The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. In many contexts, potato refers to the edible tuber, but it can also refer to the plant itself. Common or slang terms include tater, tattie and spud. Potatoes were introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish. Today they are a staple food in many parts of the world and an integral part of much of the world's food supply. As of 2014, potatoes were the world's fourth-largest food crop after maize (corn), wheat, and rice.

Wild potato species can be found throughout the Americas, from the United States to southern Chile. The potato was originally believed to have been domesticated independently in multiple locations, but later genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species traced a single origin for potatoes. In the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia, from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex, potatoes were domesticated approximately 7,000–10,000 years ago. In the Andes region of South America, where the species is indigenous, some close relatives of the potato are cultivated.

Following millennia of selective breeding, there are now over 1,000 different types of potatoes. Over 99% of presently cultivated potatoes worldwide descended from varieties that originated in the lowlands of south-central Chile, which have displaced formerly popular varieties from the Andes.

The importance of the potato as a food source and culinary ingredient varies by region and is still changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe, especially eastern and central Europe, where per capita production is still the highest in the world, while the most rapid expansion in production over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia, with China and India leading the world in overall production as of 2014.

Being a nightshade similar to tomatoes, the vegetative and fruiting parts of the potato contain the toxin solanine and are not fit for human consumption. Normal potato tubers that have been grown and stored properly produce glycoalkaloids in amounts small enough to be negligible to human health, but if green sections of the plant (namely sprouts and skins) are exposed to light, the tuber can accumulate a high enough concentration of glycoalkaloids to affect human health.

ETYMOLOGY

The English word potato comes from Spanish patata (the name used in Spain). The Spanish Royal Academy says the Spanish word is a hybrid of the Taíno batata (sweet potato) and the Quechua papa (potato). The name originally referred to the sweet potato although the two plants are not closely related. The 16th-century English herbalist John Gerard referred to sweet potatoes as "common potatoes", and used the terms "bastard potatoes" and "Virginia potatoes" for the species we now call "potato". In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as "Irish potatoes" or "white potatoes" in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes.

The name spud for a small potato comes from the digging of soil (or a hole) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word has an unknown origin and was originally (c. 1440) used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin "spad-" a word root meaning "sword"; cf. Spanish "espada", English "spade" and "spadroon". It subsequently transferred over to a variety of digging tools. Around 1845, the name transferred to the tuber itself, the first record of this usage being in New Zealand English. The origin of the word "spud" has erroneously been attributed to an 18th-century activist group dedicated to keeping the potato out of Britain, calling itself The Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet (S.P.U.D.). It was Mario Pei's 1949 The Story of Language that can be blamed for the word's false origin. Pei writes, "the potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet. The initials of the main words in this title gave rise to spud." Like most other pre-20th century acronymic origins, this is false, and there is no evidence that a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet ever existed.

CHARACTERISTICS

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens. In general, the tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are mostly cross-pollinated by insects such as bumblebees, which carry pollen from other potato plants, though a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties.

After flowering, potato plants produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing about 300 seeds. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic alkaloid solanine and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true potato seed", "TPS" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. New varieties grown from seed can be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers cut to include at least one or two eyes, or cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Plants propagated from tubers are clones of the parent, whereas those propagated from seed produce a range of different varieties.

GENETICS

There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide. Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. They belong to eight or nine species, depending on the taxonomic school. Apart from the 5,000 cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties. Cross-breeding has been done repeatedly to transfer resistances to certain pests and diseases from the gene pool of wild species to the gene pool of cultivated potato species. Genetically modified varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European UnionThe major species grown worldwide is Solanum tuberosum (a tetraploid with 48 chromosomes), and modern varieties of this species are the most widely cultivated. There are also four diploid species (with 24 chromosomes): S. stenotomum, S. phureja, S. goniocalyx, and S. ajanhuiri. There are two triploid species (with 36 chromosomes): S. chaucha and S. juzepczukii. There is one pentaploid cultivated species (with 60 chromosomes): S. curtilobum. There are two major subspecies of Solanum tuberosum: andigena, or Andean; and tuberosum, or Chilean. The Andean potato is adapted to the short-day conditions prevalent in the mountainous equatorial and tropical regions where it originated; the Chilean potato, however, native to the Chiloé Archipelago, is adapted to the long-day conditions prevalent in the higher latitude region of southern Chile.

The International Potato Center, based in Lima, Peru, holds an ISO-accredited collection of potato germplasm. The international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium announced in 2009 that they had achieved a draft sequence of the potato genome. The potato genome contains 12 chromosomes and 860 million base pairs, making it a medium-sized plant genome. More than 99 percent of all current varieties of potatoes currently grown are direct descendants of a subspecies that once grew in the lowlands of south-central Chile. Nonetheless, genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species affirms that all potato subspecies derive from a single origin in the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme Northwestern Bolivia (from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex). The wild Crop Wild Relatives Prebreeding project encourages the use of wild relatives in breeding programs. Enriching and preserving the gene bank collection to make potatoes adaptive to diverse environmental conditions is seen as a pressing issue due to climate change.

Most modern potatoes grown in North America arrived through European settlement and not independently from the South American sources, although at least one wild potato species, Solanum fendleri, naturally ranges from Peru into Texas, where it is used in breeding for resistance to a nematode species that attacks cultivated potatoes. A secondary center of genetic variability of the potato is Mexico, where important wild species that have been used extensively in modern breeding are found, such as the hexaploid Solanum demissum, as a source of resistance to the devastating late blight disease. Another relative native to this region, Solanum bulbocastanum, has been used to genetically engineer the potato to resist potato blight.

Potatoes yield abundantly with little effort, and adapt readily to diverse climates as long as the climate is cool and moist enough for the plants to gather sufficient water from the soil to form the starchy tubers. Potatoes do not keep very well in storage and are vulnerable to moulds that feed on the stored tubers and quickly turn them rotten, whereas crops such as grain can be stored for several years with a low risk of rot. The yield of Calories per acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of maize (7.5 million), rice (7.4 million), wheat (3 million), or soybean (2.8 million).

VARIETIES

There are close to 4,000 varieties of potato including common commercial varieties, each of which has specific agricultural or culinary attributes. Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. In general, varieties are categorized into a few main groups based on common characteristics, such as russet potatoes (rough brown skin), red potatoes, white potatoes, yellow potatoes (also called Yukon potatoes) and purple potatoes.

For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy baking potatoes have more starch (20–22%) than waxy boiling potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped.

The European Cultivated Potato Database (ECPD) is an online collaborative database of potato variety descriptions that is updated and maintained by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency within the framework of the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/GR)—which is run by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).

PIGMENTATION

Dozens of potato cultivars have been selectively bred specifically for their skin or, more commonly, flesh color, including gold, red, and blue varieties that contain varying amounts of phytochemicals, including carotenoids for gold/yellow or polyphenols for red or blue cultivars. Carotenoid compounds include provitamin A alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which are converted to the essential nutrient, vitamin A, during digestion. Anthocyanins mainly responsible for red or blue pigmentation in potato cultivars do not have nutritional significance, but are used for visual variety and consumer appeal. Recently, as of 2010, potatoes have also been bioengineered specifically for these pigmentation traits.

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED POTATOES

Genetic research has produced several genetically modified varieties. 'New Leaf', owned by Monsanto Company, incorporates genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, which confers resistance to the Colorado potato beetle; 'New Leaf Plus' and 'New Leaf Y', approved by US regulatory agencies during the 1990s, also include resistance to viruses. McDonald's, Burger King, Frito-Lay, and Procter & Gamble announced they would not use genetically modified potatoes, and Monsanto published its intent to discontinue the line in March 2001.

