Parque de ciutadella: Parc de Ciutadella | Barcelona website

This Baroque building was built between 1717-1727 as part of a once majestic fortress.

After the fortress was demolished in the middle of the 19th century, the building was used for various purposes, including barracks, the royal palace and an art museum. The palace was the meeting place of the Parliament of Catalonia from 1932 to 1939. During the Spanish Civil War, Parliament was dissolved. With the restoration of the parliament in 1980, the palace was renovated and again became a full-fledged seat of the parliament.

Until 2004, part of the Parliament building was occupied by the Museum of Modern Art (Museu d’Art Modern). After the museum moved to Mount Montjuic, in the building of the National Art Museum of Catalonia. And since then the palace has been used exclusively for parliamentary purposes.

The palace was built in the form of a cross, with a dome in the center and four courtyards. The building has two floors and an attic with an area of ​​5,532 sq.m.

Near the entrance to the parliament building, there is Plaça de Joan Fiveller, in the center of which is the Despair sculpture.

Church of Castilla de la Ciutadella

Near the building of the Parliament of Catalonia are: a secondary school (Institut Verdaguer) and the parish of Castilla de la Ciutadella (Castrense de la Ciutadella), the remaining part of the former fortress.

Barcelona Zoo

About a third of the territory of the Ciutadella Park belongs to the Barcelona Zoo (Parc Zoològic de Barcelona).

The Barcelona Zoo is located in Ciutadella Park due to several buildings left empty after the 1888 exhibition. The zoo was opened in 1892. Its distinguishing feature at that time was the rejection of the usual fences – the animals were separated not by bars, but by ditches with water.

The zoo currently boasts one of the most important animal collections in Europe.

Participation in various research programs is one of the zoo’s priorities. Considerable attention is also paid to research on mammals, in particular primates.

In addition to the usual visits to the zoo, various types of excursions and activities are offered to the zoo’s guests, such as 20 different workshops and zoology training courses for adults. Official website of the zoo.

How to get to Ciutadella Park (transport)

Barcelona’s Ciutadella Park can be reached on foot from the historic city centre. Plaza Catalunya is 1.3 km away.

Metro line L4 to Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica, named after the park and the nearby area of ​​Vila Olímpica. Tram T4 to Wellington.

Also next to the park, closer to the Arc de Triomf, is the metro station “Arc de Triomf” line L1. Railway station for trains R1, R3, R4, R7, R12, RG1. There are several bus stops. The Estació del Nord Central Bus Station and the French Train Station (Estació de França) are also nearby.

A visit to the Ciutadella Park and/or the Barcelona Zoo can be combined with a visit to the Arc de Triomphe, a visit to the excavations at the El Born Cultural Center and walks through the streets of Barcelona’s Old Town.

Ciutadella Park in Barcelona – History

Barcelona’s Ciutadella Park has a Orangery and
The Winter Garden, there are many paths surrounded by exotic greenery, where it is so pleasant to take a walk, there is the Monumental Cascade, there is the glorious and old Barcelona
zoo. ..

There is even a lake where it is quite possible to ride on
boat. In a word, real
idyll! Here are just the name of the park: Ciutadella (Citadel), it seems at least strange for such
cozy, beautiful and peaceful place. However, it is not at all accidental…

To understand why the Citadel Park bears such a strange name, you will have to make a brief but informative digression into history. Let’s go, as they say, through Tyumen.

First of all, let’s make a reservation: the city of Barcelona itself, for most of its history, existed in the status of a fortress city: the first defensive walls appeared here before Christmas
Hristov, and the latter began to be demolished only in the middle of the 19th century.

And now let’s look at the map of the city and its environs from the 17th century. Here it is, Barcelona, ​​gloomily looking at the white light from behind the fortress walls and appeared a little later, with a change
fortification science, bastions.

And here is another plan from the same period, which clearly shows a dark red line dividing the fortified city into two parts. This line is nothing but the current
the Ramblas.

You can imagine how small the city was: after all, all the defensive fortifications ended where Plaza Catalunya is now located – and then extended
a bare plain where it was impossible to build anything – precisely for strategic reasons.

