Real Jardín Botánico

Madrid, Spain, Spain

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The Real Jardín Botánico in Madrid is an 18th‑century royal botanic garden located in the city centre along the Prado–Recoletos “cultural golden mile,” next to the Prado Museum.

Covering about 8 hectares, it holds more than 5,600 species of living plants in outdoor terraces and greenhouses, arranged using scientific and aesthetic criteria, and is also home to Spain’s largest herbarium with over a million preserved specimens. Founded in 1755 under King Ferdinand VI and relocated to its current site by King Charles III in the late 18th century, the garden now functions as both a major public attraction and a research centre attached to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

Its historic layouts, collections, and buildings led to its designation as a Historic–Artistic Garden in 1942 and inclusion in Madrid’s UNESCO‑listed “Landscape of Light,” making it an important link between botanical science, cultural heritage, and urban green space.