Parc de la Ciutadella
Encyclopedia
The Parc de la Ciutadella (ˈparg də ɫə siwtəˈðeʎə, "Ciutadella Park") is a park in Ciutat Vella
, Barcelona
, Spain
. After its establishment during the mid 19 century, it was for decades the only green area in the city, and hitherto of the most popular. It is located at the northeastern edge of the old town, and hosts within its 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) the city's substantial zoo (which was home to the famous albino gorilla Snowflake), the Parliament of Catalonia
, a lake, some museums, and a fountain of considerable size designed by Josep Fontserè (with perhaps some attributions of the young student Antoni Gaudí
, who at this time worked at Fontserès office). It is characterized by being a very busy place, crowded with tourists, and locals, who are usually going for a walk or taking their children to the special section for kids found near the upper margin of the park. This park is optimal for sports, like for example boating in the lake, cycling (both boat and bicycle can be hired), or jogging.
The main attraction has, from its establishment hitherto been the zoo. This was due to out of the 7,000 animals present the albino gorilla Snowflake, who has died in 2004. Near the zoo's entrance, the famous climbable gigantic stone mammoth is to be seen, just as the metallic cat in another perimeter of the park.
Another yet to be mentioned conspicuous characteristic is the park's paths' layout, one half being made up by sinuous and rather natural seeming trails, and the other by direct and refined ones. Along both, huge a variety of vegetation is assertively displayed, having small signposts at their front, serving as name tags.
), Barcelona fell to the army of Philip V of Spain
. In order to maintain stark control over the city, and to hold the Catalan citizens from rebelling like they did in the last century, King Philips V built the citadel of Barcelona, the at that time largest fortress of whole Europe, using the park of French Luxembourg
as an exemplification.
A substantial part of the district it was constructed in (La Ribera
) was destroyed to obtain the necessary space, leaving its inhabitants audaciously and carelessly homeless. The fortress was characterized by having five corners, which proffered the citadel defensive power, and by a rather wide surrounding margin, serving as location for the army's myriad of cannons. It included all the necessary buildings to house 8,000 people.
Hundreds of Catalonians were forced to pertinaciously work on the erection for three years, while the rest of the city provided financial backing not only for the construction, but for warfare related expenses as well, with a newly effectuated tax named El Cadestre. Three decades later a quarter was rebuilt around the fortress and until today named Barceloneta
, which is located inside the neighborhood Ciutat Vella
.
In 1841 the city's authorities decided to destroy the fortress, for it was abhorred by Barcelona's citizens. Yet, two years later, in 1843, under regime of Maria Cristina, the citadel was restored. In 1848, after Maria Cristinas's abdication and as the citadel lost its use, General Espartero razed most of the buildings within the fortress with its walls to the ground by bombarding it from a nearby mountain named Montjuic
, which helped him beget political popularity. By 1869, as the political climate liberalised enough to permit it, General Prim decided to turn over what was left of the fortress to the city and demolishment of some buildings thus eventuated under Catalan orders, for it was viewed as by the citizens as a much-hated symbol of central Spanish government.
The chapel (now the Military Parish Church of Barcelona), the Governor's palace (now Verdaguer Secondary School) and the arsenal (which is now home to the Catalan Parliament) endured to date, with the rest of the site being turned into the park of the citadel as we now know it, on the quondam grounds of the actual fortress, as work by the architect Josep Fontsére in 1872. 19 years later, in 1888, Barcelona held the Exposición Universal de Barcelona extravaganza, inspired by Mayor Rius i Taulet, and the park was redesigned by addition of sculptures and other complemental works of art. The aforementioned eventuation marked the conclusion of the old provincial and unprogressive Barcelona
and the establishment of a modern cosmopolitan city. From that point until 1892, half of the park's layout was yet again enhanced, in order to obtain sufficient space for the zoo.
, who at that time was still an unknown student of architecture. Fontsére aimed to loosely make it bear resemblance to the Trevi Fountain
of Rome
.
Two enormous pincers of gigantic crabs serve as stairs to access a small podium located in the centre of the monument. In front of it a sculpture (designed by Venanci Vallmitjana) of Venus standing on an open clam was placed. The whole cascade is divided in two levels. From the podium on a path leads to the Feminine Sculpture and to the northeastern corner of the park, and upon following the route down the stairs the fountain's pond is rounded and the southern tip of the artifact is reached.
