The Artificial Mountain of Retiro (also known as Montaña de los Gatos) hosts an exhibition to celebrate the reopening of this enclave of the Buen Retiro Gardens in Madrid, after two decades of inactivity.
The exhibition, whose admission is free, organized by the Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility Area, presents a careful narrative that highlights the comprehensive recovery process carried out, with photographs that document the before and after of the restoration work and methods used. These documents allow us to know the meticulous work that has revitalized this unique place.
The exhibition, which was already open for a few days last summer, will now extend until the end of the year, with visiting hours from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The exhibition is housed under a circular vault that stands out for its exceptional architectural design. The dome, with a diameter of 14 meters and a height of 11, is crowned by an upper oculus from which four vaulted galleries emerge that wind along the interior of the artificial hill. This unique architectural feature not only provides a stunning setting for the exhibition, but also becomes a work of art in itself.
Since the completion of the works, it has been visited by about 500 people every day. This space is located next to the confluence of O'Donnell Street and Menéndez Pelayo Avenue.
The Mountain of the Cats was one of the whims that King Fernando VII promoted in the Retiro Park. The area was only for the royal enjoyment of him and his family and was not publicly accessible. This monumental structure, built under the direction of Bernardino Berogán under the supervision of the royal architect Isidro González Velázquez, joins other buildings conceived by the monarch, such as the Casita del Pescador or the Estanque Grande pier.
The Artificial Mountain, wrapped in exuberant vegetation, hides a large dome that covered a water wheel, while on its top there was a temple, now disappeared, that served as an observatory. This temple, of oriental inspiration, was characterized by three towers: a central octagonal one and two cylindrical ones at the ends, joined by an archway. At the base of the mountain, a stream and pond housed fish and geese, while the top of the waterfall was crowned by a plaster lion's head.
This monument was known by the people of Madrid as the Montaña Rusa or El Tintero, due to its peculiar shape seen from afar; and also like the Mountain of the Cats, since for a time it housed stray felines abandoned in the area.
