World Heritage Identification Number: 1618
World Heritage since: 2021
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a Landscape of Arts and Sciences: A Testament to Enlightenment and Utopian Ideals
The Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, located at the urban heart of Madrid, Spain, form a unique cultural landscape that embodies the spirit of the Age of Enlightenment and serves as a testament to the aspirations for a utopian society during the height of the Spanish Empire. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, this site offers a fascinating blend of history, art, science, and urban planning, reflecting the ideals of the Enlightenment era and exerting significant influence over Latin America.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Located at the urban heart of Madrid, this cultural landscape evolved since the creation of the tree-lined Paseo del Prado avenue, a prototype of the Hispanic alameda, in the 16th century. The avenue features major fountains, notably the Fuente de Apolo and the Fuente de Neptuno, and the Fuente de Cibeles, an iconic symbol of the city, surrounded by prestigious buildings. The site embodies a new idea of urban space and development from the enlightened absolutist period of the 18th century. Buildings dedicated to the arts and sciences join others in the site that are devoted to industry, healthcare and research. Collectively, they illustrate the aspiration for a utopian society during the height of the Spanish Empire, linked to the enlightened idea of democratization of knowledge, and exercised major influence in Latin America. The 120-hectare Jardines del Buen Retiro (Garden of Pleasant Retreat), a remnant of the 17th-century Buen Retiro Palace, constitutes the largest part of the property. The site also houses the terraced Royal Botanical Garden and the largely residential neighbourhood of Barrio Jerónimos with its rich variety of 19th- and 20th-century buildings that include cultural and scientific venues.Encyclopedia Record: Paseo del Prado
The Paseo del Prado is one of the main boulevards in Madrid, Spain. It runs north–south between the Plaza de Cibeles and the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, with the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo lying approximately in the middle. The Paseo del Prado forms the southern end of the city's central axis. It enjoys the status of Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), and as part of a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site with Buen Retiro Park.Additional Site Details
Area: 237 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 40.4153333333 , -3.6870555556