Nowadays, with one of the most substantial collections of animals in Europe, the zoo affirms that their aim is to conserve, investigate, and educate.
From 1966 to 2003 the zoo was home to the famous albino gorilla Snowflake, who attracted many international tourists and locals.
Apart from the usual visits, different types of guided tours or other activities are offered, like for example 20 types of diversionary workshops, excursions and fieldtrips for schoolchildren, or personnel training and educational courses in zoology for adults. More than 50,000 children visit the zoo on an annual basis, which is the reason for the zoo's emphasis on education.
Its opening times are:
Permanent exhibitions:
Timetable:
and Trambesòs
station Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica
, on L4
, is named after the park and the nearby area Vila Olímpica. The entrance to the park, however, is closer to the metro and Rodalies Barcelona
(commuter train network) station Arc de Triomf. The city's central bus station Estació del Nord is also close.
Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella is a district of Barcelona, numbered District 1. The name means "old city" in Catalan and refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Ciutat Vella is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the neighborhood called l'Eixample...
, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. After its establishment during the mid 19 century, it was for decades the only green area in the city, and hitherto of the most popular. It is located at the northeastern edge of the old town, and hosts within its 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) the city's substantial zoo (which was home to the famous albino gorilla Snowflake), the Parliament of Catalonia
Parliament of Catalonia
The Parliament of Catalonia is the unicameral legislature of Catalonia. It is formed by 135 members , who are elected every four years in ordinary period, or extraordinarily upon dissolution and call of elections by the President of Catalonia, by universal suffrage in proportional lists with four...
, a lake, some museums, and a fountain of considerable size designed by Josep Fontserè (with perhaps some attributions of the young student Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Spanish Catalan architect and figurehead of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect his highly individual and distinctive style and are largely concentrated in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, notably his magnum opus, the Sagrada Família.Much of Gaudí's work was...
, who at this time worked at Fontserès office). It is characterized by being a very busy place, crowded with tourists, and locals, who are usually going for a walk or taking their children to the special section for kids found near the upper margin of the park. This park is optimal for sports, like for example boating in the lake, cycling (both boat and bicycle can be hired), or jogging.
The main attraction has, from its establishment hitherto been the zoo. This was due to out of the 7,000 animals present the albino gorilla Snowflake, who has died in 2004. Near the zoo's entrance, the famous climbable gigantic stone mammoth is to be seen, just as the metallic cat in another perimeter of the park.
Another yet to be mentioned conspicuous characteristic is the park's paths' layout, one half being made up by sinuous and rather natural seeming trails, and the other by direct and refined ones. Along both, huge a variety of vegetation is assertively displayed, having small signposts at their front, serving as name tags.
The Citadel
In 1714, after a 13 month war (War of the Spanish SuccessionWar of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
), Barcelona fell to the army of Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
. In order to maintain stark control over the city, and to hold the Catalan citizens from rebelling like they did in the last century, King Philips V built the citadel of Barcelona, the at that time largest fortress of whole Europe, using the park of French Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
as an exemplification.
A substantial part of the district it was constructed in (La Ribera
La Ribera
La Ribera is one of the areas of the quarter of Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera of Ciutat Vella of Barcelona.Many of the buildings date from late Medieval times. It was a well-to-do quarter during 13th-15th centuries, when it really was by the sea shore, and the area that today is named...
) was destroyed to obtain the necessary space, leaving its inhabitants audaciously and carelessly homeless. The fortress was characterized by having five corners, which proffered the citadel defensive power, and by a rather wide surrounding margin, serving as location for the army's myriad of cannons. It included all the necessary buildings to house 8,000 people.
Hundreds of Catalonians were forced to pertinaciously work on the erection for three years, while the rest of the city provided financial backing not only for the construction, but for warfare related expenses as well, with a newly effectuated tax named El Cadestre. Three decades later a quarter was rebuilt around the fortress and until today named Barceloneta
Barceloneta
Barceloneta may refer to:*Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico.*Barceloneta, Barcelona, beach and a neighborhood in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, Spain**Barceloneta...
