A park is a large area of land, usually with plants, set aside for particular uses. In the Middle Ages a park was essentially a cultivated or uncultivated area attached to a castle and used as a game reserve, where there might also be aviaries and fountains. In the Renaissance it was attached to noble villas and open to all, as opposed to the garden, which was private. Besides embellishing the area, it also contained buildings such as stables, greenhouses, staff housing and game-breeding facilities. English-style parks developed in the 18th century, the first created in London by J. Nash (St James’s Park). In the 19th century the famous architect James Paxton spread a true public park movement, which reached Paris, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark, crossed the ocean to America (e.g. Central Park), and reached the Far East and Eastern Europe.
This public park follows the original principles behind such places: it is easy to reach, on flat ground, with parking, children’s play equipment, several bars and shops. This small park has conifers such as stone pines and cedars, evergreen species that provide pleasant shade, a central flowerbed from which small winding paths branch out, and a fine dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis), a species typical of the Mediterranean scrub.
