The Cecilio Rodríguez Gardens:

An exquisite venue for the Opening Ceremony of the 19 Conference of the European Association for Sport Management 2011

The Gardens of Cecilio Rodríguez are a beautiful area of the greater Retiro Park, situated in the centre of Madrid. A venue designed for conventions, gala dinners and official ceremonies, belonging to the Madrid City Council and hosted by the Madrid Convention Bureau, it is one of the most beautiful places to celebrate events in the capital city.

But...Who was Cecilio Rodríguez?

Cecilio Rodríguez Cuevas (Valladolid, 1865 - Madrid, 1953) was a great Spanish gardener and landscape designer, whose work is intimately linked with the Retiro Park. He was elected “Jardinero Mayor” (Chief Gardener) of the Retiro Park in 1914, and was the author of the Rosary Garden project, among others.

The Gardens bearing his name will be the perfect setting for our Opening Ceremony Cocktail on Wednesday 7 September, from 20:00 to 22:00.

The Retiro Park ...Some history

The “Gardens of the Pleasant Retreat” (Jardines del Buen Retiro) date back to the early 17th Century, in particular the 1630s and 40s, when the decision that the Buen Retiro Castle should be constructed was made. The Conde-Duque de Olivares was the driving force behind the project, and recreated the court for Felipe IV not far from Madrid, located in a delightful and peaceful wooded area measuring the impressive 145 hectares, of which today about 118 hectares are left. Under the direction of architects Giovanni Battista Crescenzi and Alonso Carbonell, diverse buildings were constructed, among them the Theatre, the old Dance hall and the Museum of the Army that are profusely decorated with paintings by such great artists as Velázquez and Zurbarán, which are still in a good condition today.

Throughout its history, there were many modifications that changed the appearance of the garden, such as the Parterre designed during the reign of Felipe V or the Astronomic observatory, which was the work of Juan de Villanueva, during the reign of Carlos IV. King Carlos III was the first to allow access of citizens to the enclosure upon the condition that they enter “well-dressed”. During the French invasion, at the beginning of the 19th Century, the gardens of Buen Retiro were destroyed partially to be used as a fortification by the troops of Napoleon. The palace was completely destroyed. After the War of Independence, Fernando VII had the gardens reconstructed and opened them however restricting access to citizens.

After the Great Revolution of 1868 the lands passed into the ownership of the Madrid municipality, so the Gardens became public. New constructions were built - some of the Retiro’s greatest sights nowadays- the Crystal Palace, the Palace of Velasquez and the elaborate fountains of the Galapagos, the Artichoke and the Fallen Angel. The last garden landscaper who put his mark on the glorious Garden was Cecilio Rodríguez, who designed the Rosaleda (the Rosary Garden).

The Retiro Park is an island of green in the centre of Madrid, with more than 15,000 trees, and a very lively park, as several of its buildings house art exhibitions throughout the year.

Conference Organiser: GB Consulting - Pedro Teixeira 10 2º Oficina 7 - 28020 Madrid - Spain
Phone: +34 91 556 38 06 / Fax: +34 91 555 32 90 / Email: info2011@eventsgb.com / Web: www.eventsgb.com