Parque Gasset, Public park in Ciudad Real, Spain
Parque Gasset covers 90,000 square metres south of central Ciudad Real, beside the old railway station. Its layout is not uniform: successive extensions and renovations, including the 2000 addition of former railway land, left walks, pergolas, plazas and rose beds from different periods. Trees and shrubs range from native and acclimatised species to plants from Atlantic, tropical and desert climates.
Parque Gasset opened in 1915 on land ceded by Juan Manuel Treviño y Aranguren beside the old railway station. In 1933 a sculpture of Rafael Gasset Chinchilla was erected; he had brought water to Ciudad Real via the Gasset Reservoir, giving the park its name. The 1930s also saw the Cura de los Bichos statue and the public library installed. A 2000 expansion onto former railway tracks brought the park to 90,000 m².
The Talavera Fountain displays traditional ceramic craftsmanship from the Talavera de la Reina region, with decorated tiles and patterns that shape the park's appearance. Visitors can observe this regional artisan tradition throughout the decorative elements.
The grounds offer three marked routes connecting singular trees, monuments, sculptures, and ornamental fountains at varying distances. Visitors can choose which route suits their interests and available time for exploring the park.
At the southern end of the park stands the Cruz de los Casados, a 15th-century humilladero cross rebuilt several times. It recalls Sancho and Blanca, lovers from Ciudad Real and Miguelturra whose feuding parents killed them as they fled to marry in secret.
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