Waxy potato varieties produce two main kinds of potato starch, amylose and amylopectin, the latter of which is most industrially useful. BASF developed the Amflora potato, which was modified to express antisense RNA to inactivate the gene for granule bound starch synthase, an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of amylose. Amflora potatoes therefore produce starch consisting almost entirely of amylopectin, and are thus more useful for the starch industry. In 2010, the European Commission cleared the way for 'Amflora' to be grown in the European Union for industrial purposes only—not for food. Nevertheless, under EU rules, individual countries have the right to decide whether they will allow this potato to be grown on their territory. Commercial planting of 'Amflora' was expected in the Czech Republic and Germany in the spring of 2010, and Sweden and the Netherlands in subsequent years. Another GM potato variety developed by BASF is 'Fortuna' which was made resistant to late blight by adding two resistance genes, blb1 and blb2, which originate from the Mexican wild potato Solanum bulbocastanum. In October 2011 BASF requested cultivation and marketing approval as a feed and food from the EFSA. In 2012, GMO development in Europe was stopped by BASF.

In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by J.R. Simplot Company, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less acrylamide when fried than conventional potatoes; the modifications do not cause new proteins to be made, but rather prevent proteins from being made via RNA interference.

HISTORY

The potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BC. It has since spread around the world and become a staple crop in many countries.

The earliest archaeologically verified potato tuber remains have been found at the coastal site of Ancon (central Peru), dating to 2500 BC. The most widely cultivated variety, Solanum tuberosum tuberosum, is indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago, and has been cultivated by the local indigenous people since before the Spanish conquest.

According to conservative estimates, the introduction of the potato was responsible for a quarter of the growth in Old World population and urbanization between 1700 and 1900. In the Altiplano, potatoes provided the principal energy source for the Inca civilization, its predecessors, and its Spanish successor. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, part of the Columbian exchange. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. The potato was slow to be adopted by European farmers, but soon enough it became an important food staple and field crop that played a major role in the European 19th century population boom. However, lack of genetic diversity, due to the very limited number of varieties initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oomycete Phytophthora infestans, spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western Ireland as well as parts of the Scottish Highlands, resulting in the crop failures that led to the Great Irish Famine. Thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes however, where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household.

PRODUCTION

In 2016, world production of potatoes was 377 million tonnes, led by China with over 26% of the world total (see table). Other major producers were India, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia.

NUTRITION

A raw potato is 79% water, 17% carbohydrates (88% is starch), 2% protein, and contains negligible fat (see table). In an amount measuring 100 grams, raw potato provides 322 kilojoules (77 kilocalories) of energy and is a rich source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C (23% and 24% of the Daily Value, respectively), with no other vitamins or minerals in significant amount (see table). The potato is rarely eaten raw because raw potato starch is poorly digested by humans. When a potato is baked, its contents of vitamin B6 and vitamin C decline notably, while there is little significant change in the amount of other nutrients.

Potatoes are often broadly classified as having a high glycemic index (GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a low-GI diet. The GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on the cultivar or cultivar category (such as "red", russet, "white", or King Edward), growing conditions and storage, preparation methods (by cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole), and accompanying foods consumed (especially the addition of various high-fat or high-protein toppings). In particular, consuming reheated or cooled potatoes that were previously cooked may yield a lower GI effect.

In the UK, potatoes are not considered by the National Health Service (NHS) as counting or contributing towards the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables, the 5-A-Day program.

COMPARISON TO OTHER STAPLE FOODS

This table shows the nutrient content of potatoes next to other major staple foods, each one measured in its respective raw state, even though staple foods are not commonly eaten raw and are usually sprouted or cooked before eating. In sprouted and cooked form, the relative nutritional and anti-nutritional contents of each of these grains (or other foods) may be different from the values in this table. Each nutrient (every row) has the highest number highlighted to show the staple food with the greatest amount in a 100-gram raw portion.

TOXICITY

Potatoes contain toxic compounds known as glycoalkaloids, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is found in other plants in the same family, Solanaceae, which includes such plants as deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), as well as the food plants eggplant and tomato. These compounds, which protect the potato plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, flowers, sprouts, and fruits (in contrast to the tubers). In a summary of several studies, the glycoalkaloid content was highest in the flowers and sprouts and lowest in the tuber flesh. (The glycoalkaloid content was, in order from highest to lowest: flowers, sprouts, leaves, skin, roots, berries, peel [skin plus outer cortex of tuber flesh], stems, and tuber flesh.)

Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber. Cooking at high temperatures—over 170 °C—partly destroys these compounds. The concentration of glycoalkaloids in wild potatoes is sufficient to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloid poisoning may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps, and, in severe cases, coma and death. However, poisoning from cultivated potato varieties is very rare. Light exposure causes greening from chlorophyll synthesis, giving a visual clue as to which areas of the tuber may have become more toxic. However, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other.

Different potato varieties contain different levels of glycoalkaloids. The Lenape variety was released in 1967 but was withdrawn in 1970 as it contained high levels of glycoalkaloids. Since then, breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar. Breeders try to keep glycoalkaloid levels below 200 mg/kg). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, they can still approach solanine concentrations of 1000 mg/kg. In normal potatoes, analysis has shown solanine levels may be as little as 3.5% of the breeders' maximum, with 7–187 mg/kg being found. While a normal potato tuber has 12–20 mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green potato tuber contains 250–280 mg/kg and its skin has 1500–2200 mg/kg.

GROWTH AND CULTIVATION

SEED POTATOES

Potatoes are generally grown from seed potatoes, tubers specifically grown to be free from disease and to provide consistent and healthy plants. To be disease free, the areas where seed potatoes are grown are selected with care. In the US, this restricts production of seed potatoes to only 15 states out of all 50 states where potatoes are grown. These locations are selected for their cold, hard winters that kill pests and summers with long sunshine hours for optimum growth. In the UK, most seed potatoes originate in Scotland, in areas where westerly winds prevent aphid attack and thus prevent spread of potato virus pathogens.

PHASES OF GROWTH

Potato growth is divided into five phases. During the first phase, sprouts emerge from the seed potatoes and root growth begins. During the second, photosynthesis begins as the plant develops leaves and branches. In the third phase, stolons develop from lower leaf axils on the stem and grow downwards into the ground and on these stolons new tubers develop as swellings of the stolon. This phase is often, but not always, associated with flowering. Tuber formation halts when soil temperatures reach 27 °C; hence potatoes are considered a cool-season, or winter, crop. Tuber bulking occurs during the fourth phase, when the plant begins investing the majority of its resources in its newly formed tubers. At this phase, several factors are critical to a good yield: optimal soil moisture and temperature, soil nutrient availability and balance, and resistance to pest attacks. The fifth and final phase is the maturation of the tubers: the plant canopy dies back, the tuber skins harden, and the sugars in the tubers convert to starches.

CHALLENGES

New tubers may start growing at the surface of the soil. Since exposure to light leads to an undesirable greening of the skins and the development of solanine as a protection from the sun's rays, growers cover surface tubers. Commercial growers cover them by piling additional soil around the base of the plant as it grows (called "hilling" up, or in British English "earthing up"). An alternative method, used by home gardeners and smaller-scale growers, involves covering the growing area with organic mulches such as straw or plastic sheets.

Correct potato husbandry can be an arduous task in some circumstances. Good ground preparation, harrowing, plowing, and rolling are always needed, along with a little grace from the weather and a good source of water. Three successive plowings, with associated harrowing and rolling, are desirable before planting. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. In general, the potatoes themselves are grown from the eyes of another potato and not from seed. Home gardeners often plant a piece of potato with two or three eyes in a hill of mounded soil. Commercial growers plant potatoes as a row crop using seed tubers, young plants or microtubers and may mound the entire row. Seed potato crops are rogued in some countries to eliminate diseased plants or those of a different variety from the seed crop.

Potatoes are sensitive to heavy frosts, which damage them in the ground. Even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting, which can quickly ruin a large stored crop.

PESTS

The historically significant Phytophthora infestans (late blight) remains an ongoing problem in Europe and the United States. Other potato diseases include Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, black leg, powdery mildew, powdery scab and leafroll virus.

Insects that commonly transmit potato diseases or damage the plants include the Colorado potato beetle, the potato tuber moth, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), the potato aphid, beet leafhoppers, thrips, and mites. The potato cyst nematode is a microscopic worm that thrives on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. Since its eggs can survive in the soil for several years, crop rotation is recommended.