So, the 17th century, the very end of it. Barcelona has already managed to recover after two sieges by French troops (1691 and 1697), habitually lives within its fortified walls and does not know
knows that very soon any peace will have to be forgotten for a long time – the so-called “War of the Spanish Succession” is about to break out, into which all the main states will be drawn
Europe.

The fact is that the country was then ruled by the last representative of the Habsburg dynasty on the Spanish throne: Charles II, nicknamed “The Enchanted” – and that’s
putting it mildly!

Look into those kind, thoughtful and sad eyes, pay attention to the moon-shaped face and wolf jaw. .. Ah, the Habsburgs, the Habsburgs…

Inter-dynastic marriages over generations led to the fact that Charles, born in the marriage of his father with his own niece, appeared on
light physically and mentally handicapped.

Scrofula, fever, diarrhoea, bone softening, frequent vomiting, premature ejaculation and impotence are just a few of the long list of ailments that plagued
Carla throughout his 39-year life.

If, moreover, we take into account that for a long time Karl was not taught anything at all, so as not to further upset the already fragile health of the boy, one can understand why, according to the memoirs
contemporaries, the main functions of the king subsequently consisted in “strict observance of palace etiquette and the mechanical performance of religious rites.”

For most of Charles’s reign, the country was actually led by his mother, the imperious Marianne of Austria. The king himself, who was distinguished by a calm contemplative disposition, spent whole days in the palace,
where he amused himself by playing spillikins in the company of his numerous and beloved court dwarfs.

Karl was married twice, but he never succeeded in having an heir. In the last years of his life, he seriously attended to issues of inheritance. I must say that behind the back of the “Charmed” hardly
not from the moment of his ascension to the throne secret conspiracies were woven. The Spanish Empire was divided beforehand without any participation of Charles.

The French Bourbons and the Austrian Habsburgs, known for their wolfish appetites, slept and saw how Charles, having no heirs, would simply be forced to split Spain into pieces, and each of them
applicants will get their fat piece of the pie – however, it turned out differently in the end.

Even before his death, even if only once in his life, but Charles nevertheless showed a strong will, as befits a true monarch: he did not want to tear Spain to pieces and
declared his heir to Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of King Louis XIV of France (“The Sun King”).

In 1700, poor Charles died, and in April 1701, Philip of Anjou entered Madrid with honors and triumphs, where he was crowned under the name of Philip the Fifth, King
Spain.

Thus began the era of the Bourbons on the Spanish throne – an era that continues to this day.

Austria, Savoy, England and Holland looked with horror at the accession of Philip. They perfectly understood that the power of the Bourbons in neighboring states: Spain and France would give rise to a superpower, to cope with
which no one else can.

Having united in the face of a common threat, these countries put forward their common contender – Archduke Charles of Austria – and declared Spain and France
war. A global massacre broke out, shaking Europe with varying degrees of intensity for 14 years.

The whole point is that in this pan-European slaughter, Catalonia joined the wrong ally. She would bet on Philip, the legitimate monarch, and for some reason the Catalans
chose Charles of Austria.

“For some reason” I say for a reason: the choice of the Catalans is really not clear. As if it were not they who declared publicly about the infringement of their rights during
the reign of the same Habsburgs, but Spanish!

But Philip the Fifth came to Barcelona in 1702 – to set out the program of the coveted Catalan autonomy.

In exchange for loyalty, he promised to return the counties of Roussillon and Cerdanya to Catalonia. located north of the Pyrenees. He promised to make Barcelona a free port and allow the city
trade with the Spanish colonies. He recognized the right of the Catalans to be called a nation with their own language, history and traditions – well, what else do you need ?!

But the Catalans balked. Let’s not forget that the symbol of Catalonia is the donkey. They were still nicer to Karl of Austria.

Perhaps the age-old hostility towards the French had an effect; perhaps this was done in defiance of the Castilians, who enthusiastically accepted the new king; perhaps the Catalans felt behind their backs
powerful support of the British and Austrians – but they stupidly refused to swear allegiance to Philip the Fifth.

