A legacy of a former textile factory, this site has been transformed into a versatile urban space next to Estació de Sants. The Parc de l’Espanya Industrial blends green areas, contemporary sculpture and working-class heritage. Here you’ll find everything from a giant metal dragon shaped like a slide to a lake dotted with sculptures of Neptune and Venus, all set amid lush greenery. Around the park, the tall, futuristic towers flanking the stepped seating are impossible to miss – another spot to sit, observe or while away the afternoon. A park full of contrasts between what it once was and what it is today.
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The textile factory that once occupied the site of the park, founded in 1847, became Spain’s first cotton company. At the time, it was known as Vapor Nou.
The large iron dragon, measuring 32 metres in length and 12 metres in height, is both a slide and a sculpture – a touch of post-industrial humour amid the green spaces.
Visit at dusk: the futuristic towers light up like urban beacons and the park fills with locals settling down to read, go for a run or simply unwind.
