A visit to Parc de la Ciutadella
08/05/2007 at 08:00 h.
Text: Maria Rosa Salvadó
Photos: Dani García
Built in the second half of the 19th century, Parc de la Ciutadella is one of the main green spaces in Barcelona. For many years it was the only one in the city and one of the first to be designed specifically to be used as a public park.
Designed in 1872 by the architect Josep Fontseré, the original layout was modified so the Universal Exhibition could be held there in 1888 and, later, to accommodate Barcelona Zoo, one of the biggest in Europe and which takes up half the area occupied by the park.
Today, Parc de la Ciutadella is one of the places with the most leisure and cultural activities in the city. A good example of this is the jazz programme held every year between June and September. The park also contains museums, the Parliament of Catalonia and numerous sculptures.
The layout of the park is rather eclectic, winding, more natural lines combining with more classical, geometric shapes. Notable features of the landscaping include the large, monumental waterfall, a lake on which you can sail in small rowing boats, and a summerhouse for music.
Another major feature of the park is the Plaça d'Armes, in front of the parliament building, which was designed in 1916 by the French civil engineer J.C.N. Forestier and the highlight of which is El desconsol, a sculpture of a female nude by Josep Llimona in the middle of the pond at the centre of the plaça.
Parc de la Ciutadella is a very welcoming place, with lots of grass and big avenues, like Passeig dels Àlbers, parallel to Passeig de Pujades, and Passeig dels Til·lers, lined on both sides with lindens ("til.lers" in Catalan), and flowerbeds surrounded by bushes. Everywhere there are benches to sit quietly and relax or read a while, as well as spots where, in winter or summer, you can find young people lying in the sun.
Passeig dels Til·lers starts at the park's most spectacular entrance, at the end of a marvellous walk that begins with Passeig de Sant Joan, continues along Passeig de Lluís Companys, at the head of which stands the magnificent Arc de Triomf, to the park gates, just in front of the Rius i Taulet monument. This is one of the most attractive urban sights in Barcelona.
Parc de la Ciutadella is rich in plant life, all the more noteworthy given the fact that much of it was introduced at the end of the 19th century. There are many trees, palms and bushes which are identified so visitors can recognise the main species or the most exotic, of which there are a lot.
The numerous signs mean you will be able to identify planes, Australian oaks, nettle trees, lindens, Canary palms, Corsican pines, blue palms, date palms, orange trees, magnolias, Australian pines, silk trees, Norwegian blacks, cypress trees and strawberry trees, among others.
Two places of interest for botany enthusiasts, which are also beautiful, are the shaded garden, designed by Josep Fontseré, and the greenhouse, designed by Josep Amargós.
Over one hundred species of birds can be found in the park, including a large colony of grey herons, the biggest in Catalonia today. Elegant and majestic, it is easy to spot them flying around the park, a good place for ornithology enthusiasts.
In 1951 it was declared a monument of historical and artistic interest and is now considered to be an open-air museum, given the profusion and quality of its sculptures by Frederic Marès, Eusebi Arnau, Josep Clarà, Josep Llimona, Pau Gargallo, Manuel Fuxà and others.
As well as the work of these great sculptors, there are popular sculptures, like the big stone mammoth of 1907 and La dama del paraigües, above the ornamental fountain, which for many years was one of Barcelona's landmarks.
Of the buildings built for the Universal Exhibition of 1888, there remains the Castell dels Tres Dragons, designed by Domenech i Muntaner, originally a restaurant and now the Museum of Zoology.
Another building which catches the eye, with its neoclassical style, is the Martorell, or Geology, Museum. It was designed by Antoni Rovira i Tries in 1870 and was part of Fontseré's original plans.
Parc de la Ciutadella is closely linked to Barcelona's history. It is on the site where, in 1715, the Spanish King, Felipe V, following the city's rendition on 11 September 1714 and his victory in the War of Succession, had a large fortress, or citadel, built. To provide the necessary land, the walls at the extreme south end of the city were demolished, along with more than a thousand houses in the Ribera neighbourhood.
Almost a century and a half later, in 1869, in an effort to win the support of Barcelona's industrial bourgeoisie, General Prim, whose equestrian statue we can now see in the park, handed the fortress over to Barcelona, on the condition that the land be used to build a public park.
Getting back this land meant Barcelona, becoming more and more crowded as a result of its industrial development, could create a green space it really needed. In fact it needed more places to "be able to breathe", as was well expressed in the slogan for Josep Fontseré's plan: "Gardens are to a city what lungs are to the human body." Today this seems a rather obvious criteria for urban planning but, at the end of the 19th century, it was not so evident.
All that is left of the old military fortress is the chapel, the governor's palace, now the secondary school IES Verdaguer, and the building occupied by the arsenal, which is now the seat of the Parlament of Catalonia.
GENERAL INFORMATION
District: Ciutat Vella
Size: 17.42 ha (31 with the Zoo)
Description: historical garden
Designed by: Josep Fontseré i Mestres (1872). Later altered
Opened to the public: 1877
Opening times: from 10 a.m. till dusk
Entrances: Passeig de Pujades and Passeig de Picasso
Buildings and other features: Museum of Zoology, Museum of Geology, Zoo, Parliament of Catalonia, IES Verdaguer (secondary school), military chapel, greenhouse, shaded garden, landing stage, children's cycle park, musical summerhouse
Facilities: area for dogs, bars and toilets, children's games room, table tennis tables, picnic area, children's recreation areas, an accessible, integrated children's recreation area, accessible route
MORE INFORMATION
