The Natural Park of the Sierra de Collserola (in Catalan Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola) is a Spanish protected natural area located in the middle of one of the densest urban areas in Europe, the metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona, ​​in Catalonia. It has an area of ​​8,295 ha, located between the Besós and Llobregat1 rivers and is part of the network of 12 natural spaces managed by the Barcelona Provincial Council.

The park is crossed by a main avenue in the shape of an ellipse which develops around the villa and is separated from the lake by a fence wall in which there are two entrances, one to the east of the villa which leads to the car park shared with the theater The Maggiore is one facing the lake and the beach in front of the villa.

Among the essences, on the part facing the lake, exemplars of conifers stand out, Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus deodara and Abies nordmanniana (Wikipedia).

On February 8, 1850, Izsák Berger's offer to build a beer house on the edge of the grove. He also builds a distillery and a steam bath with a "steam room" in the building. The spa received its first guests in 1861. The park received its official name on August 13th 1860, in order to perpetuate its greatest statesmen and Hungarian, Count István Széchenyi, memory. In 1865, the park began to be landscaped according to the plans of city engineer Ernő Sztraka. The park became very popular, and gave place to concerts and cultural events. Although the park was swept away by the flood of 1888, the representative body made a quick effort to rebuild it. Soon the park gave place for amateur theatre performances, ball parties, regular community events and other celebrations.

In the 1950s, popular music concerts and evening performances were held on the open-air stage surrounded by the sprawling trees of the grove. The park also housed a mini zoo that time.

When the beer garden closed, the number of visitors to the park decreased, only those seeking silence visited the park that became important to those who wanted to escape from the noise of the growing city.

Oak Park is one of the oldest parks in Bishkek, home to an open-air sculpture museum as well as several important monuments and buildings. Although the park was officially renamed in 2010 in honor of Chingiz Aitmatov, it remains widely known by its original name among locals and visitors alike.

Most of the oak trees in the park are as old as the city itself. The first trees were planted here in 1890 by the renowned Russian botanist Alexey Fetisov. Over the years, the oaks have grown into tall, sprawling trees, providing ample shade in the summer and a vibrant display of autumn foliage in the fall. The park is also home to the Memorial to the Red Guards, the Russian Drama Theater, and St. Nicholas Church, which once housed the Museum of Fine Arts.

As visitors stroll through the park, they can admire a diverse collection of sculptures. These sculptures first appeared in 1984 when Bishkek (then still called Frunze) hosted the National Symposium of Sculptors. Artists from across the Soviet Union gathered to showcase their works on the theme "Labor and Peace" in honor of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Kyrgyz Autonomous Region. When the symposium ended, the sculptures remained in the park, and over time, new additions enriched the collection. The most recent addition is the statue of Kurmanjan Datka, unveiled in 2004.

Today, the open-air museum in Oak Park features 90 sculptures. These works of art transform with the changing seasons and weather, offering visitors a dynamic and ever-evolving experience—making Oak Park a place worth returning to time and again.

For a long time, the park remained private property of the archbishopric. However, in 1919, under pressure from the council government, it was opened to the public.

History

The park was designed and built between 1913 and 1927 at the initiative of councilor Vicente Galbe Sánchez-Plazuelos, and was officially inaugurated in 1929 by Miguel Primo de Rivera, after whom it was originally named. At that time, it was located on the outskirts of Zaragoza, which then had just over 160,000 inhabitants.

Due to the city's growth, the park is now within the urban core, in the University district and next to buildings such as the Miguel Servet Hospital, La Romareda Stadium, and the Chamber of Commerce.

For almost a century, it was the largest park in the city until the creation of the Luis Buñuel Water Park in 2008, built for Expo Zaragoza 2008.

José Antonio Labordeta passed away on September 19, 2010, and the following day, the Zaragoza City Council officially renamed the park after him.

Notable Features

Within the park, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of natural spaces and monuments, including:

• The main entrance is via the Cantautores Bridge, known until April 2012 as the Trece de Septiembre Bridge, commemorating the day General Miguel Primo de Rivera declared himself from the Barcelona Captaincy. This bridge leads to the San Sebastián promenade, which features gardens and Versailles-inspired fountains.

• A prominent site is El Batallador, a large monument to King Alfonso I of Aragon, inaugurated in 1925 to commemorate the eighth centenary of the city's reconquest by the king.

• Another monument is the Fuente de la Princesa (Princess Fountain), the first fountain installed in Zaragoza, dating to the early 19th century.

• The Zaragoza Botanical Garden is located inside the park, with origins dating back to 1796.

• The park also features grand avenues (such as Av. de los Bearneses and Paseo de Manuel Azaña), the Ethnological Museum, the Rincón de Goya, the Winter Garden, a bandstand, and more.

Flora

Some of the trees found in the park include:

• London plane trees (Platanus × hispanica)

• Portuguese cypresses (Cupressus lusitanica)

• Narrow-leaved ash trees (Fraxinus angustifolia)

• Black poplars (Populus nigra)

• Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

• Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis)

• White poplars (Populus alba)

The park serves as a green lung for Zaragoza and is one of the city's most emblematic and beloved public spaces, offering both historical monuments and rich natural diversity

Their roots remember Akmolinsk, their trunks have seen Tselinograd rise and fall, and their leaves now dance in the light of Astana.