Gate of Philip IV, Baroque entrance at El Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain
The Gate of Philip IV is a stone arch that marks one of the entrances to El Retiro Park in Madrid. The arch is decorated with carved figures and ornamental details in the Baroque style of the Spanish royal court.
The gate was built in the 17th century as a ceremonial structure for the royal court and originally stood in a different part of Madrid. Over time it was moved twice before reaching its current position at the edge of El Retiro.
The gate's name recalls two queens: it was raised in 1680 for María Luisa de Orleáns and reused in 1690 for Mariana de Neoburgo, whose commemorative inscription on the lintel still reads "Ave et fave 1690". The flanking statues of Mars and Penelope were added for that second entry.
The gate stands near the northern edge of El Retiro Park and is easy to reach on foot from central Madrid. Since the park has several entrances, it helps to check a map beforehand to find this specific gate.
The Latin inscription on the lintel is not the original: it was replaced in 1689 to name Mariana de Neoburgo, the second wife of Charles II, and is the version seen today. The gate also carries a sculpture of Mars and one of Penelope on the sides of the arch, added in 1690, while a figure of Fortune by Pedro Mentinoves has since disappeared.
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