Barcelona is famous for its many parks. I have already talked about one of them (). Today I want to introduce you to another glorious park, which is considered one of the oldest. This Citadel Park. Once upon a time there was a real fortress on this place. Hence the name.
Citadel Park has several entrances. However, the most interesting is the one that looks at the Arc de Triomphe. This is what the entrance looks like.
And this is a look at the triumphal arch from the entrance to the park.
Notice how unusual lampposts surround the alley that runs from the Arc de Triomphe to the park! I started taking pictures of one of the lanterns and noticed an object hanging from above. I changed the lens and saw...
Some of the tourists went overboard, no less. He probably trained for a long time. In general, order in the park is well maintained. There are even mounted police.
But, apparently, in this case they did not follow up.
In the morning the weather in Barcelona was warm but cloudy. Therefore, the photographs clearly lack brightness of colors. But you can't order the weather. It depends on your luck. Well, at least it didn't rain.
There are several fountains in the park. Here is one of them located very close to the entrance.
This is a general view of the fountain. But the most interesting thing about it is the sculptural group in the center. Here she is closer. Look at these adorable little ones!
In the center of the park there is a majestic fountain with a grotto. I had to move further away to capture it in its entirety.
At the very top is a golden chariot. I specially changed the lens to take a closer look.
And under the arch - Venus against the backdrop of a sea shell with naked girls at her feet.
At the very edge of the fountain bowl, a pair of wild ducks bred. It is immediately obvious that no one disturbs them in the park; they live there happily.
Not far from the central fountain, a life-size stone mammoth hid among the trees. I deliberately held onto the giant’s trunk so that you would be impressed by its size.
The park has many flowering trees and shrubs. Most of them are completely unknown to me. But some things are familiar.
For example, oleander.
But I saw magnolia grandiflora for the first time. The tree itself, look how powerful it is.
Magnolia grandiflora and me under it (Park of the Ciutadella, Barcelona) But what is most impressive is the size of the flowers. One flower is as big as the head of an adult!
And this is how the flowers of the Constantinople acacia look unusual. They look like small pink tassels.
The tree itself can reach no smaller size than magnolia grandiflora. His photo is below. Svetlana photographed the flowers, and I photographed her and the acacia together.
We noticed an unusual variety of linden for us. The leaves on the reverse side are fleecy, and the flowers are very fragrant, but their smell is different from the linden of our Russian north-west.
But I don’t even know what to compare this tree with such pink flowers to. Take a look, maybe it's familiar to you.
A shrub with crimson flowers, most likely from the mallow family. The flowers are very similar.
Many plant species in the park are provided with signs indicating their names. But we did not find a sign next to this tree. So I can't say what it is.
Or here's another tree. Its flowers resemble multi-colored brushes that densely cover the tree.
I was very surprised by the group of trees growing right in the water. Their trunks have a thickening at the base.
As written in the most general terms in all Barcelona guidebooks, the Spanish Village is an open-air architectural museum located at the foot of the mountain Montjuic . In fact, the atmosphere there is not at all like a museum, although they provide an audio guide at the entrance .
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Getting to the Spanish Village is very easy. It is located behind Plaza España, i.e. “above” it, at the foot of the Montjuic hill. The easiest way to get there is to take the free cable car, which will take you from the Espanya metro station passage directly to the Olympic stadium in Montjuïc. By the way, if you have time, you can wander around the Olympic sites, it’s completely free. Once we were there closer to sunset and it was no longer hot and we had a lot of fun, looking at the Olympic torch, stadiums, fountains and admiring from afar the fortress on Montjuïc, which I still haven’t gotten to. Next you need to go down a little (signs to the Spanish village are all over the hill - Poble Espanyol it is called in Spanish). The descent is very pleasant along alleys lined with flowering shrubs and pine trees providing shade.
This is exactly what it (ID) looks like, or rather, its main square is Plaza Mayor from the hill (I found the photo somewhere on the Internet). Admission for adults - 9 euros. Audio guide is included in the price.
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Some general information. The ID contains life-size or slightly reduced-size copies of the most beautiful and famous buildings of Spanish architecture from different parts of the country.
