Serranos Watchtower
park trails to visit the Serranos Watchtower( now guarding the preservation of the riverbed), IVAM( Modern Art Institute Museum of Valencia), the Fallas Museum, and the Benlliure House Museum. During most sunny days, we walked the trails, destination in mind or not, just to be surrounded by the greenness of the ivy hills, mossy stone walls, and giant exotic trees.
Among this greenery are aromatic rose gardens, maze-like hedge gardens, tropical flowers, and park benches strategically placed among enclaves of trees to provide relief from the hot Spanish summers. As homage to the Garden’ s watery origins, there are many fountains, an ornamental canal, a manmade lake( complete with swan paddle boats), and mirror-like reflecting pools. The reflecting pools of the Palau de la Música are surrounded by palm trees and Greek columns, a reminder that we are not far from the Mediterranean Sea.
Even though the riverbed did not become a freeway, there is constant foot traffic on the concrete and paving-stone walking paths( some lined with orange and palm trees) crisscrossed by well-worn red shale running trails and designated bike paths carrying peddlers home. This sense of movement
River gardens retaining wall
is carried over into the“ sports” zone, with rugby fields, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, running tracks, exercise stations, mini golf courses, skateboard parks, and of course, soccer pitches. Throughout the park, there are many playgrounds, including the children’ s favourite: a sixty-metre-long climbable Gulliver slide.
At the farthest east end of the gardens is the visionary City of Arts and Sciences. Its ultra-modern buildings include the Oceanografic( Europe’ s largest aquarium), Palau de les Arts( opera house), Museum de les Ciencies( interactive science museum), L’ Agora( events plaza), L’ Hemisferic( IMAX cinema and planetarium), and the L’ Umbracle( covered gardens). Surrounded by water, these amazing pieces of technological architecture are Valencia’ s top tourist attractions.
Some say the gardens are Valencia’ s lungs, but I think they are its heart.
Martin Ciesielski was a teacher for Edmonton Public Schools. In his retirement, he enjoys travelling the world, writing, music, and keeping active. Martin hopes this article will inspire city planners to use Turia River gardens as a model for future urban parks!
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