Step into the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid. Marvel at its history a living testament to centuries of botanical passion.
The Royal Botanical Garden didn’t spring up overnight. King Ferdinand VI founded it in 1755. It began in the Orchard of Migas Calientes. It housed over 2000 plants. José Quer y Martínez a botanist and surgeon gathered them.
Later King Charles III decided on a grander location. He moved the garden to its present site on the Paseo del Prado. The garden opened in 1781. Architects Francesco Sabatini and Juan de Villanueva designed it. They created three tiered terraces. Plants were arranged according to Linnaeus’s method. The garden wasn’t just for show. It taught botany. It also promoted expeditions to find new plants. The garden was particularly interested in plants from Spain’s colonies. Alessandro Malaspina added 10000 plants in 1794.
The Spanish War of Independence nearly destroyed the garden. It was abandoned. In 1857 Mariano de la Paz Graells y de la Agüera revived it. He added a new greenhouse and restored the upper terrace. A zoo even existed here before moving to the Retiro Park. Storms and land loss in the late 19th century damaged the garden further.
Since 1939 the Spanish National Research Council has overseen the garden. The garden received heritage status in 1942. It closed for restoration in 1974. It reopened in 1981. Today it’s part of a World Heritage site.
The garden today holds about 90000 plants and flowers. It also has 1500 trees. Five greenhouses protect plants not suited to Madrid’s climate. Explore the Terraza de los Cuadros. See ornamental medicinal aromatic and orchard plants. Discover the Terraza de las Escuelas Botánicas a taxonomic collection. Walk through the Terraza del Plano de la Flor with its romantic English style. Marvel at the Villanueva Pavilion a greenhouse from 1781. Admire Carl Linnaeus’s bust by the pond.
The garden’s herbarium is the largest in Spain. It holds over a million specimens. The oldest specimens date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The garden still publishes scientific papers on botany and related fields. Its rich history continues to inspire scientific research and conservation efforts.
Leave the Royal Botanical Garden with a deeper understanding and appreciation for its botanical treasures. Remember its continuous evolution from humble beginnings to a world-renowned institution.