Cascada Monumental

The Grand Cascade is a huge fountain located in the Ciutadela Park. It was built in the second half of the 19th century. It consists of two levels connected by a waterfall. It is crowned with a triumphal arch with a gilded sculpture of a Roman quadriga. The cascade's slopes are overgrown with lush vegetation.

Ciutadela Park was opened in the 1880s on the site of the former Citadel. It was modeled on the elegant city parks of Paris and London. Following this example, it was decided to place a pond with a fountain on its territory. The designer of the Great Cascade was Josep Fontsere. Antonio Gaudi, an unknown student of architecture, also worked on the project.

Within a few years, the team under Fontsere created an artificial slope from which water fell. Under the triumphal arch crowned with a quadriga, there is a marble figure of Venus emerging from a shell. Monumental stairs lead to the top of the fountain, and there are water jets from the pond at the foot of the hill.