Parc de la Devesa, Urban park in Girona, Spain

Parc de la Devesa is Catalonia's largest urban park, covering 40 hectares between the Ter, Onyar and Güell rivers, west of Girona's old town. Nine hectares are shaded walks under the crowns of some 2,600 plane trees, hybrids of Platanus occidentalis and Platanus orientalis, mostly planted around 1850 and reaching up to 60 m. Inside are the French gardens, the central promenade and the old Camp de Mars.

The sandy land at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar and Güell rivers was donated to Girona in 1423 by Queen Maria Victoria, with a second donation by Alfonso V the Magnanimous the following year and the final transfer of crown lands by Ferdinand the Catholic in 1510, so the city could defend against floods and raise income from timber. Poplars and willows were planted and felled, and the first felling for military defences came in 1794. In 1859 the municipal architect Martí Sureda designed the present layout and the first plane trees were planted; the perimeter was fixed in 1898.

The name comes from the Catalan word for a grazing and firewood ground, first documented in 1767; earlier the sandy riverside land was called aigualeixos. In the early 20th century the Devesa hosted festive events, military parades and gymnastics competitions. The writer Narcís-Jordi Aragó published La Devesa, paradís perdut in 1980, the only monograph on the space.

Multiple pathways cross through the green space, allowing easy movement between different zones and facilities. Comfortable shoes are recommended if you plan to explore the entire grounds.

The plane trees here reach heights around 60 meters and rank among the tallest of their kind in urban settings. These towering trees create a canopy that feels older and wilder than typical city parks.