During the crop year 2008, many of the certified organic potatoes produced in the United Kingdom and certified by the Soil Association as organic were sprayed with a copper pesticide to control potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). According to the Soil Association, the total copper that can be applied to organic land is 6 kg/ha/year.

According to an Environmental Working Group analysis of USDA and FDA pesticide residue tests performed from 2000 through 2008, 84% of the 2,216 tested potato samples contained detectable traces of at least one pesticide. A total of 36 unique pesticides were detected on potatoes over the 2,216 samples, though no individual sample contained more than 6 unique pesticide traces, and the average was 1.29 detectable unique pesticide traces per sample. The average quantity of all pesticide traces found in the 2,216 samples was 1.602 ppm. While this was a very low value of pesticide residue, it was the highest amongst the 50 vegetables analyzed.

HARVEST

At harvest time, gardeners usually dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e., a spading fork, or a potato hook, which is similar to the graip but with tines at a 90° angle to the handle. In larger plots, the plow is the fastest implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large potato harvesters, which scoop up the plant and surrounding earth. This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. The chain deposits into an area where further separation occurs. Different designs use different systems at this point. The most complex designs use vine choppers and shakers, along with a blower system to separate the potatoes from the plant. The result is then usually run past workers who continue to sort out plant material, stones, and rotten potatoes before the potatoes are continuously delivered to a wagon or truck. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage.

Immature potatoes may be sold as "creamer potatoes" and are particularly valued for taste. These are often harvested by the home gardener or farmer by "grabbling", i.e. pulling out the young tubers by hand while leaving the plant in place. A creamer potato is a variety of potato harvested before it matures to keep it small and tender. It is generally either a Yukon Gold potato or a red potato, called gold creamers or red creamers respectively, and measures approximately 2.5 cm in diameter. The skin of creamer potatoes is waxy and high in moisture content, and the flesh contains a lower level of starch than other potatoes. Like potatoes in general, they can be prepared by boiling, baking, frying, and roasting. Slightly older than creamer potatoes are "new potatoes", which are also prized for their taste and texture and often come from the same varieties.

Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Skin-set is the process by which the skin of the potato becomes resistant to skinning damage. Potato tubers may be susceptible to skinning at harvest and suffer skinning damage during harvest and handling operations. Curing allows the skin to fully set and any wounds to heal. Wound-healing prevents infection and water-loss from the tubers during storage. Curing is normally done at relatively warm temperatures 10 to 16 °C with high humidity and good gas-exchange if at all possible.

STORAGE

Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of decomposition, which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area is dark, ventilated well and, for long-term storage, maintained at temperatures near 4 °C. For short-term storage, temperatures of about 7 to 10 °C are preferred.

On the other hand, temperatures below 4 °C convert the starch in potatoes into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher acrylamide levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. The discovery of acrylamides in starchy foods in 2002 has led to international health concerns. They are believed to be probable carcinogens and their occurrence in cooked foods is being studied for potentially influencing health problems.

Under optimum conditions in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to 10–12 months. The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first drying surface moisture; wound healing at 85% to 95% relative humidity and temperatures below 25 °C; a staged cooling phase; a holding phase; and a reconditioning phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed. Mechanical ventilation is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

When stored in homes unrefrigerated, the shelf life is usually a few weeks.

If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, trimming or peeling those green-colored parts is inadequate to remove copresent toxins, and such potatoes are no longer edible.

YIELD

The world dedicated 18.6 million ha in 2010 for potato cultivation. The average world farm yield for potato was 17.4 tonnes per hectare, in 2010. Potato farms in the United States were the most productive in 2010, with a nationwide average of 44.3 tonnes per hectare. United Kingdom was a close second.

New Zealand farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 and 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes potatoes per hectare.

There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between 38–44 tonnes per hectare. China and India accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, and had yields of 14.7 and 19.9 tonnes per hectare respectively. The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over 400 million tonnes of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, can be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world.

USES

Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to swell the starch granules. Most potato dishes are served hot but some are first cooked, then served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips (crisps). Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or yogurt and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and roasted; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a microwave oven and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided they are covered in ventilated plastic wrap to prevent moisture from escaping; this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato, while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.

OTHER THAN FOR EATING

Potatoes are also used for purposes other than eating by humans, for example:

Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit.

They are also used as fodder for livestock. Livestock-grade potatoes, considered too small and/or blemished to sell or market for human use but suitable for fodder use, have been called chats in some dialects. They may be stored in bins until use; they are sometimes ensiled. Some farmers prefer to steam them rather than feed them raw and are equipped to do so efficiently.

Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.

Maine companies are exploring the possibilities of using waste potatoes to obtain polylactic acid for use in plastic products; other research projects seek ways to use the starch as a base for biodegradable packaging.

Potato skins, along with honey, are a folk remedy for burns in India. Burn centres in India have experimented with the use of the thin outer skin layer to protect burns while healing.

Potatoes (mainly Russets) are commonly used in plant research. The consistent parenchyma tissue, the clonal nature of the plant and the low metabolic activity provide a very nice "model tissue" for experimentation. Wound-response studies are often done on potato tuber tissue, as are electron transport experiments. In this respect, potato tuber tissue is similar to Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli: they are all "standard" research organisms.

Potatoes have been delivered with personalized messages as a novelty. Potato delivery services include Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud.

WIKIPEDIA

Lorenzo Lotto, 1480-1556,

actif à Venise, Bergame et dans les Marches

Vierge et l'Enfant avec sainte Catherine et Jacques le Majeur, environ de 1527 à 1533

Le motif, si populaire à Venice, d'une réunion de saints autour de la Madone par la génération des étudiants de Bellini avait expérimenté une conversion: L'ordre strictement hiérarchique des saints est assoupli de plus en plus. Lotto a joué un rôle déterminant dans cette évolution; il a le premier la Madone, anciennement toujours trônant entièrement intégrée dans l'environnement et laissa ce rassemblement, étroitement lié entre figure et la nature par la lumière changeante et les ombres faire apparaître mysterieusement animé.

Lorenzo Lotto, 1480-1556,

tätig in Venedig, Bergamo und in den Marken

Maria mit Kind und Heiliger Katharina und Jakobus dem Älteren, um 1527/33

Das in Venedig so beliebte Motiv einer Versammlung von Heiligen um die Madonna erfuhr durch die Generation der Bellini-Schüler eine Wandlung: Die streng hierarchische Ordnung der Heiligen wird mehr und mehr gelockert. Lotto hatte an dieser Entwicklung maßgeblichen Anteil; er band als erster die früher stets thronende Madonna gänzlich in die Umgebung ein und ließ dieses eng verschränkte Miteinander von Figur und Natur durch wechselhaftes Licht und Schatten geheimnivoll belebt erscheinen.

Austria Kunsthistorisches Museum

Federal Museum

Logo KHM

Regulatory authority (ies)/organs to the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture

Founded 17 October 1891

Headquartered Castle Ring (Burgring), Vienna 1, Austria

Management Sabine Haag

www.khm.at website

Main building of the Kunsthistorisches Museum at Maria-Theresa-Square

The Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM abbreviated) is an art museum in Vienna. It is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. It was opened in 1891 and 2012 visited of 1.351.940 million people.

The museum

The Kunsthistorisches Museum is with its opposite sister building, the Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum), the most important historicist large buildings of the Ringstrasse time. Together they stand around the Maria Theresa square, on which also the Maria Theresa monument stands. This course spans the former glacis between today's ring road and 2-line, and is forming a historical landmark that also belongs to World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Vienna.

History

Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his Gallery

The Museum came from the collections of the Habsburgs, especially from the portrait and armor collections of Ferdinand of Tyrol, the collection of Emperor Rudolf II (most of which, however scattered) and the art collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm into existence. Already In 1833 asked Joseph Arneth, curator (and later director) of the Imperial Coins and Antiquities Cabinet, bringing together all the imperial collections in a single building .

