Named after the citadel that was destroyed that would enable it to be created, Parc de la Ciutadella is Barcelona’s biggest park. Featuring a small lake, numerous monuments, notable attractions and plenty of wide-open green space, the park has become an ideal spot for residents and visitors to do everything from take a walk to attend an event to engage with a piece of Spanish history to become an important landmark for Barcelona and all of Spain.
From Citadel to Barcelona’s First Urban Green Space
After Philip V of Spain took over Catalonia in 1714, he built a citadel in Barcelona that was the largest fortress in Europe at the time. To do so, he destroyed a large housing district, leaving former inhabitants homeless. That was part of the reason the humongous, five-cornered fortress that had enough space to house 8,000 people became a hated symbol of the central Spanish government.
Those feeling culminated in the destruction of the fortress in 1841, although it was restored in 1843. By 1869, what was left of the fortress was given to the city of Barcelona that saw the destruction of most of the buildings in the space. The chapel, the Governor’s palace and the arsenal are the only buildings that were not destroyed, with the rest of the site being turned into the contemporary park by the architect Josep Fontsére in 1872, becoming the city’s first urban green space. It was designed to “allow breathing” in a city that was becoming increasingly overcrowded due to industrial development.
In 1888, Barcelona held the Exposición Universal de Barcelona extravaganza that saw the space redesigned as well as the addition of sculptures and other complementary works of art throughout the park. One of the pieces that was added during this time was the Cascada (waterfall or cascade in Spanish), although it’s just one of several notable monuments that were installed to create a greater connection between the park and the surrounding community.
The Monuments of Parc de la Ciutadella
Parc de la Ciutadella features numerous fountains and sculptures, the most notable of which is the Cascada, a waterfall and fountain built for the 1888 Universal exhibition. Designed by Josep Fontsére with assistance from Barcelona icon Antoni Gaudí, it was first constructed without any real features. Pushback from the community spurred the addition of a triumphal arch and other features. Loosely based on the Trevi Fountain in Rome, it features two enormous crab pincers that serve as staircases to a podium featuring a sculpture of Venus on a clam shell. Quadriga de l’Aurora La Cascada sits atop the piece, which shows the gold chariot of Aurora drawn by four horses. The quadriga was raced in the Ancient Olympic Games and has been used as a symbol of triumph.
The Arc de Triomf was also built for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona, intended to serve as a gateway to the fair. The monument is classical in shape and proportions and features numerous sculptural and decorative finishes that represent various pieces of history and culture. It has become one of the city’s iconic landmarks. The frieze overlooking the Passeig de Sant Joan depicts Barcelona welcoming the nations while the frieze facing the park shows the city presenting medals to the exhibition participants. Reliefs on one side symbolize agriculture and industry, with commerce and art being symbolized on the other. At the top of the arch the shields of the 49 Spanish provinces are presided over by the coat of arms of the city of Barcelona.
Numerous freestanding sculptures are located throughout the park as well, with one of the more famous being Als Voluntaris Catalans (To the Catalan Volunteers). Conceived of in 1918 as a monument to the Catalan volunteers killed on the battlefield under the Allied flags, the inauguration was delayed due to a ban on any public act of Catalan self-determination that came about in 1923. The statue was finally erected in 1936, although a fig leaf was added in 1954 that was eventually removed. In Catalan, the plaque on the pedestal reads, “To the Catalan volunteers killed in France and around the world in defense of freedom 1914-1918 1939-1945”.
These pieces and others like the large stone mammoth and Woman with Umbrella have provided Parc de la Ciutadella with especially unique monuments, but they’re just one of the elements that audiences can engage within the park.
Activities and Engagement Throughout Parc de la Ciutadella
Because of its’ central location, the Parc de la Ciutadella often plays a key role in Barcelona’s social and cultural events, staging concerts and installations during happenings like the La Merce festival. Additionally, there are numerous one-time and ongoing events and activities that take place in the park throughout the year.
One of the most popular attractions in the Parc de la Ciutadella is the Parc Zoologic. About 7,500 animals representing four hundred different species can be found in this zoo, which occupies about thirteen hectare of the park. The park also contains the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona and the Castle of the Three Dragons, which was constructed for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona and now houses the Zoological Museum.
These attractions provide visitors with specific ways to engage with the space, but the wide-open green space allows visitors to do everything from find a picnic spot to take a walk to hire a rowing boat. Boat rides have been called one of the more romantic things to do in Barcelona while cafes provide the space with a source of direct revenue.
This variety of activities and attractions has allowed the Parc de la Ciutadella to become a classic meeting point for locals and travelers alike. That popularity has pulled in audiences from across Spain and all over the world to positively impact and define the area.
Connecting Locals and Visitors with Barcelona
Barcelona’s first urban green space has become its most important, highlighting what it can mean for a park to become something much more than a green space. Like other nearby parks that feature numerous and notable monuments, Parc de la Ciutadella has been able to create an identity that connects with residents and attracts tourists, both of which have created a legacy that will continue to define the area for the benefit of the city and region.
