Made for plants
It was built to show tropical plants from the Philippines. The lake in front, with its swamp cypresses, was part of the same idea.
Urban Tales › Madrid › Palacio de Cristal
Palacio de Cristal: a greenhouse for an empire
Built of iron and glass in 1887 for an exhibition about the Philippines, then a Spanish colony, the Palacio de Cristal was a giant greenhouse for tropical plants. Today it's a free contemporary art space of the Reina Sofía museum.
Built1887
ArchitectRicardo Velázquez Bosco
Inspired byLondon's Crystal Palace
TodayReina Sofía exhibitions
Hear the Palacio de Cristal story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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A president elected here
In 1936 the assembly that elected Manuel Azaña President of the Second Spanish Republic met here, because the parliament building was too small.
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Tiles by Zuloaga
Look for the ceramic decoration by Daniel Zuloaga under the roofline, a detail most visitors miss while looking at the glass.
TipGo on a sunny morning, when the light through the glass is at its best, and walk round the lake to see it reflected. Entry is free. With Urban Tales running, its story plays as you reach the water.
Nearby landmarks
Palacio de Cristal: common questions
Is the Palacio de Cristal free?
Yes. It hosts free contemporary art exhibitions of the Reina Sofía museum; it can close between shows and in bad weather.
Why was the Palacio de Cristal built?
For the 1887 Exhibition of the Philippine Islands, as a greenhouse for tropical plants.
Where is the Palacio de Cristal?
Inside Retiro Park, a short walk from the park's big pond.