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Parc de la Ciutadella — Monumental fountain and cascade in Parc de la Ciutadella.Photo: Ravil · Unsplash · edited
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Parc de la Ciutadella

Parks ·Barcelona ·Open now
4.686.6K
#2Parks in Barcelona#3Parks in SpainTravelers' Choice 2026
  • Step-free access
  • Ideal for friends, kids, dogs
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About

Parc de la Ciutadella is a public park in northeastern Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, with a rowing lake, the monumental Cascada and Barcelona Zoo.

More photos 13

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Parc de la Ciutadella — Monumental fountain in the park Daniel Bonilla · Unsplash · edited
Parc de la Ciutadella — Monumental fountain in the parkParc de la Ciutadella — Palm trees and Catalan flag in front of the Parliament buildingParc de la Ciutadella — Monumental fountain framed by gardens and a reflecting poolParc de la Ciutadella — Historic chapel building among trees beside the park walkwayParc de la Ciutadella — Parliament building beyond formal garden paths and clipped hedgesParc de la Ciutadella — Park garden with the military parish church in the backgroundParc de la Ciutadella — Garden beds and paths with the chapel and Verdaguer Institute beyondParc de la Ciutadella — Catalan Volunteers monument silhouetted against a vivid sunsetParc de la Ciutadella — Visitors playing table tennis beside the La Nit sculptureParc de la Ciutadella — Shady Passeig dels Àlbers lined with trees and lawnParc de la Ciutadella — Central park path with a bench beneath a leafless treeParc de la Ciutadella — Joaquim Renart promenade lit by lamps after duskParc de la Ciutadella — Tree lined park promenade with a quiet paved path

What's on here

TechWalk | Barcelona w/ AI Campus x Vonage TechWalk | Barcelona w/ AI Campus x Vonage Wednesday, 09:00Free

Why go

  • The Cascada, designed by Josep Fontserè with Antoni Gaudí’s assistance, opened in 1881.
  • See the former citadel’s chapel, governor’s palace and Arsenal, now the seat of the Catalan Parliament.

Opening hours

Today10:00 – 22:30Show all
Monday10:00 – 22:30
Tuesday10:00 – 22:30
Wednesday10:00 – 22:30
Thursday10:00 – 22:30
Friday10:00 – 22:30
Saturday10:00 – 22:30
Sunday10:00 – 22:30

Don't miss

  • CascadaVenanci Vallmitjana’s Naixement de Venus stands at its centre, beneath La quadriga de l’Aurora at the summit.Northern corner of the park, opposite the lake
  • DesconsolJosep Llimona’s sculpture stands in an oval pool on the former parade ground.Oval pool on the former parade ground
  • Stone mammothA life-size stone mammoth was the first and only extinct-animal replica planned for the park in 1907.
  • UmbracleJosep Fontserè’s 1883 structure shades subtropical plants beneath timber slats.Parc de la Ciutadella
  • Former parade groundThe square in front of Parliament was designed by landscape architect J. C. N. Forestier in 1916.In front of the Parliament

What you see

  • Stairways beside the Cascada lead to a small pavilion overlooking the park.

With kids

  • Several children's play areas.
  • Look for the park's many outdoor sculptures together.

Facilities

  • Off-leash dog areas The park has areas for off-leash dogs and a separate dog area.

Photo spots

  • Four griffinsRafael Atché’s four griffins guard the Venus sculpture at the foot of the Cascada.Foot of the Cascada
  • Lake cypressesThree bald cypresses grow in the lake; they were planted in the first third of the 20th century.The lake
  • GreenhouseJosep Amargós i Samaranch’s iron-and-glass greenhouse dates to 1884.Parc de la Ciutadella
  • Castle of the Three DragonsThe neo-Gothic former exhibition restaurant was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.Parc de la Ciutadella
  • La dama del paraiguaJoan Roig Soler’s sculpture crowns a fountain inside Barcelona Zoo.Inside Barcelona Zoo

Shorts

History

Building the citadel displaced about 4,500 residents of La Ribera. San Juan tower served as a prison.

  1. 1715Philip V ordered a citadel built on the site after Barcelona fell in 1714.
  2. 1841–1843Demolition was ordered in 1841, followed by an order to restore the citadel two years later.
  3. 1868The revolution extensively destroyed the citadel.
  4. 1869General Prim handed the remaining citadel grounds to Barcelona for conversion into a public park.
  5. 1872Fontserè’s original park layout dates to this year; it was later altered for the exhibition and zoo.
Show all
  1. 1881–1888The Cascada opened without sculptures or elaborate details; further work followed from 1882 to 1888.
  2. 1888The park hosted the Universal Exhibition.
  3. 1892Barcelona Zoo opened in the park, using buildings left empty after the exhibition.

How to get there

  • TrainArc de Triomf serves metro and commuter trains and is closer to the park entrance than Ciutadella–Vila Olímpica on metro line L4.
  • BusEstació del Nord, Barcelona’s central bus station, is close to the park.

Accessibility

  • Accessible to people with physical disabilities
  • Cascada pavilion access Reached by stairs.

Sources: Parc de la Ciutadella - Wikipedia · Barcelona/Ciutat Vella - Wikivoyage (see) · Parque de la Ciutadella | Barcelona.cat · Parc de la Ciutadella - Wikipedia · Parque de la Ciudadela - Wikipedia · Parc de la Ciutadella - Wikipedia · checked 28 Sep 2026

Where
Passeig de Picasso, 21, Barcelona

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

When is Parc de la Ciutadella open?

Daily, 10:00–22:30.

Can I visit the geology and zoology museums in Parc de la Ciutadella?

Both are closed while new uses are planned.

What inspired Parc de la Ciutadella’s design?

The Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris.

Were more lakes planned for Parc de la Ciutadella?

Fontserè planned two lakes, but only one was built.

What was Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf built for?

Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas designed it as the entrance to the 1888 exposition.

Who does Parc de la Ciutadella’s Sònia bandstand commemorate?

Sonia Rescalvo Zafra, who was murdered there in 1991.

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