Architectural History

The contract to build the museum in the city had been given in 1858 by Emperor Franz Joseph. Subsequently, many designs were submitted for the ring road zone. Plans by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Null planned to build two museum buildings in the immediate aftermath of the Imperial Palace on the left and right of the Heroes' Square (Heldenplatz). The architect Ludwig Förster planned museum buildings between the Schwarzenberg Square and the City Park, Martin Ritter von Kink favored buildings at the corner Währingerstraße/ Scots ring (Schottenring), Peter Joseph, the area Bellariastraße, Moritz von Loehr the south side of the opera ring, and Ludwig Zettl the southeast side of the grain market (Getreidemarkt).

From 1867, a competition was announced for the museums, and thereby set their current position - at the request of the Emperor, the museum should not be too close to the Imperial Palace, but arise beyond the ring road. The architect Carl von Hasenauer participated in this competition and was able the at that time in Zürich operating Gottfried Semper to encourage to work together. The two museum buildings should be built here in the sense of the style of the Italian Renaissance. The plans got the benevolence of the imperial family. In April 1869, there was an audience with of Joseph Semper at the Emperor Franz Joseph and an oral contract was concluded, in July 1870 was issued the written order to Semper and Hasenauer.

Crucial for the success of Semper and Hasenauer against the projects of other architects were among others Semper's vision of a large building complex called "Imperial Forum", in which the museums would have been a part of. Not least by the death of Semper in 1879 came the Imperial Forum not as planned for execution, the two museums were built, however.

Construction of the two museums began without ceremony on 27 November 1871 instead. Semper moved to Vienna in the sequence. From the beginning, there were considerable personal differences between him and Hasenauer, who finally in 1877 took over sole construction management. 1874, the scaffolds were placed up to the attic and the first floor completed, built in 1878, the first windows installed in 1879, the Attica and the balustrade from 1880 to 1881 and built the dome and the Tabernacle. The dome is topped with a bronze statue of Pallas Athena by Johannes Benk.

The lighting and air conditioning concept with double glazing of the ceilings made ​​the renunciation of artificial light (especially at that time, as gas light) possible, but this resulted due to seasonal variations depending on daylight to different opening times .

Kuppelhalle

Entrance (by clicking the link at the end of the side you can see all the pictures here indicated!)

Grand staircase

Hall

Empire

The Kunsthistorisches Museum was on 17 October 1891 officially opened by Emperor Franz Joseph I. Since 22 October 1891 , the museum is accessible to the public. Two years earlier, on 3 November 1889, the collection of arms, Arms and Armour today, had their doors open. On 1 January 1890 the library service resumed its operations. The merger and listing of other collections of the Highest Imperial Family from the Upper and Lower Belvedere, the Hofburg Palace and Ambras in Tyrol will need another two years.

189, the farm museum was organized in seven collections with three directorates:

Directorate of coins, medals and antiquities collection

The Egyptian Collection

The Antique Collection

The coins and medals collection

Management of the collection of weapons, art and industrial objects

Weapons collection

Collection of industrial art objects

Directorate of Art Gallery and Restaurieranstalt (Restoration Office)

Collection of watercolors, drawings, sketches, etc.

Restoration Office

Library

Very soon the room the Court Museum (Hofmuseum) for the imperial collections was offering became too narrow. To provide temporary help, an exhibition of ancient artifacts from Ephesus in the Theseus Temple was designed. However, additional space had to be rented in the Lower Belvedere.

1914, after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne, his " Estonian Forensic Collection " passed to the administration of the Court Museum. This collection, which emerged from the art collection of the house of d' Este and world travel collection of Franz Ferdinand, was placed in the New Imperial Palace since 1908. For these stocks, the present collection of old musical instruments and the Museum of Ethnology emerged.

The First World War went by, apart from the oppressive economic situation without loss. The farm museum remained during the five years of war regularly open to the public.

Until 1919 the K.K. Art Historical Court Museum was under the authority of the Oberstkämmereramt (head chamberlain office) and belonged to the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. The officials and employees were part of the royal household.

First Republic

The transition from monarchy to republic, in the museum took place in complete tranquility. On 19 November 1918 the two imperial museums on Maria Theresa Square were placed under the state protection of the young Republic of German Austria. Threatening to the stocks of the museum were the claims raised in the following weeks and months of the "successor states" of the monarchy as well as Italy and Belgium on Austrian art collection. In fact, it came on 12th February 1919 to the violent removal of 62 paintings by armed Italian units. This "art theft" left a long time trauma among curators and art historians.

It was not until the Treaty of Saint-Germain of 10 September 1919, providing in Article 195 and 196 the settlement of rights in the cultural field by negotiations. The claims of Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Italy again could mostly being averted in this way. Only Hungary, which presented the greatest demands by far, was met by more than ten years of negotiation in 147 cases.

On 3 April 1919 was the expropriation of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine by law and the acquisition of its property, including the "Collections of the Imperial House" , by the Republic. Of 18 June 1920 the then provisional administration of the former imperial museums and collections of Este and the secular and clergy treasury passed to the State Office of Internal Affairs and Education, since 10 November 1920, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Education. A few days later it was renamed the Art History Court Museum in the "Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna State", 1921 "Kunsthistorisches Museum" . Of 1st January 1921 the employees of the museum staff passed to the state of the Republic.

Through the acquisition of the former imperial collections owned by the state, the museum found itself in a complete new situation. In order to meet the changed circumstances in the museum area, designed Hans Tietze in 1919 the "Vienna Museum program". It provided a close cooperation between the individual museums to focus at different houses on main collections. So dominated exchange, sales and equalizing the acquisition policy in the interwar period. Thus resulting until today still valid collection trends. Also pointing the way was the relocation of the weapons collection from 1934 in its present premises in the New Castle, where since 1916 the collection of ancient musical instruments was placed.

With the change of the imperial collections in the ownership of the Republic the reorganization of the internal organization went hand in hand, too. Thus the museum was divided in 1919 into the

Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection (with the Oriental coins)

Collection of Classical Antiquities

Collection of ancient coins

Collection of modern coins and medals

Weapons collection

Collection of sculptures and crafts with the Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments

Picture Gallery

The Museum 1938-1945

Count Philipp Ludwig Wenzel Sinzendorf according to Rigaud. Clarisse 1948 by Baroness de Rothschildt "dedicated" to the memory of Baron Alphonse de Rothschildt; restituted to the Rothschilds in 1999, and in 1999 donated by Bettina Looram Rothschild, the last Austrian heiress.

With the "Anschluss" of Austria to the German Reich all Jewish art collections such as the Rothschilds were forcibly "Aryanised". Collections were either "paid" or simply distributed by the Gestapo at the museums. This resulted in a significant increase in stocks. But the KHM was not the only museum that benefited from the linearization. Systematically looted Jewish property was sold to museums, collections or in pawnshops throughout the empire.

After the war, the museum struggled to reimburse the "Aryanised" art to the owners or their heirs. They forced the Rothschild family to leave the most important part of their own collection to the museum and called this "dedications", or "donations". As a reason, was the export law stated, which does not allow owners to perform certain works of art out of the country. Similar methods were used with other former owners. Only on the basis of international diplomatic and media pressure, to a large extent from the United States, the Austrian government decided to make a change in the law (Art Restitution Act of 1998, the so-called Lex Rothschild). The art objects were the Rothschild family refunded only in the 1990s.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum operates on the basis of the federal law on the restitution of art objects from the 4th December 1998 (Federal Law Gazette I, 181 /1998) extensive provenance research. Even before this decree was carried out in-house provenance research at the initiative of the then archive director Herbert Haupt. This was submitted in 1998 by him in collaboration with Lydia Grobl a comprehensive presentation of the facts about the changes in the inventory levels of the Kunsthistorisches Museum during the Nazi era and in the years leading up to the State Treaty of 1955, an important basis for further research provenance.

The two historians Susanne Hehenberger and Monika Löscher are since 1st April 2009 as provenance researchers at the Kunsthistorisches Museum on behalf of the Commission for Provenance Research operating and they deal with the investigation period from 1933 to the recent past.

The museum today

Today the museum is as a federal museum, with 1st January 1999 released to the full legal capacity - it was thus the first of the state museums of Austria, implementing the far-reaching self-financing. It is by far the most visited museum in Austria with 1.3 million visitors (2007).

