Park of the Reserve, Cultural heritage park in central Lima, Peru
Park of the Reserve is an eight-hectare neoclassical park in Lima's Santa Beatriz neighbourhood, designed by French architect Claude Sahut and completed in 1929. Its irregular grounds lie between Avenida Arequipa and the Paseo de la República expressway, and since 2007 they hold the Circuito Mágico del Agua, thirteen computer-controlled fountains. A green metal gate lettered "PARQUE DE LA RESERVA" marks an entrance.
The site opened in 1929 as a memorial to civilian reservists who defended Lima during the War of the Pacific. In the 2000s the park underwent a complete redesign and gained its current system of water features and lighting.
The name honours the reserve troops who defended Lima at the battles of San Juan and Miraflores during the War of the Pacific. The park also holds the Casa Sabogal, or Casita andina, designed by the painter José Sabogal, and sculptures by Peruvian artists.
The park lies between Avenida Arequipa, Avenida Petit Thouars and the Paseo de la República expressway, in Santa Beatriz. Its perimeter was fenced in the 1980s, and the entrance gate on the paved forecourt carries the name "PARQUE DE LA RESERVA" in white capitals. The fountains are lit at night, and the butterfly house accepts only cash in Peruvian soles.
One of the fountains allows visitors to walk through the water as sensors monitor the passage and halt the flow. Another fountain in the complex uses movable nozzles that draw shapes in the air while reaching heights of around 80 meters (260 feet).
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