This architectural complex was built in 1927 for the opening of the 1929 World Exhibition in Barcelona. Its authors, Xavier Nogues, Miquel Utrilto and Ramon Raventos, first thoroughly familiarized themselves with the heritage of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque architecture in various parts of Spain. There are 116 houses, churches and palaces collected here, dating from different eras, but regardless of this, they are of architectural and artistic interest. Pueblo Español was the first such project. The “Swiss village” in Geneva, the “Village of the Pharaohs” on the Nile in Egypt and many other places with a folklore and architectural bent appeared later.
Upon entering, you immediately find yourself on the main square, where, by the way, there are numerous restaurants, which are practically empty most of the time, even in the season. I like to have dinner in one of them on those evenings when a herd of tourist groups is not driven there. I apologize for the disrespectful comparison, but this was the first time I got there in this way, the impressions of the dinner were terrible, but the restaurant itself was very warm, so I have already visited it twice in a calm atmosphere. The photos were taken almost from the restaurant, it is located on the balcony.
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Several streets branch off from the Main Square, leading deeper into the complex. After walking along them, you will alternately pass through different regions of Spain and observe how the architecture changes when moving from one region to another. There are charming fountains, houses with cozy little balconies, suitable only for “walking” indoor plants, and Gothic cathedrals. Most of the buildings on the territory of the complex house restaurants or artisan workshops, as well as souvenir shops. The souvenirs are about the same everywhere, but in the artisan shops you can find things made by truly talented people on a local scale. For example, I adore ceramics and have brought more items from there than even from Greece. I also enjoy going in to see items made of colored glass; I think I bought them as a souvenir for someone.
Unfortunately, I don’t know which region the architecture of this street corresponds to, but I really like these white vaults, also covered with tiles.
Catalans often celebrate weddings, anniversaries and other family occasions in local restaurants. The local restaurants are very cozy, because... the atmosphere is homely, and after 18.00, when the complex stops allowing tourists, the streets become completely deserted and it turns out that your walk is taking place in an almost empty town. I think it feels amazing.
After wandering around (or better yet, having dinner) in the Spanish Village, go down the hill (10 minutes on foot at a lazy pace) straight to Piazza di Spagna, where a beautiful fountain show takes place (though, unfortunately, not every evening). Starts at 22.00. You can watch it from anywhere in the huge area, the view will be different everywhere, but equally stunning, however, if this is your first time at a fountain show in Barcelona, then it is better to climb to the very top, on the beam or a little higher and observe the whole picture of the pillars from the steps of Palau Nacional, here it is below in the photo (yes, in Europe everyone sits on the steps - it’s warm and clean there).
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At the end of November and beginning of December 2013, I was lucky enough to travel around a wonderful country - Spain. I admit, I dreamed of seeing the great works of Antonio Gaudi and Salvador Dali for a very long time, so the whole trip was very emotional and impressive for me. Our journey began with the beautiful city of Barcelona, then we moved to the south of the country to the capital of Andalusia - Seville, which has long been proud of its fiery flamenco and bullfighting, visited several of the brightest cities in the province - Cadiz, Cordoba, Ronda, then drove along the Costa del Sol (Malaga, Torremolinos, Mijas), and at the end of the trip we admired the beauty of Granada, Madrid and Toledo. It should be noted that in different regions of Spain the climate is quite diverse, so the nature of the vegetation of each of the three conventional climatic zones of the country has its own unique characteristics.
Plaza de España in Barcelona
Pleasant surprises began even before arriving in the city. The median on the motorway from Girona to Barcelona is densely planted with oleanders, and there are groves of eucalyptus and palm trees on the roadsides. On the first day of walking around Barcelona, I was filled with the most rosy expectations. It is not for nothing that Barcelona is famous throughout the world as the busiest, commercial and industrial center of the country, as well as one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, where the greatest artists Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Salvador Dali, as well as the great architect Antonio Gaudi, lived and worked. On the streets of this huge city with a population of one and a half million, ancient and ultra-modern buildings, palaces, churches, wide avenues and squares lined with plane trees and palm trees, cozy squares and parks harmoniously coexist in which people read quietly and walk with their children in spacious spaces. The climate of Barcelona is quite mild, Mediterranean, with mild dry winters (about 10°C) and hot summers, the average annual temperature is about 15-17°C, precipitation falls mainly in autumn and winter (annual precipitation is about 400 - 600 mm). Such a mild climate naturally expands the capabilities of landscape architects and enriches their palette with a large assortment of spectacular plants.
