Sabatini Gardens

Sabatini Gardens, with the Royal Palace.

Statue of Alfonso VI of Castile at the Sabatini Gardens (F. Corral, 1753).

The Sabatini Gardens (in Spanish: Jardines de Sabatini) are part of the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, and were opened to the public by King Juan Carlos I in 1978. They honor the name of Francesco Sabatini (1722–1797), an Italian architect of the 18th century who designed, among other works at the palace, the royal stables of the palace, previously located at this site.

In 1933, clearing of the stable buildings was begun, and construction of the gardens begun, which were only completed in the late 1970s. The gardens have a formal Neoclassic style, consisting of well-sheared hedges, in symmetric geometrical patterns, adorned with a pool, statues and fountains, with trees also disposed in a symmetrical geometric shape. The statues are those of Spanish kings, not intended originally to even grace a garden, but originally crowding the adjacent palace. The tranquil array is a peaceful corner from which to view the palace. Only the gate at the west side is open to the public. The north and south gate are to be used exclusively by the men working on the palace. Sadly, this makes the park unfit for a walkthrough in any direction. A good thing is the public toilet near the entrance.

External links

• Picture of Sabatini Gardens
• The Quirky History of the Sabatini Gardens — illustrated article