THE PRINCE’S GARDENS, SANTIAGO DE SANTIAGO’S OUTDOOR SCULPTURE MUSEUM

General Information Pujada al Castell de la Suda, s/n Tortosa (43500) Location in Google Maps Tel.: 977 44 20 05 Opening hours Open: From 1 May to 30 September. Closed on Mondays. Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm Sundays and Public Holidays: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm Rest of the year: Closed on Mondays. Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm Sundays and Public Holidays: 11:00 am to 1:30 pm Description The museum is one of three of the kind in the world and is called: “L’home, la seva motivació i el seu destí” (Mankind, its motivation and its destiny). It contains a remarkable central monolith and an interesting botanical collection. Explanation The Prince’s Gardens are in the garden area of the former Porcar spa, which dates back to the first third of the 19th century, when the landowner, Jaume Tió i Noé, built modest spa facilities. This site, documented in medieval times as property belonging to the Santa Clara Convent, was occupied through most of the 20th century by Salesian monks, to be eventually acquired by the Town Council of Tortosa in 1970. In 1989, the council approved the proposal by the José Celma Prieto Foundation to build a sculpture museum in the romantic gardens of the former spa, resulting from a visit by the sculptor Santiago de Santiago, the only artist commissioned to complete the project. The twenty-four sculptural groups were financed by the aforementioned foundation. The Gardens and the Outdoor Sculpture Museum were opened by the Prince of Asturias and Girona on 23 September 1991. Since then, they have become a very important cultural attraction. Located in beautiful surroundings, framed by north-eastern slopes of Mount Suda, St. John's foothills, the city wall built in the 14th century and the Jewish quarter, the art history and natural heritage of the city of Tortosa is enriched by offering this enhanced experience to tourists. The collection provides a full panoramic journey through history. There are representations of primitive man, but also of certain outstanding conquests, the rebel punished by the gods, the tragedy of Hiroshima and even a symbolic representation of the astronauts’ conquest of space. The struggle, dreams and dynamics and hope create the stages of the life of mankind on earth. The central monolith shows the passions of humanity, its liberation and the final triumph within its reach. The Prince’s Gardens also contain an interesting botanical collection and visitors can find local species such as holly, oleander, capers, and lantana. In addition to the country’s palm tree there is the Canary Island palm, date-palm and Washingtonia robusta. A small white pine and canary pine wood form the upper part of the site, typically bordered by typical local dry. There is a mixture of laurel, hackberries and Paris pines. Among the different species from around the world, there are evocative varieties such as the cedar, the chorisia, the brachichiton, araucaria, gingko biloba and a variety of cactus.

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