Hernandez Park

Henandez Park
Parque Henández
Type	Park and Sculpture garden
Location	Melilla, Spain
Coordinates	35°17′31″N 02°56′27″W
Area	4,2 ha
Opened	November 7, 1902 (1902-11-07)
Managed by	Department of Environment and Nature of the Autonomous City of Melilla
Water	Yes
Vegetation	Yes
Designation	Jardín histórico and Bien de Interés Cultural
Parking	Yes
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Jardín histórico and Bien de Interés Cultural
Designated	11 August 2007

Hernández Park is the most important park in the autonomous Spanish city of Melilla and is located in the Ensanche Modernista, in Plaza de España.

History

Streetlight

Its origin dates back to 1872, when the old bed of the Río de Oro was filled with the earth that had been extracted to form its new riverbed. In 1900, the then general commander of the square, Venancio Hernández Fernández, decided to transform the extensive plain that was used as a training camp for the troops and a dumping ground for the population into a forest park. To do this, he had the collaboration of the Arbitration Board, which covered the expenses through the entertainment section.

In 1902 the park was built in the shape of a trapezoid according to the design of the engineer Vicente García del Campo the previous year, being inaugurated on May 18 and in 1906 the urbanization began, which was unsuccessful when a flood swept away the park that year. In 1907 a small temple was built in the center of the park and the commemorative lantern was installed in honor of General Hernández, paid for by a popular subscription initiated by El Telegrama del Rif. In 1914 the main entrance was built with a snack bar called Café Alhambra between 1911 and 1918, in 1915 an elevated water tank was built that allowed it to be converted into a real park and in 1918 the enclosure of the park was finished.

Between 1927 and 1930, pergolas were built, kiosks and walkways were removed, the most important ones were paved and a collection of archaeological remains was installed in the basement of the temple. At the beginning of the 1930s, the roundabout at the end of the park was lost and the archaeological collection was moved to the area around the Puerta de la Marina, and a public library was installed in the basement of the temple. In 1945, the temple was demolished and a light fountain was installed, which was demolished between 1951 and 1952. In 1966, the metal fence of the enclosure was replaced and repaired and in 1987, the central walkway was repaired, with a fountain being placed in the centre of the park, although at the end of the 1970s it began a long period of decline.

In April 2007, at the celebration of the XXXIV Congress of Parks and Gardens, it obtained, together with the gardens of the Plaza de España, the title of Historic Garden.

Description

It has a main entrance, composed of three doors, with iron gates, the central one flanked by two prisms, with the coat of arms of Melilla and crowned by a crown, with a tower in which Guzmán el Bueno stands brandishing a dagger.

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