Six pilasters stand before you. These form a semicircle. This is the Puerta del Río. It once granted access to the Casa de Campo from the Royal Palace.
The Puerta del Río has seen many changes. It was once a gate with railings. The Second Republic gave it a monumental look. The gate was expanded with two new gates. It was then called the Puerta de la República.
Today’s restoration is somewhat interpreted. It has been moved closer to the river. But it stands opposite the Puente del Rey.
King Felipe II acquired the Casa de los Vargas. He also acquired the adjacent fields. These became the Casa de Campo. It was far from the Alcázar. It was on the other side of the river. Felipe II built a walkway for access. This connected the Alcázar and the new palace.
Carlos III later brought some areas of the Casa de Campo closer. At that time, the Puerta del Río may have been a barred gate. Its passage was closed to the public.
Its authorship is undocumented. But construction likely happened during Fernando VI’s reign. The original gate had busts of him and Bárbara de Braganza. These were on granite pilasters. Aparisi Laporta identified them. But there are disagreements about these figures.
The Puerta del Río remained largely unchanged until 1934. With the Second Republic in 1931, the Casa de Campo changed status. It was given to the people of Madrid. The gate became too small. It could not handle the massive influx of people. Architect Manuel Álvarez Naya was commissioned to reform it.
Álvarez Naya added two new gates. They were to the left of the old gate. Two brick guardhouses were built between the new entrances.
In 2009, the Plaza Grande was renovated. The Puerta del Río was moved about thirty meters. This was due to the unevenness between the gate and ventilation shafts. Only the six pilasters were reassembled. They supported the gates in an arch. The arch was more pronounced than before. The gate lost its ironwork and other important elements. These included lighting and a guardhouse.
The walkway became a bridge in 1816. Fernando VII ordered its construction in granite. Before this, in 1750, military engineer Francisco Nangle proposed a gate project. This would facilitate access to the site from the right bank of the river.
The access aligned with the Bonaparte tunnel. This tunnel gave direct access to the Casa de Campo from the Royal Palace. José Bonaparte commissioned both projects. He hired architect Juan de Villanueva in 1810. In 1815, architect Isidro González Velázquez designed the Puente del Rey. It had a narrow passage for carriages. The road axis of this bridge pointed directly to the gate of the Casa de Campo.
The Manzanares River was channelled in the early 20th century. The riverbed narrowed. It moved away from the gate. The bridge was shortened. This space was used to create a path parallel to the Partida orchard. In 1934, the government of the Second Republic opened the Casa de Campo. It became a public park. New gates were added. Minister of Finance Indalecio Prieto had handed over the park to the Madrid City Council years earlier.
Architect Manuel Álvarez Naya designed this new gate. He collaborated with Head Gardener Cecilio Rodríguez. Busts of Fernando VI and Bárbara de Braganza were removed. Stone ornaments replaced them. The republican shield centred them. Villanueva’s design was used to create a larger entrance. It had three passages. Two brick guardhouses were inserted. The six pilasters were joined with iron arches. The bridge was widened five times.
The Puerta del Río was important during the Civil War. It was a passage for supplies and personnel. This was during the defense of Madrid. The gate was damaged because it was in the battlefront. It was repaired after the war. In 1948, the bridge and gate underwent further changes. The river was channelled with stone.
In the 20th century, the M-30 ring road was built. It disconnected the Casa de Campo from the Royal Palace. The gate opened onto the M-30. Its prominence was relegated. When the M-30 was buried, the road axis regained its historical function. The problem was the misalignment between the Campo del Moro, bridge and gate.
After burying the M-30, the gate’s components were dismantled. The side guardhouses were removed. The gate had not moved from 1810. In March 2009, its stone cladding was dismantled. Its brick structure was destroyed. Six evenly spaced pylons were placed. The whole set was moved from its previous location.
The Puerta del Río stands as a testament to Madrid’s history. It has been a royal entrance and a gateway to public enjoyment. Its story is one of kings, republics and the people of Madrid.