The Kunsthistorisches Museum is under the name Kunsthistorisches Museum and Museum of Ethnology and the Austrian Theatre Museum with company number 182081t since 11 June 1999 as a research institution under public law of the Federal virtue of the Federal Museums Act, Federal Law Gazette I/115/1998 and the Museum of Procedure of the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Museum of Ethnology and the Austrian Theatre Museum, 3 January 2001, BGBl II 2/ 2001, in force since 1 January 2001, registered.

In fiscal 2008, the turnover was 37.185 million EUR and total assets amounted to EUR 22.204 million. In 2008 an average of 410 workers were employed.

Management

1919-1923: Gustav Glück as the first chairman of the College of science officials

1924-1933: Hermann Julius Hermann 1924-1925 as the first chairman of the College of the scientific officers in 1925 as first director

1933: Arpad Weixlgärtner first director

1934-1938: Alfred Stix first director

1938-1945: Fritz Dworschak 1938 as acting head, from 1938 as a chief in 1941 as first director

1945-1949: August von Loehr 1945-1948 as executive director of the State Art Collections in 1949 as general director of the historical collections of the Federation

1945-1949: Alfred Stix 1945-1948 as executive director of the State Art Collections in 1949 as general director of art historical collections of the Federation

1949-1950: Hans Demel as administrative director

1950: Karl Wisoko-Meytsky as general director of art and historical collections of the Federation

1951-1952: Fritz Eichler as administrative director

1953-1954: Ernst H. Buschbeck as administrative director

1955-1966: Vincent Oberhammer 1955-1959 as administrative director, from 1959 as first director

1967: Edward Holzmair as managing director

1968-1972: Erwin Auer first director

1973-1981: Friderike Klauner first director

1982-1990: Hermann Fillitz first director

1990: George Kugler as interim first director

1990-2008: Wilfried Seipel as general director

Since 2009: Sabine Haag as general director

Collections

To the Kunsthistorisches Museum are also belonging the collections of the New Castle, the Austrian Theatre Museum in Palais Lobkowitz, the Museum of Ethnology and the Wagenburg (wagon fortress) in an outbuilding of Schönbrunn Palace. A branch office is also Ambras in Innsbruck.

Kunsthistorisches Museum (main building)

Picture Gallery

Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection

Collection of Classical Antiquities

Vienna Chamber of Art

Numismatic Collection

Library

New Castle

Ephesus Museum

Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments

Arms and Armour

Archive

Hofburg

The imperial crown in the Treasury

Imperial Treasury of Vienna

Insignia of the Austrian Hereditary Homage

Insignia of imperial Austria

Insignia of the Holy Roman Empire

Burgundian Inheritance and the Order of the Golden Fleece

Habsburg-Lorraine Household Treasure

Ecclesiastical Treasury

Schönbrunn Palace

Imperial Carriage Museum Vienna

Armory in Ambras Castle

Ambras Castle

Collections of Ambras Castle

Major exhibits

Among the most important exhibits of the Art Gallery rank inter alia:

Jan van Eyck: Cardinal Niccolò Albergati, 1438

Martin Schongauer: Holy Family, 1475-80

Albrecht Dürer : Trinity Altar, 1509-16

Portrait Johann Kleeberger, 1526

Parmigianino: Self Portrait in Convex Mirror, 1523/24

Giuseppe Arcimboldo: Summer 1563

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: Madonna of the Rosary 1606/ 07

Caravaggio: Madonna of the Rosary (1606-1607)

Titian: Nymph and Shepherd to 1570-75

Portrait of Jacopo de Strada, 1567/68

Raffaello Santi: Madonna of the Meadow, 1505 /06

Lorenzo Lotto: Portrait of a young man against white curtain, 1508

Peter Paul Rubens: The altar of St. Ildefonso, 1630-32

The Little Fur, about 1638

Jan Vermeer: The Art of Painting, 1665/66

Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Fight between Carnival and Lent, 1559

Kids, 1560

Tower of Babel, 1563

Christ Carrying the Cross, 1564

Gloomy Day (Early Spring), 1565

Return of the Herd (Autumn), 1565

Hunters in the Snow (Winter) 1565

Bauer and bird thief, 1568

Peasant Wedding, 1568/69

Peasant Dance, 1568/69

Paul's conversion (Conversion of St Paul), 1567

Cabinet of Curiosities:

Saliera from Benvenuto Cellini 1539-1543

Egyptian-Oriental Collection:

Mastaba of Ka Ni Nisut

Collection of Classical Antiquities:

Gemma Augustea

Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós

Gallery: Major exhibits

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunsthistorisches_Museum

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

« […] A person entering the space of non-place is relieved of his usual determinants. He becomes no more than what he does or experiences in the role of passenger, customer or driver. […] The passenger through non-places retrieves his identity only at customs, at the tollbooth, at the checkout counter. Meanwhile, he obeys the same code as others, receives the same messages, responds to the same entreaties. The space of non-place creates neither singular identity nor relations, only solitude, and similitude »

see the whole series here

Tombstone of William Harding Le Riche (March 21, 1916 - December 31, 2010), a professor of epidemiology at the University of Toronto, and his wife. Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Canada. Summer afternoon, 2021. Pentax K1 II.

From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harding_le_Riche

William Harding le Riche FRCPC (21 March 1916 – 31 December 2010) was a South African–born Canadian epidemiologist. He was Professor of Epidemiology (emeritus) at University of Toronto.

Le Riche was born in Dewetsdorp, Orange Free State, Republic of South Africa and first studied at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he gained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in 1936. He died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Education

He was educated at University of the Witwatersrand.B.Sc. 1936, MB.ChB. 1943, MD 1949. He received a Carnegie Research Grant, Bureau for Education and Social Research, Pretoria 1937-1939. Harvard University (Rockefeller fellowship) M.P.H. (cum laude) 1949-50. He had an internship at Zulu McCord Hospital, Durban 1944.

Employment

Appointed by Union Health Department to Health Centre Service firstly at Pholela, Natal and later (1945) established first Health Centre for Whites and Eurafricans at Knysna, South Africa. 1945-1949.

Epidemiologist Union (Fed) Health Department, South Africa 1950-1952

Consultant in Epidemiology, Department of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa (worked on background report of Canadian Sickness Survey 1952-1954.

Research Medical Officer, Physicians Service Inc. Toronto, Ontario 1954-1957

Department of Public Health, School of Hygiene, University of Toronto 1959

Professor and Head of Department of Epidemiology, University of Toronto, 1962-1975.

Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Preventive Medicine, 1975–1982

Professor Emeritus from 1982

In reference to his higher qualifications, the MD was by thesis: Studies in Health, Growth and Nutrition. The FRCPC was in the area of Medical Science 1973. The F.A.C.P. was in Preventive Medicine

His research interests were wide. In 1936 he and Dr G. Schepers took the famous paleontologist, Doctor Robert Broom, to the Sterkfontein caves, near Johannesburg, South Africa, where Broom made important discoveries of hominid fossils, Australopithecus africanus.

Professional positions and appointments

In his University teaching he saw epidemiology as a broad comprehensive subject studying the determinants of disease. From this point of view epidemiology includes the basic medical sciences, microbiology, environmental chemistry and clinical medicine. However, by 1975, in the English speaking academic world, epidemiology had become a narrow statistical subject, involved mainly with analysis and past epidemic surveys and clinical trials. The Department of Epidemiology and Biometrics grew and M.Sc. and Ph.D. Programs were developed.

Between 1950 and 1980 the pundits were claiming antibiotics would solve the problems of most infectious disease. The fact that bacteria develop resistance to medicaments was not considered. In 1973 le Riche and Dr. Michael Lenczner raised the importance of infectious and tropical disease imported into Canada by travellers, immigrants and refugees. Governments were not interested in these situations.

By 1981 it became clear that AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) was a serious infectious disease.

In 1953 he received a part-time commission in the Canadian Armed Forces, serving in the 23rd Field Ambulance, under Lieut. Col. David Thompson in Ottawa. In 1968 he became a member of the Defence Research Board and for many years he was Consultant on preventive medicine to the Defence Medical Council. Outside the University he served on many committees including those of the Ontario Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Association.

