Parc de la Cuitadella - Waterfall Monument - Golden Chariot

About Parc Cuitadella, Waterfall Monument & Golden Chariot

Parc de la Ciutadella is the second most famous green space in Barcelona city (after Parc Güell and is a great place for a walk, picnic or for rowing on the lake.

Within the grounds of Parc de la Ciutadella, there are several attractions: The waterfall monument with Golden Chariot, Barcelona Zoo, the Catalan Parliament, Three Dragons castle & Greenhouses.

Citadell Fortress to Parc de la Ciutadella Creation

• 1713: During the Spanish War of Succession, Barcelona was laid siege for thirteen months by the army of King Felipe V of Spain. The city fell to King Felipe V.
• 1714: King Felipe V initiates construction of the citadel fortress as a means of supressing Catalan society in Barcelona and prevent rebellion.
• 1714: A substantial part of La Ribera district was levelled to obtain space to construct the fortress, leaving its inhabitants homeless. Learn more about the levelling of La Ribera on a visit to Born Cultural Centre.

• 1717: Hundreds of Catalans were forced to work on the construction for three years, while the rest of the city provided financial backing and warfare-related expenses as well, with a new tax (el cadastre). Upon completion La Citadel was the largest fortress in Europe.
• 1717: Citadel fortress was star shaped with five corners, giving defensive power with a long defensive perimeter and good cannon sight lines. It included enough buildings to garrison 8,000 troops to guard a Barcelona population of 104 thousand, or if you like one soldier for every 13 citizens.
• 1754: Construction of the Barceloneta neighbourhood began to rehouse citizens displaced by the citadel.
• 1841: Barcelona's city authorities decided to destroy the fortress, which was hated by Barcelona's citizens because of it's use to supress the population.
• 1843: under the regime of Maria Cristina, Queen Regent of Spain, the citadel was restored.
• 1844: Maria Cristina's daughter Isabell II is declared of age and Queen of Spain.
• 1848: General Espartero (Joaquín Baldomero Fernández-Espartero Álvarez de Toro) raised most of the buildings within the fortress as well as its walls by bombarding it from the nearby Montjuïc hill fortress, which helped him gain political popularity.

• 1869: As the political climate liberalised enough to permit it, General prim decided to turn over what was left of the fortress to the city and some buildings were demolished under Catalan orders, for it was viewed as by the citizens as a much-hated symbol of central Spanish rule.
• 1872: The Citadel Ruins and remains of the site was to be turned in to a park.
• 1888: Josep Fontseré designed the park to accommodate the 1888 Universal Exhibition, Exposición Universal de Barcelona (1888). Spain's first International World Fair.

Image Gallery for Parc Cuitadella, Waterfall Monument & Golden Chariot

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