Cascada del Parc de la Ciutadella - Barcelona, Spain
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denben
N 41° 23.394 E 002° 11.193
31T E 431992 N 4582360
The Cascada del Parc de la Ciutadella is an architectural and sculptural fountain located at the northern corner of the park opposite to the lake. It is also known as Great Falls and Cascade Monumental.
Waymark Code: WMQR78
Location: Cataluña, Spain
Date Posted: 03/22/2016
Views: 10
The Cascade was built between 1875 and 1888 with an overall design by Josep Fontserè. It was inaugurated in 1881 without sculptures or any meticulous details, and was thereby criticized by the press, after which this triumphal arch was thoroughly amended by the addition of a fountain and some minor attributes and was thenceforth put on display at the Universal Exhibition.
It was constructed by Josep Fontsére and to a small extent by Antoni Gaudí, who at that time was still an unknown student of architecture. Fontsére aimed to loosely make it bear resemblance to the Trevi Fountain of Rome. Two enormous pincers of gigantic crabs serve as stairs to access a small podium located in the centre of the monument. In front of the podium there is a sculpture of Venus standing on an open clam and on the top of the fountain a sculpture named Quadriga de l'Aurora which was the last addition to the monument.
The Cascada is remarkable for the profusion of sculptures, which involved several of the best sculptors of the time: it emphasizes the group The Quadriga Aurora by Rossend Novas (1885) and The Birth of Venus by Venanci Vallmitjana; the fronton is the work of Francesc Pagès i Serratos. Other sculptures are: Amphitrite by Joseph Gamot; Neptune and Leda by Manuel Fuxà; and Danaé by John Flotats; Rafael Atché realized four Gryphons sprouting water from their mouths located at the base of the monument.
The Cascada del Parc de la Ciutadella is registered as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest (Catalan: Bé cultural d'interès local - BCIL).
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