During 1966-72 he was on the Metropolitan Toronto Hospital Planning Council under the chairmanship of Dr. H. Hoyle Campbell, plastic surgeon, who with Dr. Shouldice, pioneered outpatient surgery in Toronto. Some of the excellent recommendations of the Council were carried out in 1998 and 1999. For many years he served as the Medical Research Council Associate Committee on Hospital Infections, Chairman Professor E.G.D. Murray. As a result of this association the book on "The Control of Infections in Hospitals" was published in 1966. Other committees were the Professional Education Committee of the American Public Health Association, Examiners Committee, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Nursing Research Committee, Ontario Council of Health Care 1969, Physicians Services Inc. Research Grants Committee, Second International Conference on Agriculture, University of Reading, England, Committee, Canadian Cancer Research Foundation, Committee on Acupuncture, Ontario Council of Health, Report on Reorganization of the City of Toronto Health Department. He was Chairman of the Canadian Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health 1976-1978.

He was a member of the Committee on Preventive Medicine, Medical Council of Canada.

In the University he was on the Planning Strategy Committee, Planning and Priorities Subcommittee, and many others. Research on Medical Care included surveys on the work of Medical Officers of Health in Ontario, and the work of Optometrists and Ophthalmologists in Ontario.

For a few weeks he was visiting professor, Wayne County Medical School, Detroit and Distinguished Lecturer at Dalhousie Medical School.

In 1956 he first appeared with Dr. Arthur Kelly, Canadian Medical Association on a television program. This was the beginning of a 25-year career in radio, television and the daily press, which covered many aspects of health care, nutrition and communicable diseases, and medical politics. He became a good communicator, and public speaker. His academic interests were nutrition, infections, populations, and environmental destruction. He was a Fellow of the American Public Health Association and Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine. For 18 years he was on the part-time staff of the Department of Family Practice and Extended Care at Sunnybrook Hospital. He was awarded the Defries medal and granted Honorary Membership of the Canadian Public Health Association. He became a Life Member of the Ontario Medical Association and was granted Senior Membership of The Canadian Medical Association.

Personal

Le Riche married Margaret Cardross Grant on 11 December 1943. They had five children. His hobbies, at various time of his life included camping, photography, and he rode regularly until the age of 70. He was interested in music, opera and live theatre, and attended St. Timothy's Anglican Church, Toronto, Ontario.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Noia de la Trena.

per Josep Viladomat.

1928.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

La font del Gat.

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

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The Font del Gat.

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

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La Font del Gat.

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

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Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Some 80% of Scotland’s land mass is under agricultural production, making the industry the single biggest determinant of the landscape we see around us. Scotland’s farmers, crofters and growers produce output worth around £2.9 billion a year, and are responsible for much of Scotland’s £5 billion food and drink exports. The export target for 2017 is £7.1 billion.

Around 67,000 people are directly employed in agriculture in Scotland – this represents around 8% of the rural workforce and means that agriculture is the third largest employer in rural Scotland after the service and public sectors. It is estimated that a further 360,000 jobs (1 in 10 of all Scottish jobs) are dependent on agriculture.

The agri-food sector is now the UKs largest manufacturing sector.

Around 85% of Scotland is classified as Less Favoured Area. This is an EU classification which recognises natural and geographic disadvantage.

There are large numbers of farms in north west Scotland, but these are significantly smaller in terms of the numbers of livestock/area of crops grown than farms elsewhere. Sheep farming is the predominant type of farming in the north west and there are also many sheep farms in the south of the country. Larger cereal farms are concentrated in the east. Beef farming takes place throughout Scotland, but is particularly common in the south west. This area also has the bulk of the dairy industry.

A cigarette, also known colloquially as a fag in British English, is a narrow cylinder containing psychoactive material, usually tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. Most cigarettes contain a "reconstituted tobacco" product known as "sheet", which consists of "recycled [tobacco] stems, stalks, scraps, collected dust, and floor sweepings", to which are added glue, chemicals and fillers; the product is then sprayed with nicotine that was extracted from the tobacco scraps, and shaped into curls. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opposite end. Most modern cigarettes are filtered, although this does not make them safer. Cigarette manufacturers have described cigarettes as a drug administration system for the delivery of nicotine in acceptable and attractive form. Cigarettes are addictive (because of nicotine) and cause cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, and other health problems.

The term cigarette, as commonly used, refers to a tobacco cigarette but is sometimes used to refer to other substances, such as a cannabis cigarette. A cigarette is distinguished from a cigar by its usually smaller size, use of processed leaf, and paper wrapping, which is typically white. Cigar wrappers are typically composed of tobacco leaf or paper dipped in tobacco extract.

Smoking rates have generally declined in the developed world, but continue to rise in some developing nations. Cigarette smoking causes health harms and death. Nicotine is also highly addictive. About half of cigarette smokers die of tobacco-related disease[9] and lose on average 14 years of life.

Cigarette use by pregnant women has also been shown to cause birth defects, including low birth weight, fetal abnormalities, and premature birth. Second-hand smoke from cigarettes causes many of the same health problems as smoking, including cancer, which has led to legislation and policy that has prohibited smoking in many workplaces and public areas. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemical compounds, including arsenic, formaldehyde, cyanide, lead, nicotine, carbon monoxide, acrolein, and other poisonous substances. Over 70 of these are carcinogenic. Additionally, cigarettes are a frequent source of deadly fires in private homes, which prompted both the European Union and the United States to require cigarettes to be fire-standard compliant.

HISTORY

The earliest forms of cigarettes were similar to their predecessor, the cigar. Cigarettes appear to have had antecedents in Mexico and Central America around the 9th century in the form of reeds and smoking tubes. The Maya, and later the Aztecs, smoked tobacco and other psychoactive drugs in religious rituals and frequently depicted priests and deities smoking on pottery and temple engravings. The cigarette and the cigar were the most common methods of smoking in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America until recent times.

The North American, Central American, and South American cigarette used various plant wrappers; when it was brought back to Spain, maize wrappers were introduced, and by the 17th century, fine paper. The resulting product was called papelate and is documented in Goya's paintings La Cometa, La Merienda en el Manzanares, and El juego de la pelota a pala (18th century).

By 1830, the cigarette had crossed into France, where it received the name cigarette; and in 1845, the French state tobacco monopoly began manufacturing them. The French word was adopted by English in the 1840s. Some American reformers promoted the spelling cigaret, but this was never widespread and is now largely abandoned.

The first patented cigarette-making machine was invented by Juan Nepomuceno Adorno of Mexico in 1847. However, production climbed markedly when another cigarette-making machine was developed in the 1880s by James Albert Bonsack, which vastly increased the productivity of cigarette companies, which went from making about 40,000 hand-rolled cigarettes daily to around 4 million.

In the English-speaking world, the use of tobacco in cigarette form became increasingly widespread during and after the Crimean War, when British soldiers began emulating their Ottoman Turkish comrades and Russian enemies, who had begun rolling and smoking tobacco in strips of old newspaper for lack of proper cigar-rolling leaf. This was helped by the development of tobaccos suitable for cigarette use, and by the development of the Egyptian cigarette export industry.

Cigarettes may have been initially used in a manner similar to pipes, cigars, and cigarillos and not inhaled; for evidence, see the Lucky Strike ad campaign asking consumers "Do You Inhale?" from the 1930s. As cigarette tobacco became milder and more acidic, inhaling may have become perceived as more agreeable. However, Moltke noticed in the 1830s (cf. Unter dem Halbmond) that Ottomans (and he himself) inhaled the Turkish tobacco and Latakia from their pipes (which are both initially sun-cured, acidic leaf varieties).

