Parque del Agua Zaragoza, Urban park in Zaragoza, Spain

The Parque del Agua Luis Buñuel covers about 120 hectares in the Ranillas meander, a former market-garden area beside the Ebro. It was designed by Margarita Jover, Iñaki Alday and Christine Dalnoki for Expo Zaragoza 2008. The park is floodable and planted with riverside trees such as poplars, willows, elms and tamarisks.

The park was created in 2008 for the International Exposition, transforming former farmland in the Ranillas meander into a modern green space. This project was part of a broader effort to renew the city and strengthen its connection with the river.

The park's name honours filmmaker Luis Buñuel, born in Calanda, in the Zaragoza region. Its management combines public and private concessions: a flock of sheep grazes the wilder zones, glyphosate was fully eliminated from 2015, and plots are set aside for wildlife breeding. Urban allotments, a botanical garden and children's theatre fill the grounds.

The park stretches over 2 km from end to end, so plan which entrance suits your destination before setting out. Two free car parks hold more than 1,100 spaces, and urban bus lines Ci1 and Ci2 stop alongside the grounds. The site lies in the Actur district on Avenida Ranillas, beside the former Expo 2008 site.

The site features a flood management system built into its landscape that mimics natural water flows and protects the ecosystem. This thoughtful design shows how recreational spaces can also serve urban water planning.