View source for Parque de la Independencia

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{{Use American English|date = February 2019}}
{{Short description|Park in Argentina}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = January 2019}}
[[Image:Parque de la Independencia.svg|thumb|right|200px|Map of Rosario, highlighting the park (in green) and major streets (red).]]
The '''''Parque de la Independencia''''' (Independence Park) is a large public [[park]] in [[Rosario]], {{province|Santa Fe|Argentina}}. It is located near the geographical center of the city, its limits defined by Moreno Street and three important avenues: [[Pellegrini Avenue (Rosario)|Pellegrini Avenue]], [[Ovidio Lagos Avenue]], and [[27 de Febrero Boulevard]]. It has a surface area of {{cvt|1.26|km2}}.

==Attractions==

There is an area reserved for fairs, initially intended for agricultural expositions, then also industry and commerce.
At ''the Calendar'' every evening since 1946 gardeners re-arrange the flowers to show the date written on the ground.

The park includes a number of gardens.
The ''Rosedal'' (Rose Garden), finished in 1915, with several species of [[rose]]s, as well as sculptures and fountains.
The French Garden, built in 1942, with many flower arrangements and a large marble fountain.
The Children's Garden, an area of {{cvt|35,000|m2}} with amusement and educational facilities.

The park includes a number of museums.
The [[Municipal Museum of the City (Rosario)|Museum of the City]], opened in 1902, initially the School of Gardener Apprentices.
The [[Juan B. Castagnino Fine Arts Museum]], opened in 1937.
The [[Dr. Julio Marc Provincial Historical Museum]], opened in 1939.

The Jorge Newbery Municipal Stadium, started in 1925, the first state-funded sports venue for public use in the country. It hosted the [[2005 South American Junior Championships in Athletics]].
The Patinódromo Municipal "Roberto Tagliabué" (Municipal Skating Rink), opened for the [[1982 Southern Cross Games]] and host of the 2014 [[Inline speed skating]] World Championship. 
The park also hosts three sports clubs: ''Club Gimnasia y Esgrima'', ''Club Atlético [[Newell's Old Boys]]'' (one of the main [[football (soccer)|football]] teams in the city),
''[[Club Atlético Provincial]]''.
The park also includes the former Rosario Jockey Club's horsetrack.

==History==
The Parque de la Independencia was the first park in the city. Its origin lies in four public squares at the intersection of two then newly opened large boulevards, Santafesino and Argentino (today [[Oroño Boulevard]] and Pellegrini Avenue). The four-part plaza was named Independencia.

In 1900 the provincial government authorized the municipality, presided by mayor [[Luis Lamas]], to [[Eminent domain|expropriate]] the lands to create a new park. The plans for the park were drawn by [[landscape architecture|landscape architect]] [[Carlos Thays]] (famous for his work in the [[Buenos Aires Botanical Garden]], among many others). In 1901 the municipality built the internal avenues and roads, an artificial lake and, with the earth removed for the lake, a small artificial hill (even today known as ''La Montañita'', the Little Mountain). That year, also, the First Festival of the Tree took place, and 6,000 trees were planted by students in the park, which was inaugurated on 1 January 1902.

{{panorama|fullwidth=8110|fullheight=1640|height=205
|image=Image:Lago del Parque Independencia.jpg
|caption=Panoramic view of the artificial lake.
}}

==References==
{{Unreferenced|date=June 2011}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Refbegin}}
* [http://www.rosario.gov.ar/sitio/lugaresVisual/verLugar.do?id=1680 Municipality of Rosario] {{in lang|es}}
{{Refend}}

[[Category:Parks in Rosario, Santa Fe|Independencia]]
[[Category:Urban public parks]]