 19th Century, major reconstruction works were carried out in the park and in 1900, Nuevos Campos Eliseos was inaugurated in the form of an amusement park with a view-tower, a shooting range, ponies and other attractions. From 1948 the land passed into the hands of the Count of Mayalde, who commissioned the restoration of the main building by the Municipal Archaeological Museum. Thus, the Park Quinta de la Fuente de la Berro was inaugurated in 1954. At that time its area totalled about 79,000 square metres but was reduced to its present size of 7.4 hectares by the layout of the M-30 in the 1970s. Together with the Gardens of Sancho Davila that were opened and added to the park in 1968, the overall surface that the park covers is more than 13 hectares. In 1941, the park was included in the list of the historical and artistic gardens of Madrid due to its rich historical importance and the variety of pieces of art on its premises.

The Watercress Fountain Park features four parterres that represent four Iberian ecosystems, including some aromatic plants. There is also a Cultural Centre in the park where one can ask for information. The park is laid out in the English landscaping style with undulating relief, cascades, prairies crossed by winding alleys, lovely stone stairs and a diversity of trees. Some of the elements the park can offer are the statue dedicated to the great Russian poet Pushkin, a fountain with a wonderful stone vase and a couple of nice pools. Moreover, the very entrance of the park at the Enrique D’Almonte Street is of great curiosity with its two small towers at the gate of the brick wall. As a whole, the park Quinta de la Fuente del Berro is the one park in Madrid that is worth a visit."
(http://www.europe-cities.com/en/786/spain/madrid/place/24677_parque_quinta_fuente_del_berro/)


Please enjoy the photos below from this beautiful park.