Near the National Palace
The first impression of the central streets: Barcelona is the city of plane trees. In the landscaping of Spanish cities, a hybrid of the North American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and eastern sycamore (P. orientalis, plane tree), maple-leaved sycamore (Platanus × acerifolia) is used, sometimes called the Spanish sycamore. The latter turned out to be more heat- and frost-resistant, fast-growing and unpretentious to urban conditions. In addition, the hybrid easily forms full-fledged seeds even in Britain, is easily propagated by seed and vegetative means, and has many decorative forms: f. Pyramidalis - with a pyramidal crown, R. f. cuneata with a rounded crown and three- to five-lobed leaves of a peculiar shape, silver color, and, what is very valuable, variegated forms f. Suttneri (f. albo-variegata hort.) - with large white-spotted (up to 25 cm long) and f. Kelseyana (f. aureo-variegata hort.) - with yellow-spotted leaves, f. vitifolia - with leaves having diamond-shaped or almost diamond-shaped, deeply and unevenly notched-toothed lobes. In December, these majestic trees stood with withered, semi-dry leaves, and some, like ours, had already lost their leaves. Now the spectacular mottled coloring of the bark and the shape of the crown, often shaped by pruning, come to the fore. Since the plane tree can grow up to 30 m or more, trees on city streets are annually trimmed at the end of the season by special teams equipped with lifts and chainsaws, which we were able to observe.
Plane trees near Casa Mila on Passeig-de-Graci̒a
However, the cozy side streets pleased us with a real Mediterranean assortment. In small areas you can admire the legendary old olive trees, so beloved by the Spaniards. There are a lot of alleys and local plantings in the city of one of the local species of evergreen oaks - holm oak (Quercus ílex), which is cultivated for its exceptional drought resistance, decorative foliage, and is also often used to create hedges and topiary forms. Holm oak acorns are edible (they are ground into flour), and they are also used to feed pigs. It is interesting to see on the streets of the city relatives of our usual common privet, beautiful trees with evergreen glossy foliage - Japanese privet (L. Japonicum) and shiny privet (Ligustrum lucidum). These species, originally from Japan and Korea, have been widely used in landscaping European cities since 1845 due to their shade tolerance and frost resistance, they cut well and easily tolerate urban conditions. The decorative forms of Japanese privet are known: f. variegata - with variegated leaves edged with a white-pink stripe and round-leaved (f. rotundifolia) - a compact shrub up to 2 m tall, with wide-oval, glossy leaves, as well as varieties of shiny privet 'Excelsum Supurbum' with a yellow edge of leaves, 'Tricolor' with yellow-pink variegated young leaves, and 'Pyramidale' with a narrower, conical crown. Who wouldn't be impressed by the alleys (Magnolia grandiflóra) with surprisingly clean glossy leaves, despite the traffic passing nearby. Of course, I was not lucky enough to see them blooming, but even without them. The flowers of the trees are very attractive.
Magnolias on the streets of Barcelona
I, a resident of frosty Ukraine, was most impressed by palm alleys and the widespread use of cycas in landscaping, a representative of the oldest genus of gymnosperms - cycads, often called living fossils, since, according to scientists, dinosaurs walked among the thickets of cycas back in the Mesozoic. We are more familiar with these luxurious plants in potted plants as room decorations. Considering that the cycas grows very slowly, producing only one new rosette per year (and in unfavorable conditions there may be only one leaf), then my delight at the sight of luxurious two-meter specimens right in the middle of the square, framed by mixborders of roses, is understandable.
Cicas surrounded by roses in Plaza Catalunya
All year round, various types of palm trees look elegant and at the same time luxurious, planted in the form of alleys and islands at forks in roads. Especially many palm trees can be seen on the streets leading to the sea and on the Moll de Bosch i Alsina embankment itself (along Ronda Litoral street), where an interesting effect is achieved by alternating tall 25-30 m tall slender Washingtonia robusta and squat, with luxurious feathery Canary date leaves (Phoenix canariensis). In the city's greenery you can also find Trachycarpus fortunei, Chamaerops Humilis, W. filifera and other species.
