Real Jardin Botanico, CSIC

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Spain - MADRID

Institution Code: MA

BGCI Member: Yes

About the Real Jardin Botanico, CSIC

The foundation of the Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid was ordered by King Ferdinand VI in 1755 and, in the reign of Charles III, the Garden was installed in its present location, the Paseo del Prado in Madrid. The architects Francesco Sabatini and Juan de Villanueva took part in the design of the Garden’s new frame.

From the very beginning, the aim of the Garden was not only to exhibit plants, but to teach botanic, promote expeditions for the discovery of new plant species and classify them. Therefore, the Garden became accountable to the Scientific Research Superior Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC) in 1939 and was declared Artistic Garden in 1942.

Nowadays, the 20 acres of the Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid are divided into three areas. Some of the most important buildings in the Garden are the Villanueva Pavilion, the Graells Greenhouse and the Exhibition Greenhouse, which was inaugurated in 1993. The Exhibition Greenhouse reflects faithfully the essence and spirit of this institution. In this greenhouse, more than a thousand of species are cultivated in three different modules: tropical, desert and warm-weather species. The Exhibition Greenhouse was built with modern materials and uses the latest clean energy technologies.

The Garden also houses an important botanical research centre equipped with the latest technology and a herbarium with more than a million of sheets. All theses resources are used to develop different botanical researches, mainly on Spanish and American flora.

Main Address:
Real Jardin Botanico, CSIC
Plaza de Murillo 2,
MADRID
28014 Spain

Telephone: 34 (9)1 420 3017
Fax: 34 (9)1 420 0157
URL: www.rjb.csic.es
Primary Email: inforjb@rjb.csic.es

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Prof. Dr. Esteban Manrique Reol
    Curator's Name: Silvia Villegas Navarro
    Plant Records Officer's Name:
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 22
    Educational Staff Number: 8
    Research Staff Number: 32
    Administration Staff Number: 12

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: No
    Status: State: Yes
    Status: Educational: Yes
    Status: Municipal: No
    Status: Satellite: No
    Status: Trust: No
  • Date founded: 1755
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: No
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 8 Hectares
  • Total Area: 8 Hectares
    Latitude: 40.4131
    Longitude: -3.6908
    Annual Rainfall: 436 mm
    Altitude: 667.00 Metres
    Total area of glasshouses: 858 Metres
  • Locality: Information
  • Locality: Garden Name: Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid
  • Local Address: Plaza de Murillo, 2 28014 Madrid
  • Locality: City: Madrid
  • Locality: State: Madrid

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Herbarium: Number of Specimens: 1100000
    Arboretum: No
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: No
    Seed Bank: Yes
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Shop: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes
    Disabled access: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 430000
    Number of Volunteers: 20

Plant Collections

  • Cultivation Taxa Num: 5600
  • Special Collections:Mediterranean flora. The RJB maintains a seed bank with medium-term storage capacity, containing 3,259 accessions, representing 2,383 species (1994 figures)

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Medicinal Plant Programme: Yes
    Reintroduction Programme: No

Research Programmes

  • Conservation - Genetics: Yes
    Data Management Systems and Information Technology: Yes
    Education: Yes
    Ethnobotany: Yes
    Floristics: Yes
    Molecular Genetics: Yes
    Systematics and Taxonomy: Yes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: Yes
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes
    Special Exhibitions: Yes
    Courses for School Children: Yes
    Courses for University/College Students: Yes
    Courses for General Public: Yes
    Education Programme: Yes