The widespread smoking of cigarettes in the Western world is largely a 20th-century phenomenon. At the start of the 20th century, the per capita annual consumption in the U.S. was 54 cigarettes (with less than 0.5% of the population smoking more than 100 cigarettes per year), and consumption there peaked at 4,259 per capita in 1965. At that time, about 50% of men and 33% of women smoked (defined as smoking more than 100 cigarettes per year). By 2000, consumption had fallen to 2,092 per capita, corresponding to about 30% of men and 22% of women smoking more than 100 cigarettes per year, and by 2006 per capita consumption had declined to 1,691; implying that about 21% of the population smoked 100 cigarettes or more per year.

The adverse health effects of cigarettes were known by the mid-19th century when they became known as coffins nails.[31] German doctors were the first to identify the link between smoking and lung cancer, which led to the first antitobacco movement in Nazi Germany. During World War I and World War II, cigarettes were rationed to soldiers. During the Vietnam War, cigarettes were included with C-ration meals. In 1975, the U.S. government stopped putting cigarettes in military rations. During the second half of the 20th century, the adverse health effects of tobacco smoking started to become widely known and text-only health warnings became common on cigarette packets.

The United States has not implemented graphical cigarette warning labels, which are considered a more effective method to communicate to the public the dangers of cigarette smoking. Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Hungary, the United Kingdom, France, Romania, Singapore, Egypt, Nepal and Turkey, however, have both textual warnings and graphic visual images displaying, among other things, the damaging effects tobacco use has on the human body.

The cigarette has evolved much since its conception; for example, the thin bands that travel transverse to the "axis of smoking" (thus forming circles along the length of the cigarette) are alternate sections of thin and thick paper to facilitate effective burning when being drawn, and retard burning when at rest. Synthetic particulate filters may remove some of the tar before it reaches the smoker.

The "holy grail" for cigarette companies has been a cancer-free cigarette. On record, the closest historical attempt was produced by scientist James Mold. Under the name project TAME, he produced the XA cigarette. However, in 1978, his project was terminated.

Since 1950, the average nicotine and tar content of cigarettes has steadily fallen. Research has shown that the fall in overall nicotine content has led to smokers inhaling larger volumes per puff.

LEGISLATION

SMOKING RESTRICTIONS

Many governments impose restrictions on smoking tobacco, especially in public areas. The primary justification has been the negative health effects of second-hand smoke. Laws vary by country and locality. Nearly all countries have laws restricting places where people can smoke in public, and over 40 countries have comprehensive smoke-free laws that prohibit smoking in virtually all public venues. Bhutan is currently the only country in the world to completely outlaw the cultivation, harvesting, production, and sale of tobacco and tobacco products under the Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010. However, small allowances for personal possession are permitted as long as the possessors can prove that they have paid import duties. The Pitcairn Islands had previously banned the sale of cigarettes, but it now permits sales from a government-run store. The Pacific island of Niue hopes to become the next country to prohibit the sale of tobacco. Iceland is also proposing banning tobacco sales from shops, making it prescription-only and therefore dispensable only in pharmacies on doctor's orders. New Zealand hopes to achieve being tobacco-free by 2025 and Finland by 2040. Singapore and the Australian state of Tasmania have proposed a 'tobacco free millennium generation initiative' by banning the sale of all tobacco products to anyone born in and after the year 2000. In March 2012, Brazil became the world's first country to ban all flavored tobacco including menthols. It also banned the majority of the estimated 600 additives used, permitting only eight. This regulation applies to domestic and imported cigarettes. Tobacco manufacturers had 18 months to remove the noncompliant cigarettes, 24 months to remove the other forms of noncompliant tobacco. Under sharia law, the consumption of cigarettes by Muslims is prohibited.

SMOKING AGE

Beginning on April 1, 1998, the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to people under the state purchase age has been prohibited by law in all 50 states of the United States. The purchasing age in the United States is 18 in 42 of the 50 states — but 19 in Alabama, Alaska, Utah, and Nassau, Suffolk, and Onondaga Counties in New York, and 21 in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Maine and more than 180 municipalities across the nation. The intended effect of this is to prevent older high school students from purchasing cigarettes for their younger peers. In Massachusetts, parents and guardians are allowed to give cigarettes to minors, but sales to minors are prohibited.

Similar laws exist in many other countries. In Canada, most of the provinces require smokers to be 19 years of age to purchase cigarettes (except for Quebec and the prairie provinces, where the age is 18). However, the minimum age only concerns the purchase of tobacco, not use. Alberta, however, does have a law which prohibits the possession or use of tobacco products by all persons under 18, punishable by a $100 fine. Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Pakistan have a nationwide ban on the selling of all tobacco products to people under the age of 18.

Since 1 October 2007, it has been illegal for retailers to sell tobacco in all forms to people under the age of 18 in three of the UK's four constituent countries (England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland) (rising from 16). It is also illegal to sell lighters, rolling papers, and all other tobacco-associated items to people under 18. It is not illegal for people under 18 to buy or smoke tobacco, just as it was not previously for people under 16; it is only illegal for the said retailer to sell the item. The age increase from 16 to 18 came into force in Northern Ireland on 1 September 2008. In the Republic of Ireland, bans on the sale of the smaller 10-packs and confectionery that resembles tobacco products (candy cigarettes) came into force on May 31, 2007, in a bid to cut underaged smoking.

Most countries in the world have a legal vending age of 18. In Macedonia, Italy, Malta, Austria, Luxembourg, and Belgium, the age for legal vending is 16. Since January 1, 2007, all cigarette machines in public places in Germany must attempt to verify a customer's age by requiring the insertion of a debit card. Turkey, which has one of the highest percentage of smokers in its population, has a legal age of 18. Japan is one of the highest tobacco-consuming nations, and requires purchasers to be 20 years of age (suffrage in Japan is 20 years old). Since July 2008, Japan has enforced this age limit at cigarette vending machines through use of the taspo smart card. In other countries, such as Egypt, it is legal to use and purchase tobacco products regardless of age.Germany raised the purchase age from 16 to 18 on the 1 September 2007.

Some police departments in the United States occasionally send an underaged teenager into a store where cigarettes are sold, and have the teen attempt to purchase cigarettes, with their own or no ID. If the vendor then completes the sale, the store is issued a fine. Similar enforcement practices are regularly performed by Trading Standards officers in the UK, Israel, and the Republic of Ireland.

TAXATION

Cigarettes are taxed both to reduce use, especially among youth, and to raise revenue.Higher prices for cigarettes discourage smoking. Every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about 7% and overall cigarette consumption by about 4%. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that globally cigarettes be taxed at a rate of three-quarters of cigarettes sale price as a way of deterring cancer and other negative health outcomes.

Cigarette sales are a significant source of tax revenue in many localities. This fact has historically been an impediment for health groups seeking to discourage cigarette smoking, since governments seek to maximize tax revenues. Furthermore, some countries have made cigarettes a state monopoly, which has the same effect on the attitude of government officials outside the health field.

In the United States, states are a primary determinant of the total tax rate on cigarettes. Generally, states that rely on tobacco as a significant farm product tend to tax cigarettes at a low rate. Coupled with the federal cigarette tax of $1.01 per pack, total cigarette-specific taxes range from $1.18 per pack in Missouri to $8.00 per pack in Silver Bay, New York.As part of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the federal government collects user fees to fund Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory measures over tobacco.

FIRE-SAFE CIGARETTE

According to Simon Chapman, a professor of public health at the University of Sydney, the burning agents in cigarette paper are responsible for fires and reducing them would be a simple and effective means of dramatically reducing the ignition propensity of cigarettes. Since the 1980s, prominent cigarette manufacturers such as Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds developed fire safe cigarettes, but did not market them.

The burn rate of cigarette paper is regulated through the application of different forms of microcrystalline cellulose to the paper. Cigarette paper has been specially engineered by creating bands of different porosity to create "fire-safe" cigarettes. These cigarettes have a reduced idle burning speed which allows them to self-extinguish. This fire-safe paper is manufactured by mechanically altering the setting of the paper slurry.

New York was the first U.S. state to mandate that all cigarettes manufactured or sold within the state comply with a fire-safe standard. Canada has passed a similar nationwide mandate based on the same standard. All U.S. states are gradually passing fire-safe mandates.

