Ciutadella Park is located in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). For many years, it was the only public park in the Ciutat Comtal. It was laid out on the old grounds of the Citadel fortress—hence its name—in the image and likeness of the Luxembourg Garden in Paris (France).
Designed by Josep Fontserè i Mestre and inaugurated in 1881, it hosted, a few years later (1888), the Barcelona Universal Exhibition.
It is located in the Ribera district, in the triangle between the França station, the Arc de Triomf and the Olympic Village. It is bound by four main streets: the Passeig de Pujades, the Passeig de Picasso, the Passeig de Circumvallación and Carrer de Wellington.
It has ten entrances and covers 17.42 hectares (31 with the Barcelona Zoo). It is the largest urban park in Barcelona (after Montjuïc Hill Park).
In the park is the old Arsenal of the Ciutadella, current seat of the Parliament of Catalonia, as well as facilities of the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona, such as the Martorell Museum (historical seat of the Museum of Natural Sciences since 1882, although it was a geology museum from 1924 to 2010) and the Castle of the Three Dragons (Zoology Museum of the Natural Sciences Museum from 1920 to 2010).
The Umbracle and the Hivernacle, dedicated to the conservation of botanical species, are also part of the Museum of Natural Sciences. Ciutadella Park houses the Barcelona Zoo and several buildings, including a church and a school (IES Verdaguer). On its grounds is an extensive collection of public art that turns it into an open-air sculpture museum.
The park and the Arc de Triomf have been used on occasion as the finishing line for some of Barcelona’s most important popular foot races, such as the Jean Bouin and the Barcelona Marathon. It has also been used as a venue for festivals and musical events such as Primavera Sound.
Transport
The Barcelona Metro 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.
Address: Passeig de Picasso, 21, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Hours:
Monday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Tuesday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Wednesday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Thursday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Friday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Saturday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Sunday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Area: 31 hectares (77 acres)
Province: Barcelona
Phone: +34 638 23 71 15
Status: Open all year
Created: 1877
Coordinates: 41°23′17″N 2°11′15″E / 41.38806°N 2.18750°E
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