Palacio de Cristal

The Palacio de Cristal in Madrid's Retiro Park is a historic 19th-century greenhouse that now serves as an exhibition space for contemporary art. The cross-shaped structure is made almost entirely of glass, set in an iron framework atop a brick base decorated with ceramic tiles. With its dome, the building rises to a height of more than 20 meters (about 66 feet). Architecturally, it draws on English models such as the Crystal Palace in London. The building originally housed live plants during the 1887 Philippine Exposition. Today it belongs to the Reina Sofía Museum, where it hosts changing art exhibitions, while retaining its original appearance beside the park's lake.