Palacio de Cristal, Madrid

Palacio de Cristal is the iron-and-glass pavilion before you, built as a greenhouse for Madrid’s Retiro Park. Its creation dates to 1887, when Ricardo Velázquez Bosco designed it for the General Exhibition of the Philippines. The structure was intended for tropical plants: its glazing admitted plentiful daylight, while the interior could maintain a regulated climate.

Notice the broad dome and the ceramic ornament set into the building; Daniel Zuloaga made those decorative elements, including grotesque figures with duck heads. A man-made lake surrounds the pavilion and forms part of its setting. On 10 May 1936, this building hosted the selection of Manuel Azaña as president of the Republic, with 754 votes out of 874. Today, the Palacio de Cristal is one of the Reina Sofía Museum’s exhibition venues for contemporary art.