Every time there and lucky every year until the virus need to be her ; is a must for me and my family. The Parque del Buen Retiro is Madrid! It is the essence and lungs of Madrid, the best known park, a rich history and memories of youth. I lived not far from it, and used to walk its alleys and greens all over as a youth, then as an adult as if doing a pilgrimage to a sacred place. It is for me always will be Retiro, my park. I found me some older pictures that needs to have a post of its own, me think, Therefore, here is my take on the Fuente Egipcia in the Retiro park of Madrid !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Fuente Egipcia was designed in 1819, by order of Ferdinand VII, and built in 1850. Due to its shape, it is popularly known as “La Tripona”. It is right next to the Estanque Grande or Big Pond of the Retiro park (see posts). The Fuente Egipcia del dios Canopo or Egyptian fountain of the god Canopo, better known as the Fuente Egypcia,(as we know it) is a monumental fountain thatwas projected in the first third of the 19C to beautify the southern shore of the Estanque Grande or big pond, following the romantic tastes of the time. Its style is Neo-Egipcian, although it also presents some neo-classical traces.The name of the fountain is due to a clear intention to reference architectural and sculptorically to ancient Egypt, an issue that, at that time, aroused a special interest, thanks to the Napoleonic campaign of Egypt (1798-1801) and the development of Egyptology.
Originally the whole was baptized as the Fuente del Ídolo Exipcio, as the project was name, and preserved in the General Archive of the Royal Palace of Madrid. However, the name of the Fuente Egipcia del dios Canopo was finally imposed, by the erroneous identification of the canopopus vessel of its front with a divinity, which would later lead to the abbreviated formula of Fuente Gorda or fat;Fuente dela Preñada or pregnant, and Fuente de la Tripona for its proximity to the disappeared Rio Grande or El Mallo, an artificial estuary that started in the Estanque Grande or big pond.
The construction was due to the recovery project that King Fernando VII had for the Retiro park after his return to Spain in 1814, and that supposed the romantic transformation of the place. This old possession of the Crown, origin of the current park, had suffered considerable damage during the War of Independence (1808-1814), having been used as the headquarters of the Napoleonic troops, It is formed by a pediment, in whose center a niche opens with a stigilated canopy vessel, a funeral container of ancient Egypt, where the viscera of the deceased, washed and embalmedas were deposited. This is based on a dice, in which a tap is installed, with a circular pylon at your feet. On the sides two pedestals arise, in which two sphinxes rest, arranged symmetrically and confronted. In the central vertex another pedestal rises and on it a fragment of classic column, in which the sculpture of Lost Osiris was settled, now gone since 1922 and never replaced not even in the renovation of 1995. Its frontal wall combines the reddish tones of the brick with the gray of the granite, to which the oranges of the central pedestal are added, also made with this stone. For its part, the Canopo vessel is carved in pink granite and the sphinxes in white limestone.
The Madrid tourist office on the Retiro park: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/parque-del-retiro
The Madrid tourist office on the Estanque Grande of the Retiro park: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/estanque-grande-de-el-retiro
There you go folks, another nice memories of my memorable Parque del Buen Retiro ! This is always a stop by that is the Fuente Egipcia, worth the stop by ,and of course right by the must see Estanque Grande or big pont , just sublime awesome Madrid, Again, hope you enjoy this post of the Fuente Egipcia in the Retiro park of Madrid as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 