Parque de los Reyes, Urban park in Santiago, Chile
Parque de los Reyes stretches about two kilometers along the south bank of the Mapocho River, covering roughly 31 hectares. It is divided into three sections: the eastern edge borders the Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho and the Puente Cal y Canto metro station; the central section holds the Fuente España, a 4,000-square-metre artificial lagoon, and a 2,000-square-metre skatepark; the western section contains the Perrera Arte center, the Los Silos climbing facility and the Puente Bulnes memorial. Tall palms and paved walkways cross its lawns.
The park opened in 1992 as part of Santiago's riverbank development projects. Its creation marked a turning point in how the city used its waterfront areas for public recreation.
The park's name honours King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, who announced the project as a gift to Chile in 1990 and planted its first two palm trees. The Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho, in the restored former railway station, opened in 1994. In the western section, Perrera Arte has occupied the former municipal dog pound since 1995, and the Muro de la Memoria displays photographs of detained and disappeared people.
The park is busiest on weekends, with free sports activities and group programs running in the mornings and early afternoons. It's best to arrive early to secure good spots and avoid crowds during peak hours.
The 2,000 m² skatepark in the central section was ranked by the US magazine Complex as the best in Latin America and 23rd in the world in 2014. In the western section, Perrera Arte has occupied the former municipal dog pound since 1995; the 1927 building first served as an electric garbage crematorium.
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