The king left Barcelona empty-handed and probably harbored his royal grudge against the city. And the Catalans, as it turned out later, made a fatal mistake.

I will not bore you with the details of this protracted war, I will say briefly: according to the results of the Utrecht (1713) and Rastatt (1714) agreements, all parties were
satisfied. Speaking figuratively: “all sisters on earrings.”

Philip the Fifth remained king of Spain, but without the right to inherit the French throne. Archduke Charles of Austria, to whom the Catalans swore allegiance, managed to become after death during the war
father, Leopold the First, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and also could not wish for more.

Austria received most of the Spanish colonies in Italy and the Netherlands. The British left Gibraltar chopped off back in 1704 …

In short, everyone was happy – except for Catalonia. Because the allies, having received what they wanted, immediately treacherously abandoned the Catalans to their fate, and when Barcelona on July 25, 1713
was blocked by the troops of Philip the Fifth – she could only rely on herself.

Thirteen months! Think about this figure – for 13 months the city was under siege and did not even think of surrendering!

Barcelona, ​​abandoned, abandoned, betrayed by everyone, declared its own, personal, one might say, war on Philip the Fifth and fought to the last.

If at first the actions of the besiegers, due to the lack of artillery, were rather sluggish and did not bring tangible results, then with the approach in July 1714
additional forces: 20,000 French under the command of the Duke of Berwick, the situation changed dramatically.

The new arrivals had an abundance of artillery and ammunition – and a destructive endless bombardment of the city began, and in the first place – its fortifications.

Barcelona did not give up – although the enemy forces many times outnumbered the number of combat-ready defenders of the city.

All the saints were called for help, the banner of Saint Eulalia, the patroness of Barcelona, ​​was taken out of the City Hall building, and under this banner they went to the bastions to repel the attacks of the French.

Weapons were distributed even to 14-year-olds. The Duke of Berwick more than once offered the people of Barcelona an honorable surrender – but with the stubbornness of true kamikazes, as the wonderful
Barcelona connoisseur Robert Hughes, and with the stubbornness of true Catalans, the townspeople continued to resist.

Barcelona finally surrendered on September 11, 1714: now you understand why the main holiday of Catalonia, the so-called “La Diada”, or Independence Day , is celebrated by the Catalans on this date?

The day of the greatest defeat, but also the day of unparalleled, albeit reckless courage and perseverance – this is what September 11th is for the Catalans.

The consequences of this defeat were not long in coming.

Well, Philip the Fifth won – and behaved like a winner. Catalonia lost the last vestiges of autonomy. All local self-government bodies were finally eliminated, subjected to severe
repressed Catalan language.

Philip closed all the universities in Catalonia, instead opening a new one – in a provincial hole called Cervera, where education was conducted only in Castilian and Latin.

Four thousand surviving Catalan soldiers were thrown into prison. The leaders of the resistance were hanged, after the body they were quartered, and their heads, planted on poles, put on public display at the main
city ​​gates. The head of Morages, one of the leaders, hung on a pole for twelve whole years.

However, not individual representatives should be punished, but the whole city. It was necessary to make it clear to this harmful Barcelona that the power of the Bourbons is strong, and it is always –
near.

Don’t even try to protest! That is why Philip the Fifth ordered to build a powerful fortress right on the territory of the city.

No sooner said than done. The Dutch military engineer Prosper van Werboom presented a project for the construction, and on March 1, 1716, the first
stone.

One of the largest and most hated construction projects in the city’s history has begun.

“Citadel” was erected for five years. In order to build it, a significant part of the seaside area of ​​​​La Ribera had to be destroyed.

During the construction, 38 streets of Barcelona, ​​a considerable number of churches, monasteries, 1016 houses of citizens disappeared from the face of the earth, as a result of which thousands of Barcelona residents
were left homeless.

Subsequently, it was these people who formed the backbone of the population of the fishing district of Barceloneta, the planning of which was carried out by another military man – Juan Martin
Sermenho.

