San Domingos de Bonaval Park

Description

Leaving aside the small garden of San Roque, located on land that once belonged to the hospital and chapel of the same name, you come to the former estate and cemetery of the Dominican convent, rehabilitated as an urban park according to a project directed by the Galician architect Isabel Aguirre and the Portuguese Álvaro Siza.The park is accessed through the strategic passageway formed by the contrasting architectures of two museums: the Galician Centre of Contemporary Art 'CGAC', a contemporary design by Siza himself, and the Museo do Pobo Galego -'Museum of the Galician People'-, housed in what used to be a medieval convent.Located on a hillside facing west, it offers surprising views of the city's rooftops, to which the artist Chillida dedicated a sculpture that intentionally frames a vision of the city.The project is an example of perfect adaptation to the topography and the pre-existing elements, combining the undulating forms of the hillside with the linearity of the geometric outlines that define its paths and terraces. It respects the tripartite structure of the monastic estate: orchard, oak grove and cemetery. Water whispers all along the promenade, with fountains, canals and small cisterns.The result is a well-kept, high-quality space, a park with a subtle contemporary design that plays with perspectives, much enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, and an exceptional setting for artistic events.(text from web : www.santiagoturismo.com)