Palm trees on the Barcelona promenade
Canary date and plane trees in the landscaping of Barcelona
In addition, beech, linden, white poplar, white ash (Fraxinus ornus), liquidambar (Liquidambar), southern hackberry (Celtis australis), kelreuteria paniculata (Koelreuteria bipinnata) and many others are used in the urban landscaping of Barcelona. Casuarina equisetifolia), resembling a cross between longleaf pine, tamarisk and horsetail. I am pleased with the widespread use of decorative deciduous trees in urban landscaping (for example, the street next to our hotel was planted with purple-leaved Pissardi plum) and trees: European cercis, hawthorn C. Laevigata ‘Flore Pleno’. Near the famous Sagrada Familia cathedral, the street is landscaped with Melia azedarach, blooming in the spring with a cloud of white and lilac flowers, and in the fall glowing with clusters of yellow berries that remain on the tree all winter.
Melia azedarach near the Sagrada Familia Cathedral
Various types of conifers are often found in the squares, among which the most notable are, for example, Italian pine, famous for its dense rounded crown, similar to a cap, pine (Pinus pinea), seaside pine (P. pinaster), slender cypresses, junipers, Atlas and Himalayan cedars and many more etc.
Pine trees and oleanders against the backdrop of the Barcelona panorama
The architectural masterpieces of the city are perfectly complemented by topiary forms made from Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) - a fast-growing evergreen plant, widely used in gardening in European countries specifically for creating dividing screens. Particularly impressive were the huge cubes framing the large fountain in front of the National Palace in Plaza de España.
Topiary cubes near the cascade in Plaza de España
We were also lucky to see an example of modern vertical gardening - the Tarradellas Garden, completed in 2010 by the Urban Landscape Institute of the City Council as part of a program to restore unsightly walls that spoil the appearance of the city, which began in 1986. One of the walls of a gray and dull building 21 m high at the intersection of two streets was landscaped with various types of sedums, of which Morgan's sedum (Sedum morganianum), Canarian and common ivy, dwarf ficus (Ficus pumila), jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) took root better and formed entire cascades ), jasmine nightshade (Solanum jasminoides), rosemary, etc. It turned out very beautiful, modern and environmentally friendly.
Tarradellas Garden
Of course, the landscaping of streets and avenues cannot be compared with the luxury of parks, squares and private properties. Here you can admire the entire rich assortment of subtropical greenery, from different types of yucca, pittosporum, sheflera to numerous varieties of everyone’s favorite flowering bougainvillea, monstera deliciosa, etc. It’s amazing when the usual flowers from our windowsills suddenly turn out to be large luxurious trees on city streets. I was also pleased with the view of the Barcelona flower beds, balconies and container gardening at the entrances to the buildings.
Cascade of sedum Morgana on the balcony
Sprenger's asparagus (Asparagus sprengeri) planting a cascade in Piazza di Spagna
Despite the cold and wet weather in December, residents and visitors can admire the blooming cyclamens, pansies and primroses, and thousands of poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima), often called the “Christmas star,” are planted for the Christmas holidays.
Containers with cyclamens near the cafe
Cyclamens in a flowerbed
We will take a walk together in some of Barcelona's parks in the next article.
Victoria Roy
landscape designer
especially for the Internet portal
garden center "Your Garden"
The capital of Catalonia is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world; the city is replete with historical attractions and architectural monuments that have no analogues. However, in Barcelona you can find many places that are not written about in guidebooks and are not told to millions of tourists, since these “secret” corners of the city are revealed to the eyes of only the most inquisitive guests of Catalonia, who want to find the real highlight of Barça.
Oreneta Park
Oreneta ParkThis place in the west of Barcelona allows you to enjoy wild nature right next to a city of many millions. The park owes its name to two ancient estates that were located on this site: Can Bonavia and Oreneta Castle, however, they have hardly survived to this day. The remaining ruins of the walls are located at the very top of the hill. The park itself is more like a pine forest, shady, with a stunning smell of resin that warms up in the Spanish sun. The park has a miniature railway with steam locomotives, a journey along which is sure to entertain children. From the view terrace you can enjoy an excellent view of Barcelona, which will appear before your eyes in full view.
Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor (Basilica dels Sants Martirs Just I Pastor)
View of the Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor This church is considered the oldest temple in the city; it is located on the square of the same name in the Gothic Quarter. In different historical eras, the basilica was both the center of the Catholic episcopate of Barcelona and a mosque (during Muslim rule). The interior decoration of the cathedral deserves much more attention from the visitor than the exterior decoration. It was in this basilica that some scenes of the famous movie “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” were filmed. Climbing up the ancient bell tower, you can fully enjoy stunning views of not only the Gothic Quarter, but the entire Catalan capital.
