Know Before You Go
Entry is €3 . Tortosa is a difficult place to park. If you have a reasonably small car use the underground municipal car park but it is very tight in there.
Tortosa, Spain
Jardins del Príncep
A botanical garden full of thought-provoking contemporary sculptures.
This garden is situated below the walls of the Castell de la Suda in Tortosa. A former 19th-century spa, the site was occupied by a convent from the 1940s to ’70s. One can only speculate as to what the Salesian nuns would have made of these provocative sculptures by Spanish artist Santiago de Santiago.
The contemporary sculptures include a predominance of nude figures in bronze. They tackle themes such as the motivation and destiny of humankind. The most thought-provoking work is probably the piece entitled “Hiroshima,” which depicts a woman in the process of giving birth.
The artworks are mostly individual figures and groups of figures in bronze. But the largest work is a stone tower made up of human figures, called “The Struggle of Humanity.”
While many sculptures are quite serious, there are also whimsical works, including a park bench with a group of figures representing a family, but arranged deliberately to encourage visitors to incorporate themselves into the work in photographs.
The park was opened in 1991 by Prince Felipe de Borbón, whom it was named after. Aside from the amazing artwork, it is also an excellent botanical garden. Walking along the perimeter wall gives an excellent view into the old Jewish quarter of Tortosa.
Contributed by
Dr Alan P Newman
