Attractions and leisure

Renowned for its large public bathing pool, Barcelona’s Parc de la Creueta del Coll has the same name as the neighbourhood where it is located. A green space in Gràcia’s district with a unique area for bathing which also conceals several artistic surprises.

The Parc de la Creueta del Coll opened in 1976 in Barcelona’s Gràcia neighbourhood, amid much controversy about the ownership of the former quarry of El Coll. Instead of using the site to build flats, the decision was taken to create a public park opened to all the neighbours in Gràcia, who nowadays reach the park across a square where an iron monolith welcomes them. Once inside the park, there are ping-pong tables, picnic and play areas and a shallow bathing pool which make it possible for young and old alike to relax and enjoy themselves.

The jewel of the park is Eduardo Chillida’s claw-shaped sculpture, In Praise of Water. The work consists of a 50-ton piece of concrete, suspended from four steel cables over a reflecting pool. The sculpture adds an artistic touch to this highly prized Gràcia park.