If you have visited New York, the chances are that you have walked the High Line. Now discover the High Line gardens of Barcelona, the Jardins de la Rambla de Sants (the Gardens of the Rambla de Sants).
New York’s High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line, elevated above Manhattan’s West Side streets. It is a greenway featuring hundreds of plants and trees.
They are not particularly noticeable from the main street, so you probably never noticed them passing by. They are worth a visit if you are around the Sants’ neighbourhood.
Barcelona’s elevated urban gardens
The Jardins de la Rambla de Sants are part of an urban renewal project for the Sants railway corridor.
The suspended park of Barcelona was built by two architects, Ana Molino and Sergi Godia, to cover the noise and the aggressive visual of the train and subway tracks.
Inaugurated in august 2016, these elevated gardens start from the Ramon Torres I Casanovas’ square, in front of Plaza de Sants, where you can see a decorative fountain.
A pedestrian area
They run for 800 meters above the train and the L1 metro lines. Fully pedestrian, the gardens are accessible from several sides of Badal and Sants by stairs, ramps, escalators, and elevators.
The gardens, designed with sustainability in mind, use led lights, photovoltaic energy, and irrigation through groundwater.
They mostly feature autochthon species described with signposts creating a botanic route. Among the numerous plants displayed here, I have identified jasmine, rose bushes, thyme, rosemary, and lavender. But there are many more plants and trees, though.
Shade-house, playground and open-air fitness equipment
This community park also offers a range of public amenities, such as a shade house under which passers-by sit to people watch, read the newspapers, or chitchat among themselves.
There is also a playground for children with notably a merry-go-round and open-air fitness equipment in a good state.
In my opinion, the best spot is the seating steps at the end of the gardens. They have views over an urban landscape of rails. It is a nice place to read a book, have a picnic during a lunch break, or relax, soaking up the sun.
I also like the little stone paths that pop up now and then, giving a zen touch to the lot.
Sants gardens’ current state
The original pictures and videos of the Jardins de la Rambla de Sants show a clean and beautifully designed green urban space.
Today though, graffiti and tags are present on pretty much everything: benches, walls, and boards. Some flowerbeds are bald. Free from all these graffitis, and after a bit of rehabilitation, these gardens would be an idyllic green belt just like the High Line.
Don’t get me wrong, though. It is still a well-thought leisure space. Families, couples, friends, and joggers come here a lot. You can still appreciate the park’s design, carefully chosen urban furniture (lighting, benches, and water fountains), its plants, and the amenities described above.
A permanent black and white photo exhibition
And last but not least, there is a permanent black and white photo exhibition, all along with the gardens. “Sants, rails I vies” shows the urban transformation around the railways that cross Sants with beautiful shots of the area and the surroundings from 1917 to 1998. Enjoy your walk! And, if you need a drink to rest from your day, check out Sants’ other cool spot: a local square not far from the gardens.
Jardins de la Rambla de Sants: Carrer d’Antoni de Capmany, 08014 Barcelona
Learn about the Fiesta de Sants here.