Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Passeig de Picasso; 8am-6pm Nov-Feb, to 8pm Oct & Mar, to 9pm Apr-Sep; Arc de Triomf)
Come
for a stroll, a picnic, a visit to the zoo or to inspect Catalonia's regional parliament, but
don't miss a visit to this, the most central green lung in the city. Parc de la Ciutadella is
perfect for winding down.
After the War of the Spanish Succession, Felipe V razed a swath of La Ribera to build a
huge fortress (La Ciutadella), designed to keep watch over Barcelona. It became a loathed
symbol of everything Catalans hated about Madrid and the Bourbon kings, and was later
used as a political prison. Only in 1869 did the central government allow its demolition,
after which the site was turned into a park and used for the Universal Exhibition of 1888.
The monumental
cascada
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(waterfall) near the Passeig de
Pujades park entrance, created between 1875 and 1881 by Josep Fontserè with the help of
an enthusiastic young Gaudí, is a dramatic combination of statuary, rugged rocks, green-
ery and thundering water. All of it perfectly artificial! Nearby, hire a rowing boat to
paddle about the small lake.
To the southeast, in what might be seen as an exercise in black humour, the fort's
former arsenal now houses the
Parlament de Catalunya
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(
www.parlament.cat
;
guided tours 10am-1pm Sat, Sun & holidays)
.
The Passeig de Picasso side of the park is lined by several buildings constructed for, or
just before, the Universal Exhibition. The medieval-looking caprice at the top end is the
most engaging. Known as the
Castell dels Tres Dragons
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(Castle of the Three Dragons), it long housed the Museu de Zoologia, which is now
closed.
ZOO DE BARCELONA
Zoo
( 902 457545;
www.zoobarcelona.com
; Passeig de Picasso & Carrer de Wellington; adult/child under
3yr/senior/child 3-12yr €17/free/8.90/10.20; 10am-7pm Jun-Sep, to 6pm mid-Mar-May & Oct, to 5pm
Nov-mid-Mar; Barceloneta)
The zoo is a great day out for kids, with 7500 critters that
range from geckos to gorillas - there are more than 400 species, plus picnic areas dotted
all around.
MUSEU DE LA XOCOLATA
Museum
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