, which is located inside the neighborhood Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella is a district of Barcelona, numbered District 1. The name means "old city" in Catalan and refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Ciutat Vella is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the neighborhood called l'Eixample...
.
In 1841 the city's authorities decided to destroy the fortress, for it was abhorred by Barcelona's citizens. Yet, two years later, in 1843, under regime of Maria Cristina, the citadel was restored. In 1848, after Maria Cristinas's abdication and as the citadel lost its use, General Espartero razed most of the buildings within the fortress with its walls to the ground by bombarding it from a nearby mountain named Montjuic
Montjuïc
Montjuïc is a hill located in Barcelona, Catalonia.-Etymology:Montjuïc is translated as 'Jew Hill' in medieval Catalan, or is perhaps related to the Latin phrase Mons Jovicus . The name is found in several locations in the Catalan Countries: the Catalan cities of Girona and Barcelona both have a...
, which helped him beget political popularity. By 1869, as the political climate liberalised enough to permit it, General Prim decided to turn over what was left of the fortress to the city and demolishment of some buildings thus eventuated under Catalan orders, for it was viewed as by the citizens as a much-hated symbol of central Spanish government.
The chapel (now the Military Parish Church of Barcelona), the Governor's palace (now Verdaguer Secondary School) and the arsenal (which is now home to the Catalan Parliament) endured to date, with the rest of the site being turned into the park of the citadel as we now know it, on the quondam grounds of the actual fortress, as work by the architect Josep Fontsére in 1872. 19 years later, in 1888, Barcelona held the Exposición Universal de Barcelona extravaganza, inspired by Mayor Rius i Taulet, and the park was redesigned by addition of sculptures and other complemental works of art. The aforementioned eventuation marked the conclusion of the old provincial and unprogressive Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and the establishment of a modern cosmopolitan city. From that point until 1892, half of the park's layout was yet again enhanced, in order to obtain sufficient space for the zoo.
The Cascada
The Cascada (waterfall or cascade in Spanish) is located at the northern corner of the park opposite to the lake. It was first inaugurated in 1881 without sculptures or any meticulous details, and was thereby criticized by the press, after which this triumphal arch was thoroughly amended by the addition of a fountain and some minor attributes, which required six years of construction from 1882 to 1888, and was thenceforth put on display at the Universal Exhibition, and hitherto not been redesigned. It was erected by Josep Fontsére and to a small extent by Antoni GaudíAntoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Spanish Catalan architect and figurehead of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect his highly individual and distinctive style and are largely concentrated in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, notably his magnum opus, the Sagrada Família.Much of Gaudí's work was...
, who at that time was still an unknown student of architecture. Fontsére aimed to loosely make it bear resemblance to the Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi rione in Rome, Italy. Standing 26 metres high and 20 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world....
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Two enormous pincers of gigantic crabs serve as stairs to access a small podium located in the centre of the monument. In front of it a sculpture (designed by Venanci Vallmitjana) of Venus standing on an open clam was placed. The whole cascade is divided in two levels. From the podium on a path leads to the Feminine Sculpture and to the northeastern corner of the park, and upon following the route down the stairs the fountain's pond is rounded and the southern tip of the artifact is reached.
The Lake
The lake characterizes the park as a scenery enjoyable for romantics. The lake's location, surroundings, and visitors turns this big sector into a rather convivial place, in which little turtles can be found on rocks, and fishes dashing through the water. Just next to it lies the thickest and most beauteous vegetation that can be spotted in the green areas of Barcelona. There is a locally somewhat famous tree which grows inside the water and separates from the other due to its attractive form and its propagation of bananas.The zoo
The zoo of Barcelona is located in the park of the ciutadella due to the availability of a few buildings which were left empty after the Universal Exposition of 1888. It was inaugurated in 1892, during the day of the Mercé, the patron saint of the city. The first animals were donated by Lluís Martí i Codolar to the municipality of Barcelona, which gratefully approved of the their accommodation in the zoo.Nowadays, with one of the most substantial collections of animals in Europe, the zoo affirms that their aim is to conserve, investigate, and educate.
From 1966 to 2003 the zoo was home to the famous albino gorilla Snowflake, who attracted many international tourists and locals.
