Palacio de Cristal del Retiro
The Palacio de Cristal ("Glass Palace") is a conservatory located in Madrid's Buen Retiro Park. It was built in 1887 on the occasion of the Exposition of the Philippines, a human zoo held in the same year, featuring animals and indigenous Igorot people from the Philippine Islands, then under Spanish colonial rule. Business for human zoos was institutionalized by the Queen Consort of Spain, Maria Cristina of Austria.[1] Indigenous Filipinos, mainly from the Philippine Cordilleras, died in the site due to poor living conditions imposed by the Spanish throughout the human zoo exposition.[2] The architect of the palace was Ricardo Velázquez Bosco.
The Palacio de Cristal, in the shape of a Greek cross, is made almost entirely of glass set in an iron framework on a brick base, which is decorated with ceramics. Its cupola makes the structure over 22 metres high. When it was erected, glass and iron construction on a large scale was already to be seen in Madrid at Delicias station (1880), the work of a French architect. However the curved architecture of the Palacio de Cristal is more comparable to the techniques pioneered by the British architects Joseph Paxton (who was responsible for London's Crystal Palace) and Decimus Burton (who was responsible for the Palm House at Kew Gardens).
The cast-iron frame was manufactured in Bilbao.[3] The structure was designed in a way that would allow it to be re-erected on another site (as happened to the equivalent building in London). However, the building has remained on the original site, next to a lake, and has been restored to its original appearance. It is no longer used as a greenhouse, and is currently used for art exhibits.[4]
Use[]
The Crystal Palace belongs to the Reina Sofía Museum, and is one of its exposition centres together with Velázquez Palace.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ Limos, M. A. (2020). The Story Behind Spain's Infamous Zoo That Featured Philippine Animals... And Then Filipinos. Esquire Publications.
- ^ Govan, F. (2021). Madrid's Retiro Park Just Won UNESCO Status but it Hides a Shameful Secret for Spain. the Olive Press.
- ^ "The adaptability of nineteenth century iron structures in Madrid". Retrieved 20 September 2016.
- ^ "Palacio de Cristal". Go Madrid. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
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Coordinates: 40°24′48.8″N 3°40′55.4″W / 40.413556°N 3.682056°W
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