Now a peaceful library surrounded by gardens, this corner of Retiro Park was once the second-oldest zoo in Europe, known as the Casa de Fieras, or “House of Beasts.”
In 1774, King Carlos III of Spain ordered the construction of the House of Beasts, a primitive concept of what we know as a zoo. It was the second animal park built in Europe, after the zoo in Vienna. It was home to lions, tigers, and bears, as well as monkeys, ostriches, a crocodile, and even an elephant.
Nearby
Sites
| Name | Since | Distance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Love Art? Welcome to Madrid! en | 1.2km | site_izi | |||
| Hermitage of Saint Pelagius and Saint Isidore | 2020 | 0.5km | site_ao | ||
| Pantheon of Illustrious Men | 2019 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| Altamira Cave Replica | 2019 | 1.1km | site_ao | ||
| Madrid’s Last Horchata Kiosk | 2019 | 0.8km | site_ao | ||
| Costitx Bulls | 2019 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| The Lady of Cerro de los Santos | 2019 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| Dolmen de Dalí | 2018 | 1km | site_ao | ||
| The Lady of Elche | 2018 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| ‘Witches’ Sabbath (The Great He-Goat)’ | 2018 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| The Giant of Extremadura | 2017 | 1.3km | site_ao | ||
| Guanche Mummy of Madrid | 2017 | 1.2km | site_ao | ||
| Torre de Valencia | 1968 | 0.5km | site_brutalism |
About the source: Atlas Obscura
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