Parc del Clot and Its Magnificent Arches

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If you want to feel wistful and romantic on your afternoon stroll in Barcelona, there’s a special park for you. It’s Parc del Clot in Sant Martí. Reminiscent of the Roman arches, this park was actually built in the 1980s. It’s a central and lively center for the Clot neighborhood to play sports or to relax.

Parc del Clot
Negative ions to boost your mood at the Parc del Clot

To me, this park makes me revisit the town of Segovia and its soaring arches — a 2,000-year-old aqueduct that overtakes the the old center. But, the arches in Parc del Clot are on a much, much smaller scale.

And, I learned later it’s relatively not that old. The arches are actually former walls of RENFE’s train workshop (Spain’s national railway company), which was constructed in the 19th century. New trains were built and repaired in this once-industrial area of Sant Martí.

Parc del Clot

Since the workshop had long shut down, the space was abandoned. Then it was sold to the Barcelona City Council in 1972. Finally, the park was renovated in 1986. The designers decided to maintain part of the framework, the stone walls that delimit the space on different sides of the park.

Parc del Clot
The beautiful arches of Parc del Clot

Only one of the walls was transformed into an aqueduct 25 meters long. The water cascades and trickles into this small lake.

Parc del Clot
Kids love to look at the little fish swimming here

Parc del ClotThe use of this park is completely maximized. It’s evident that local neighbors love Parc del Clot. Any weekend that I come here, it’s being used for birthday parties, handball games, and strolling. It’s a connection hub between the market and the district City Hall.

It also joins two major city streets: Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes and Avinguda Meridiana. It also is attached to the Mercat del Clot and the trendy Clot bars.

Parc del Clot
Minimalist architecture makes for parkour park for kids too

One of my favorite parts of the park are the modern “corridors”. These white square metal frames form a long passageway from one side of the park to the other.

Parc del Clot
A square within a square within a square within a…

It’s also multileveled. The corridor becomes an overhead crossing, where you can get a view of the esplanade, the main area below.

Parc del Clot

And this is what you see on a typical weekday morning. But on the weekends, it’s packed with locals Kids are playing basketball or football. Retired folks are hitting racquetballs against a wall. Teenagers are perched on the steps, watching people and sharing gossip.

The park also has three children’s playgrounds, a dog park, a petanca court, ping pong tables, and several fountains.

Parc del Clot
Kids love to play football in this area. Expect city events here too

One one side of the park, there’s a small pavilion with a bronze sculpture in the middle. It’s by an American artist, Bryan Hunt.Parc del Clot

Parc del Clot

It’s the architectural elements and the varying elevations of Parc del Clot that keep you visually interested. You just can’t stop exploring. You’ll find curious landmarks to see, steps to scale, bridges to cross, and ramps to climb. It also has well-manicured grassy hills and lush Mediterranean vegetation.

Parc del Clot
Torre Glories in the background

Where to find it

Carrer dels Escultors Claperós, 55, 63, 08018 Barcelona

Other parks in Barcelona

If you’re interested in parks that kids will love, perhaps you might like these other parks in or near Barcelona:

Spectacular parks like these add to your quality of life. Don’t you agree?

By Justine Ancheta

California native, churro aficionado, and mom of 3, Justine Ancheta writes fervently about Barcelona and Spain. Since 2008, she's been eating burnt onions (calçots) and tripping on cobblestones in the Gothic Quarter. She shares tips on popular attractions, exposes offbeat non-touristy spots, and gives insight on exploring Barcelona with kids. Her next Catalan culture challenge: top level of a human castle (castellers).

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