This pond came into being as a result of the staging of the Philippine Exposition in 1887 in the Retiro Park, in what used to be the grounds of the so-called Campo Grande, to serve as a complement to the ‘great stove’ or the Palacio de Cristal, with which it merges scenically and formally. On the southern shore of the pond a rockery was planned and on it a Neo-Nazari pavilion, in addition to other elements, such as a wooden bridge, all of them unfortunately missing. The ensemble was designed by the architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco.

The pond is the second largest in the Retiro Park, after the Grande. Its perimeter is enclosed by a small metal fence, except for its western side, where the grandstand of the Palacio de Cristal and a continuous stone balustrade adorned with vases are located.

© Antonello Dellanotte