Apart from the usual visits, different types of guided tours or other activities are offered, like for example 20 types of diversionary workshops, excursions and fieldtrips for schoolchildren, or personnel training and educational courses in zoology for adults. More than 50,000 children visit the zoo on an annual basis, which is the reason for the zoo's emphasis on education.
Its opening times are:
- January/February/March 1–15: 10:00 to 17:30
- March 16–31/April/May: 10:00 to 19:00
- June/July/August/September: 10:00 to 20:00
- October 1–14: 10:00 to 19:00
- October 25–31/November/December: 10:00 to 17:30
Museum of zoology
The zoology museum of Barcelona, together with the museum of geology, make up the Museum of Natural Science. It was constructed briefly previous to the Exposición Universal de Barcelona (1888) by the architect Lluís Doménech i Montaner, and served as exhibition to the aforementioned extravaganza. Most of the building is constructed, as to be seen on the right picture, with red bricks. The most popular displays are the gigantic skeleton of the whale, and the exhibits dedicated for smaller children. The institute's authorities aver that their vital aims are to enhance knowledge and conservation of the natural diversity of Catalonia and its surroundings, and to promote the public the learning and discovery of the natural world, just as to transmit ethical values of respect for nature and to stimulate informed debate on the burning issues and environmental problems that concern society.Permanent exhibitions:
- Mineralogy, petrology and paleontology
- The volcanic region of OlotOlotOlot is the capital of the comarca of the Garrotxa, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.- Etymology :The etymology of Olot is not clear and there are several hypotheses...
- The mineral's secret colors
- The animal kingdom
- Urban birds
- The apiary
Timetable:
- Tuesday through Saturday: 10:00 to 18:00
- Sunday: 10:00 to 14:300
- Mondays closed
Museum of geology
The museum of geology is a legacy of the scientist Francisco Martorell i Peña (1822–1878). He donated his whole collection of artifacts of cultural and archeological importance, his scientific library, and an amount of 125.00 pesetas to the city, and demanded correct usage of these by means of the founding of a new museum to save his bequest. That same year a new building was constructed for the requested purpose, and named by the Corporación Municipal after its donor. The responsible architect was Antoni Rivas i Trias, who decided to build the museum in the park of the citadel.Transport
The Barcelona MetroBarcelona Metro
The Barcelona Metro , part of the public transportation system of Barcelona, Catalonia, is an extensive network of electrified railways that run underground in central Barcelona and above ground into the city's suburbs. Since July 31, 2010, Barcelona Metro system consists of 11 lines with 165...
and Trambesòs
Trambesòs
The Trambesòs is a light rail system operated by TRAMMET connecting Sant Adrià de Besòs and Badalona with the city of Barcelona in Catalonia. The original line, known as T4, opened on May 8, 2004 and runs from Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica in Barcelona to the east of the city and extends roughly...
station Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica
Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica (Barcelona Metro)
Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica is the name of a station in the Barcelona Metro network, as well of a nearby Trambesòs station in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona. It's named after one of Barcelona's major parks, Parc de la Ciutadella, and Vila Olímpica, a neighbourhood in the immediate vicinities....
, on L4
Barcelona Metro line 4
— Line 4, currently known as Trinitat Nova – La Pau, usually called "línia groga" , is a line in the Barcelona Metro network operated by TMB, and part of the ATM fare-integrated transport network...
, is named after the park and the nearby area Vila Olímpica. The entrance to the park, however, is closer to the metro and Rodalies Barcelona
Rodalies Barcelona
Rodalies Barcelona is the commuter rail service that serves Barcelona, and its metropolitan area as well as other parts of the province.Rodalies Barcelona is made up of 13 lines, 6 of which are operated by the Spanish company RENFE and 7 by Generalitat-owned FGC. The whole network—and fare...
(commuter train network) station Arc de Triomf. The city's central bus station Estació del Nord is also close.
External links
- http://www.aviewoncities.com/barcelona.htm
- http://www.bcn.es/turisme/english/turisme/
- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&abauth=1d71f2c4%3Axb3r8M0wKNb9nd4540IHCi-s6Ms&view=text&q=barcelona&btnG=Search+Maps
- http://w3.bcn.es/XMLServeis/XMLHomeLinkPl/0,4022,375670355_703434886_3,00.html
- http://www.museuzoologia.bcn.es