Arus Public Library and Barcelona Statue of Liberty (La Biblioteca de Arus y la Estatua de la Libertad de Barcelona)
Barcelona Statue of Liberty in the Arus Library The library was donated to the city by the famous journalist Rossend Arus, who patronized the Masonic movement in Catalonia. It is with this fact that one of the largest collections of books on Masonic topics is stored here, including ancient manuscripts, about 70,000 books in total. At the entrance to the library hall there is a small copy of the American Statue of Liberty, about 2 meters high. Besides the size, the main differences between the Spanish copy are the color of the statue (it is almost black) and the engraving made on the book (instead of the date of signing of the US Declaration of Independence, the Latin words meaning "Freedom of the Soul" are engraved).
Cemetery of Poblenou
"The kiss of death" This oldest cemetery in Barcelona was founded about 250 years ago. Over the years, sculptors of different eras and styles have created real works of art in this special place, where peace and tranquility reign, unlike the crowded Barcelona. Many of the tombstones and mausoleums are masterpieces, most of them in the Gothic style. The sculpture “Kiss of Death” makes a special impression.
Park Labyrinth Horta (Parc de Laberint d’Horta)
This is the oldest park in the city, which is located in the northern part of Barcelona on the slope of the Collserola mountain range, which is a forest reserve. The Collserola forest is considered the largest urban park in the world and is almost 8 times larger in area than the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. Each visitor will be able to try to find a way out of the labyrinth of topiary cypress trees, and then relax by the pond filled with water from the spring and stroll through the garden full of beautiful flowers.
Let us add one more attractive place in Barcelona, which does not have any particular historical value, but will allow you to have a great time and relax in the fresh air. This - Turo del Putxe park in the de Gracia area, which has grown to almost 5 hectares. Through its green spaces there are labyrinths of winding paths leading to a single goal - the top of the hill, rising 178 meters. This observation deck offers stunning views of the skyline of the Catalan capital. The park has everything you need for a Sunday picnic, after which you can play petanque with your family, and children will not get bored on the numerous playgrounds. This is a favorite place for locals.
View of Barcelona from the park
Parc de la Ciutadella is located in the administrative district of the Old Town (Ciutat Vella) of Barcelona. Many sculptures and monuments have made the park a kind of museum surrounded by picturesque nature. Locals and guests of Barcelona love to relax in the Ciutadella Park.
Story
Catalan separatism is not a new phenomenon. The name Ciutadella (Citadel) dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. During the War of the Spanish Succession, King Philip V captured Barcelona. To hold the city, he ordered the construction of a huge fortress in its center, which occupied three quarters of the area of the Old City. Its construction was accompanied by the demolition of the houses of local residents and the imposition of a special tax on them, which caused mass discontent.
A century and a half later, the fortress, which reminded the Catalans of their defeat, lost its military significance. Under their pressure, the Spanish authorities agreed to the demolition of most of the Citadel. Only the arsenal buildings, the military chapel and the Governor's Palace were preserved. The rest of the territory was set up as a park. In the middle of the 19th century. it became the first green area of the city.
At the end of the 19th century. Ciutadella Park was reorganized twice. For the World Exhibition EXPO of 1888, it featured the Cascada fountain, the Castell dels Tres Dragons restaurant, the Lady with umbrella sculpture, demonstration pavilions and galleries, and beautiful lamps. . Not far from the entrance, on Passeig de Lluis Companys boulevard, the Arco del Triunfo (Arch of Triumph) was installed, which served as the ceremonial entrance to the EXPO. The next reconstruction, carried out a few years later, made it possible to place a zoo in the Parc de la Ciutadella.
Modernity
Park Ciutadella covers 30 hectares. It is open daily from 10 am until dark. The park has two entrances - the main one, near the Arc de Triomphe, and the auxiliary one - from the Olympic Village (Barcelona Olympics 1992). , built according to the design of the architect Josep Vilasek i Casanovas, is decorated with the coats of arms of Spain and the provinces of the country.
Along the edges of the alley from the Arc de Triomphe to the main entrance there are very distinctive lampposts. At the entrance there are sculptures - allegories that dominated at the end of the 19th century. sectors of the economy. These are “Agriculture”, “Production and Trade” and “Marine Affairs”.
