Jardín del Rey, Aranjuez, Renaissance garden in Aranjuez, Spain
Jardin del Rey is a royal garden in Aranjuez featuring four central flower beds divided by box hedging and decorated year-round with fuchsias, miniature roses, and potted orange trees. The space is dominated by a green jasper fountain from 1580 and framed by walls with niches displaying busts of Roman emperors.
Juan Bautista de Toledo designed the space in 1561, with Juan de Herrera finishing construction between 1577 and 1582 under King Philip II. The fountain at its center was crafted from green jasper by Roque Solario around the same period, and a statue of the king by Pompeo Leoni was added to the western wall.
The garden served as a showcase of royal taste and Italian Renaissance ideals that influenced Spanish palace design. Visitors can observe this reflected in the formal layout and the display of imperial busts throughout the space.
Entry is available through several access points, including a ground-floor gallery linked to the Royal Palace, making it easy to combine a visit with touring the main building. The garden is best explored during quieter hours when you can appreciate its formal layout and sculptural details without crowding.
The garden floor displays an uncommon combination of river pebbles and Colmenar stone slabs that creates a distinctive patterned surface rarely seen in similar royal gardens of that era. This material choice adds visual depth and reveals the level of craftsmanship invested in even the smallest elements.
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