What remains of the Ruinas de la Fuente del Príncipe whispers tales of royalty and recreation. Today we stand amidst the faint echoes of what was once a charming tribute. It honored Prince Fernando the future King Fernando VI back in 1725.
The Ruinas de la Fuente del Príncipe offers a glimpse into the past. Imagine a place where young princes and princesses played safely. Envision a space enclosed by a wooden lattice a sort of royal nursery within the Casa de Campo. King Alfonso XII himself confirmed it. Javier de Winthuysen also supported this idea.
The construction of the Fuente del Príncipe cost 21383 reales. Juan Román who was master of royal works from 1727 is thought to be its architect. But Teodoro Ardemans could also have designed it.
Let us paint a picture of the Fuente del Príncipe. Pascual Madoz described its original form in 1845. He mentioned a fountain with a stone basin and a pyramid at its center. It stood within a circular plaza surrounded by a wooden railing.
Later in the 19th century Javier de Winthuysen offered another description. He spoke of a circular granite fountain. It featured a shell supported by three dolphins. A small triton with a fish spouting water sat atop it. Winthuysen mistakenly attributed it to the time of Felipe V. But architect Alberto Tellería proved it was a later 19th-century creation.
In 1932 the Second Republic seized Casa de Campo. The gazebo surrounding the Fuente del Príncipe fell into ruin. Only the Fountain of the Small Triton remained.
The giant elms seen in Winthuysen’s photos were replaced. A disease had dried them out. Plane trees took their place and a wider gazebo was created. It was called the Nightingale.
Interest in saving the Fuente del Príncipe from oblivion resurfaced in 2013. There were even doubts about its exact location. The rediscovery highlighted its historical importance. It paved the way for the Casa de Campo to reclaim its past and its significance to King Fernando VI.
The Fountain of the Small Triton was moved to Retiro Park in 1945. Cecilio Rodríguez relocated it. It still stands at the Puerta de Hernani.
The macadám pavement installed by the Second Republic has been restored. Missing plane trees were replanted in their circle. Granite bases from the lattice scattered across the property were recovered.
Javier de Winthuysen’s photos and drawings from the 1920s sparked a quest. Luis de Vicente called it the search for the Small Triton’s location. Architect Álvaro Bonet provided the answer. He also found the stones surrounding the Nightingale gazebo.
These stones were found in unexpected places within the Casa de Campo. They returned to their original location in 2014 but not all of them.
So here at the Ruinas de la Fuente del Príncipe we see more than just stones and memories. We witness a piece of Madrid’s royal history carefully brought back to life. Take a moment to wander into the Nightingale Woods. Discover one of the most natural settings within the Casa de Campo.