Now, upon entering, visitors are greeted by a fountain with a sculptural group of cute babies crawling on a massive decorative vase.
In the alleys you can admire many flowering trees and shrubs. The size of the flowers (about the size of a human head) of Magnolia Grandiflora is amazing. The axis of the park landscape consists of a large lake and three central alleys, planted with linden, poplar and elm trees, respectively. The lake is home to fish, waterfowl and turtles. Parrots, magpies and pigeons walk along the alleys without fear of people. You can take a boat trip on the lake for 1.2 EUR per half hour.
In the northern part of the park, next to the Passeig de les Pujades boulevard, there is perhaps its most beautiful structure - the magnificent monumental Cascada fountain with a grotto. The creative team of sculptor Josep Fontsere that created it included Antonio Gaudi, who was then taking his first steps. The fountain is realized in the form of a triumphal arch. It is crowned with a bronze sculpture of the goddess of dawn Aurora on a quadriga. It is 6.5 m long and weighs 35 tons. In the center of the sculptural composition is Venus riding out on a shell. She is surrounded by many mythical and sea creatures.
Not far from this fountain, a life-size stone mammoth is hiding among the trees (according to the initial idea, the series of disappeared prehistoric animals was supposed to be continued).
Castle of Castell dels Tres Dragons
Another iconic building of the park is the Castell dels Tres Dragons. The name was most likely borrowed from the then popular novel “The Castle of the Three Dragons” by Seraphi Pittar. The building was designed by the architect Luis Dumenec i Muntane, considered the founder of Catalan modernism. The building has a square shape with four corner crenellated towers. They are bordered by white ceramic tiles with images of animals, plants and people. The window openings were decorated with stained glass windows that were destroyed by a bomb explosion during the Civil War.
The former restaurant building now houses the Museu de Zoologia (Museum of Zoology). It can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 14 (on Thursday until 18:30). Entrance ticket price – 3.5 EUR.
Zoo
The southern part of the park is reserved for one of the best zoos in Europe. It houses 7.5 thousand animals belonging to 400 species in spacious enclosures. There are several animal shows every day – Magia al Zoo! (“Zoo Magic”), Lleons marins (“Sea Lion Show”) and Dofins (“Dolphin Show”). You can visit the Parc Zoologic de Barcelona from 10 a.m. until dark. A ticket for adults costs 19.9 EUR, and for children from 3 to 12 years old – 11.95 EUR.
On the territory of the zoo there is a decorative fountain topped with a sculpture of Lady with an umbrella. Aristocrat of the late 19th century. looks from a high pedestal at those walking in the park, and perhaps wonders: “Oh times, oh morals!”
Other park objects
The oldest Museum of Geology in Barcelona has been located in the park since 1882. It was based on a personal archaeological and geological collection donated to the city. Over time, only geological exhibits have been preserved here. The museum can be visited from 10:00 to 18:30 (on Sunday - until 14:30) every day, except Monday. Ticket price – 3.7 EUR .
In the north-west of the park there is a glass gallery called Hivernacle (“Winter ») , restored and used for exhibitions and other cultural events. Another gallery is Umbracle (“Palm”), now a greenhouse with tropical plants.
The building of the former arsenal is located in the center of the park, behind the lake, on the Placa d'Armes (Citadel parade ground), lined with orange trees. The Catalan Parliament now sits here. In front of him in the pond is a copy of Josep Llimon's sculpture Desconsol (Despair), which he donated to the city. The original is kept in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (National Museum of Art of Catalonia). The sculpture was originally intended to be installed in a crypt, which explains the pose of despondency and sadness of the depicted woman.
The Governor's Palace, which remains from the original Citadel, now houses one of the institutions of the Catalan government.
How to get to the park and its facilities?
The closest metro to the park is Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica station on line L4. The park can also be reached by tram T4, getting off at Wellington stop. Other transport stops are located closer to some of the individual sites in the extensive park.
The closest bus stop to the Castle of the Three Dragons is Parc de la Ciutadella-Pg Picasso, which can be reached from the center of Barcelona by routes no. 39, 51. A little further from the castle is the T4 tram stop Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica. The Arc de Triomf station on the L1 metro line is nearby. You can also take the L4 metro line to the station of the same name, after which you can walk a little.
The closest transport stop to the zoo – Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica, accessible by metro L4 or tram T4. Those heading to the Geology Museum can first take the Barceloneta metro station on line L4.