Fuente Egipcia

Madrid


On the southern end of the estanque (lake) in the Parque del Buen Retiro, the odd structure decorated with sphinxes is the Fuente Egipcia: legend has it that an enormous fortune buried in the park by Felipe IV in the mid-18th century rests here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Madrid attractions

1. Palacio de Velázquez

0.08 MILES

Between the lake and the Palacio de Cristal, the sober 1883 Palacio de Velázquez is used for temporary exhibitions organised by the Centro de Arte Reina…

2. Monument to Alfonso XII

0.1 MILES

The focal point for so much of El Retiro’s life is the artificial estanque (lake), which is watched over by the massive ornamental structure of the…

3. Palacio de Cristal

0.16 MILES

Hidden among the trees south of Parque del Buen Retiro's lake is the Palacio de Cristal. Built in 1887, it's a magnificent metal-and-glass structure and…

4. Madrid’s Oldest Tree

0.24 MILES

Just inside the Retiro's Puerta de Felipe IV stands what is thought to be Madrid’s oldest tree, a Mexican conifer (ahuehuete) planted in 1633. With a…

5. Centro Cultural Casa de Vacas

0.24 MILES

In the heart of the Parque del Buen Retiro, this building is occasionally used for temporary exhibitions as well as teatro infantil (children’s theatre)…

6. Jardín de los Planteles

0.25 MILES

Occupying much of the southwestern corner of the park is the Jardín de los Planteles, one of the least-visited sections of El Retiro, where quiet pathways…

8. Bosque del Recuerdo

0.3 MILES

West of the Jardín de los Planteles in the Parque del Buen Retiro is the moving Bosque del Recuerdo, an understated memorial to the 191 victims of the 11…