Culture, Sports and Tourism
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Madrid now boasts an area inscribed in UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites under the name “Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro: A Landscape of Arts and Sciences”.
The Landscape of Light, a shorter name used to designate the site, is a cultural landscape that evolved out of a number of successive transformations that aimed to bring culture and nature together in an urban environment. Paseo del Prado is a site of great significance in the city of Madrid. It stands as a testimony to the land-use planning and transformation process that began in the 16th century as well as the Enlightened despotism characteristic of the 18th century which introduced various changes to the townscape.
Upon moving the capital to Madrid, King Philip II set about making improvements to its prados (meadows), which were a popular walking spot for citizens. Over the following centuries, the area became the institutional entrance to the city and an important change began to occur as houses belonging to the nobility and Buen Retiro Palace itself, a hub of Spanish Golden Age culture, appeared in the area.
It remained popular even after the remodelling works carried out in the 18th century by Charles III, who gave the promenade a design suitable for the addition of scientific institutions with the aim of making them more accessible to the people. In later centuries, the entire area became a representative site that was a favourite among citizens for leisure and recreational pursuits.
The present-day result is a space that’s unique among European capitals and was, in a sense, born of the people. It also embodied, over the years, a process of democratisation of royal properties with the aim of bringing nature, science, culture and recreation within reach of Madrid's citizens.
The site inspired replicas in over 50 Latin American locations, demonstrating a physical influence in addition to that which the Spanish language is recognised as having had.
Based on these arguments, and with the support of the City Council, the regional government of Madrid and the Ministry of Culture, Madrid’s nomination was submitted in Paris on 2 February 2019. This marked the start of an evaluation process that lasted until 25 July of this year, when UNESCO's Committee decided to inscribe the area in its list of World Heritage Sites
OBJECTIVES
- Preserve and improve upon all of the valuable features of the Landscape of Light for the enjoyment of citizens and visitors
- Share, foster and disseminate its features through activities and publications that help make the Landscape of Light a draw for visitors who can enjoy the site, with a particular focus on the welfare of the communities that live and work in the area
DURATION
Indefinite
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Landscape of Light >>
