Parque Rosalía [EN]

Municipal Park Project

Main Entrance 1:50 Scale
Lugo, December 1922

2 July 1921, the City Council, under Mayor Ángel López Pérez, agreed to build a park in which, according to the mayor himself, "children will be completely free to play the games typical of their age and older people will find a place for rest and relaxation". It was the first park in Lugo open to all ages and all social classes.

The initial project, by municipal architect Ramiro Sainz Martínez, was divided into two areas: the flat terrain in the upper part, nearest the town, and the hilly part, known as ‘Costas do Parque’ (Park Hills), separated by a broad 30-metre-wide promenade, “like a spine”, beginning at Rúa do Bispo Aguirre and continuing along Rúa Rodríguez Mourelo and Rúa Dr. García Portela. 

The works to complete the park were undertaken in 1927 under municipal architect Eloy Maquieira, who designed the contention wall and parapet, the pergola, the kiosk and the steps. The landscaping was designed by agricultural engineer Juan Cruz de Eguileor. The first 200 trees were planted with pine support stakes.

The area took nine years to complete. It was never inaugurated and, although it was initially called Alfonso XIII Park, following the constitution of the 2nd Republic, the City Council agreed to call it Rosalía de Castro Park.

Today, it remains a symbolic and magical place for citizens, of great patrimonial, historical and natural wealth.