Meet the professional guide at Puerta de la Independencia and embark on a journey through the 290-acre park, learning the history of the statue of Alfonso XII, the Crystal Palace, the Great Pond, the Parterre, the Felipe IV Gate, the Royal Astronomical Observatory, and the Artichoke Fountain along the way. You will also see the San Isidro ruins from the Romanesque period and contemplate architectural, sculptural, and landscape ensembles constructed between the 17th and 21st centuries. Learn how the Retiro was used as an urban park in 1767 when Carlos III agreed to use it for recreational events and in 1868 was taken under the ownership of the Madrid City Hall. During the French invasion, a big part of the original layout was destroyed and vestiges from the 17th and 18th centuries still remain.