“Citadel” turned out to be huge. Gloomy, moated pentahedron with a diameter of 617 meters; five bastions: King, Queen, Prince, Don Fernando and Don
Felippe, deep ditches, powerful earthen ramparts…

The total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe “Citadel” was 28. 6 hectares – this is almost three times more than the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe whole of Barcelona before the 13th century!

The gigantic size of the fortress immediately put it on a par with such monsters as the fort in Lille or the castle of Sant Fernando in Figueres, in the north of Catalonia.

“Citadel” was built not to defend Barcelona in case of military danger – but in order to constantly keep it under control. The guns of the fortress were always looking at the city, ready for
the first order to start shelling Barcelona – and the Barcelona people have always clearly understood this.

There was no other such building in the history of the city that Barcelona would have hated with such unanimity. Repeatedly they turned to the king with a request for demolition
“Citadels” – however, the answer was negative every time.

“Citadel” continued to stand. And only “La Gloriosa” – the Spanish revolution of 1868 put an end to the fate of this fortress.

By decree of December 10, 1869, the lands on which the “Citadel” was located were returned to the city: on the condition that the demolition of buildings and the construction of new barracks for the military – solely at the expense of
cities.

The hatred for the “Citadel” was so great that the stingy, in general, the Catalans meekly agreed to this.

The citadel, which served the city for a century and a half as a reminder of a cruel defeat, clearly embodied the unfriendly power of the Bourbons, ceased to exist.
exist.

And on the site of the fortress, a vast park was laid out, which after another two decades, in 1888, became the arena in which the events of the First World War unfolded.
Exhibitions in Barcelona.

The image on the right allows you to visualize how the fortress was once located relative to the current Citadel park, which, as we now understand, is called
such, at first glance, a strange name is by no means accidental.

However, the name is not the only thing that reminds today of the once formidable fortress.

Some buildings from the former “Citadel” still survived. For example, in the former Arsenal of the fortress – a rather pretty Baroque building of considerable size – now
sits the highest paid Parliament of Catalonia in the country.

The former palace of the military governor also survived – now it houses a sports school.

A small temple in the shape of a Latin cross has also been preserved, now serving as a parish – a parish church.

Everything else – what, in fact, the Citadel Park is famous for, arose directly for the exhibition of 1888.

And I personally, I confess in secret, very, very sorry that the fortress “Citadel” has ceased to exist. It is clear that the motives for her disappearance from the map of the city are
as, indeed, of all other defensive structures of Barcelona, ​​were primarily political – but this does not change the essence of the matter.

It is clear that to break is not to build. This is a well known truth. It is clear that tourism, as an important source of income to the budget, was also not discussed in the 19th century.
thought. But I assure you: in Spain there are cities where fortifications have been preserved almost in full!

It’s just that when the city outgrew its own walls, additional entrances and exits made their way through them, and the city calmly began to develop outside the fortress
belts.

In the photo above and on the left – your obedient servant on the tower of the fortress wall of the city of Lugo, in Galicia. Imagine: in Lugo, the Roman
the fortress wall is more than 2 km long! Great? Wonderful, I’ll tell you – especially when you consider. that now it is quite possible to walk along this wall.

And here is another Spanish city with a full perimeter of preserved walls, now medieval – Avila.

By the way, both Lugo and Avila, precisely because of the sophistication of these defensive structures, were once included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List.

Of course, in Barcelona there are more objects of the same UNESCO than in any other city in Spain – but in any case, we would not have additional attractions
prevented. With them, Barcelona would be even more interesting – if at all possible.

However, this is me grumbling – like any normal guide in Barcelona, ​​who wants this city to be even more saturated with sights, it is literally packed with them under
eyeballs!

The “Citadel”, an ominous symbol of the power of the Bourbon conquerors, a masterpiece of fortification, can no longer be returned – it died in the fire of the “Glorious Revolution”.

We take comfort in the fact that the park of the same name came out wonderful! The history of the park itself deserves a separate discussion, just like the park deserves a separate discussion.
visits.

By the way, we visit Citadel Park during a walking tour “Citadel Park and the area
Born” .