The Cason del Buen Retiro situated in the vicinity of the El Prado Museum was once a part of the Buen Retiro Palace, which was used by the then king Philip IV. It was used more like a ballroom and lectures were delivered here. This building now belongs to the El Prado Museum.
The paintings by a painter named Lucas Jordan can be seen on the ceiling. One of the notable paintings is named The Allegory of the Golden Fleece. These paintings are a tribute to the Spanish monarchy. The Cason del Buen Retiro has been turned into an art gallery exhibiting the famous works of the 19th and 20th century artists like Madrazo, Fortuny, Rosales, and Picasso.
Earlier, this part of the museum was the home of Picasso’s famous painting “Guernica”. Picasso wanted the painting to be displayed here because it was the city’s famous museum. But in 1992, the painting was shifted to another new museum, which is called Reina Sofia.
El Prado Museum, to which the Cason del Buen Retiro belongs, is the largest art gallery. It is a home for many sculptures, drawings, coins, and some other art works. It contains a huge collection of paintings, which made this museum popular worldwide. This museum stores more than 8,600 paintings out of which less than 2,000 paintings can be displayed. This is because of the lack of space.
The idea of constructing a museum was contrived during the reign of the King Charles III. But it could be acted upon only during the rule of Fernando VII, which was in the 19th century. From that time to this date the works have been transferred many times to other places, and finally after the second civil war they have been returned to Madrid.
Cason del Buen Retiro map
Facts about Cason del Buen Retiro
- Cason del Buen Retiro was constructed in the 17th century.
- The facade of the building is not the original one. In 1886, the original facade suffered damages due to a cyclone and thus had to be restored. Architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco performed the restoration.
Where is Cason del Buen Retiro ?
Cason del Buen Retiro is located at a distance of approx. 20 km from the Madrid-Barajas Airport, in Spain. You can also reach Cason del Buen Retiro via metro Retiro.
Address : Calle de Alfonso XII, 28, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Best time to visit Cason del Buen Retiro
Spring and autumn are the best months to visit Cason del Buen Retiro in Spain.
Cason del Buen Retiro Hours
The Cason del Buen Retiro opens on weekdays from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and on Sundays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. It is closed on Mondays. The museum offers guided tours from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm on Sundays.
Cason del Buen Retiro Tickets
The ticket to view the permanent or temporary collections at the Prado Museum costs € 3.50. The ticket includes a visit to the Cason del Buen Retiro.
More about Cason del Buen Retiro
Nearby Attractions: The Prado Museum, Real Jardín Botánico, Museo Naval, San Jerónimo el Real, Museo Nacional De Artes Decorativas, and Jardines del Museo del Prado.