The European Union in 2011 banned cigarettes that do not meet a fire-safety standard. According to a study made by the European Union in 16 European countries, 11,000 fires were due to people carelessly handling cigarettes between 2005 and 2007. This caused 520 deaths with 1,600 people injured.

CIGARETTE ADVERTISING

Many countries have restrictions on cigarette advertising, promotion, sponsorship, and marketing. For example, in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the retail store display of cigarettes is completely prohibited if persons under the legal age of consumption have access to the premises. In Ontario, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec, Canada and the Australian Capital Territory the display of tobacco is prohibited for everyone, regardless of age, as of 2010. This retail display ban includes noncigarette products such as cigars and blunt wraps.

WARNING MESSAGES IN PACKAGES

As a result of tight advertising and marketing prohibitions, tobacco companies look at the pack differently: they view it as a strong component in displaying brand imagery and a creating significant in-store presence at the point of purchase. Market testing shows the influence of this dimension in shifting the consumer's choice when the same product displays in an alternative package. Studies also show how companies have manipulated a variety of elements in packs designs to communicate the impression of lower in tar or milder cigarettes, whereas the components were the same.

Some countries require cigarette packs to contain warnings about health hazards. The United States was the first, later followed by other countries including Canada, most of Europe, Australia, Pakistan, India, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In 1985, Iceland became the first country to enforce graphic warnings on cigarette packaging. At the end of December 2010, new regulations from Ottawa increased the size of tobacco warnings to cover three-quarters of the cigarette package in Canada. As of November 2010, 39 countries have adopted similar legislation.

In February 2011, the Canadian government passed regulations requiring cigarette packs to contain 12 new images to cover 75% of the outside panel and eight new health messages on the inside panel with full color.

As of April 2011, Australian regulations require all packs to use a bland olive green that researchers determined to be the least attractive color, with 75% coverage on the front of the pack and all of the back consisting of graphic health warnings. The only feature that differentiates one brand from another is the product name in a standard color, position, font size, and style. Similar policies have since been adopted in France and the United Kingdom. In response to these regulations, Philip Morris International, Japan Tobacco Inc., British American Tobacco Plc., and Imperial Tobacco attempted to sue the Australian government. On August 15, 2012, the High Court of Australia dismissed the suit and made Australia the first country to introduce brand-free plain cigarette packaging with health warnings covering 90 and 70% of back and front packaging, respectively. This took effect on December 1, 2012.

CONSTRUCTION

Modern commercially manufactured cigarettes are seemingly simple objects consisting mainly of a tobacco blend, paper, PVA glue to bond the outer layer of paper together, and often also a cellulose acetate–based filter. While the assembly of cigarettes is straightforward, much focus is given to the creation of each of the components, in particular the tobacco blend. A key ingredient that makes cigarettes more addictive is the inclusion of reconstituted tobacco, which has additives to make nicotine more volatile as the cigarette burns.

PAPER

The paper for holding the tobacco blend may vary in porosity to allow ventilation of the burning ember or contain materials that control the burning rate of the cigarette and stability of the produced ash. The papers used in tipping the cigarette (forming the mouthpiece) and surrounding the filter stabilize the mouthpiece from saliva and moderate the burning of the cigarette, as well as the delivery of smoke with the presence of one or two rows of small laser-drilled air holes.

TOBACCO BLEND

The process of blending gives the end product a consistent taste from batches of tobacco grown in different areas of a country that may change in flavor profile from year to year due to different environmental conditions.

Modern cigarettes produced after the 1950s, although composed mainly of shredded tobacco leaf, use a significant quantity of tobacco processing byproducts in the blend. Each cigarette's tobacco blend is made mainly from the leaves of flue-cured brightleaf, burley tobacco, and oriental tobacco. These leaves are selected, processed, and aged prior to blending and filling. The processing of brightleaf and burley tobaccos for tobacco leaf "strips" produces several byproducts such as leaf stems, tobacco dust, and tobacco leaf pieces ("small laminate"). To improve the economics of producing cigarettes, these byproducts are processed separately into forms where they can then be added back into the cigarette blend without an apparent or marked change in the cigarette's quality. The most common tobacco byproducts include:

Blended leaf (BL) sheet: a thin, dry sheet cast from a paste made with tobacco dust collected from tobacco stemming, finely milled burley-leaf stem, and pectin.

Reconstituted leaf (RL) sheet: a paper-like material made from recycled tobacco fines, tobacco stems and "class tobacco", which consists of tobacco particles less than 30 mesh in size (about 0.6 mm) that are collected at any stage of tobacco processing: RL is made by extracting the soluble chemicals in the tobacco byproducts, processing the leftover tobacco fibers from the extraction into a paper, and then reapplying the extracted materials in concentrated form onto the paper in a fashion similar to what is done in paper sizing. At this stage, ammonium additives are applied to make reconstituted tobacco an effective nicotine delivery system.

Expanded (ES) or improved stem (IS): ES is rolled, flattened, and shredded leaf stems that are expanded by being soaked in water and rapidly heated. Improved stem follows the same process, but is simply steamed after shredding. Both products are then dried. These products look similar in appearance, but are different in taste.

In recent years, the manufacturers' pursuit of maximum profits has led to the practice of using not just the leaves, but also recycled tobacco offal and the plant stem. The stem is first crushed and cut to resemble the leaf before being merged or blended into the cut leaf. According to data from the World Health Organization, the amount of tobacco per 1000 cigarettes fell from 2.28 pounds in 1960 to 0.91 pounds in 1999, largely as a result of reconstituting tobacco, fluffing, and additives.

A recipe-specified combination of brightleaf, burley-leaf, and oriental-leaf tobacco is mixed with various additives to improve its flavors.

ADDITIVES

Various additives are combined into the shredded tobacco product mixtures, with humectants such as propylene glycol or glycerol, as well as flavoring products and enhancers such as cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco extracts, and various sugars, which are known collectively as "casings". The leaf tobacco is then shredded, along with a specified amount of small laminate, expanded tobacco, BL, RL, ES, and IS. A perfume-like flavor/fragrance, called the "topping" or "toppings", which is most often formulated by flavor companies, is then blended into the tobacco mixture to improve the consistency in flavor and taste of the cigarettes associated with a certain brand name.[85] Additionally, they replace lost flavors due to the repeated wetting and drying used in processing the tobacco. Finally, the tobacco mixture is filled into cigarette tubes and packaged.

A list of 599 cigarette additives, created by five major American cigarette companies, was approved by the Department of Health and Human Services in April 1994. None of these additives is listed as an ingredient on the cigarette pack(s). Chemicals are added for organoleptic purposes and many boost the addictive properties of cigarettes, especially when burned.

One of the classes of chemicals on the list, ammonia salts, convert bound nicotine molecules in tobacco smoke into free nicotine molecules. This process, known as freebasing, could potentially increase the effect of nicotine on the smoker, but experimental data suggests that absorption is, in practice, unaffected.

CIGARETTE TUBE

Cigarette tubes are prerolled cigarette paper usually with an acetate or paper filter at the end. They have an appearance similar to a finished cigarette, but are without any tobacco or smoking material inside. The length varies from what is known as King Size (84 mm) to 100s (100 mm).

Filling a cigarette tube is usually done with a cigarette injector (also known as a shooter). Cone-shaped cigarette tubes, known as cones, can be filled using a packing stick or straw because of their shape. Cone smoking is popular because as the cigarette burns, it tends to get stronger and stronger. A cone allows more tobacco to be burned at the beginning than the end, allowing for an even flavor

The United States Tobacco Taxation Bureau defines a cigarette tube as "Cigarette paper made into a hollow cylinder for use in making cigarettes."

CIGARETTE FILTER

A cigarette filter or filter tip is a component of a cigarette. Filters are typically made from cellulose acetate fibre. Most factory-made cigarettes are equipped with a filter; those who roll their own can buy them separately. Filters can reduce some substances from smoke but do not make cigarettes any safer to smoke.

CIGARETTE BUTT

The common name for the remains of a cigarette after smoking is a cigarette butt. The butt is typically about 30% of the cigarette's original length. It consists of a tissue tube which holds a filter and some remains of tobacco mixed with ash. They are the most numerically frequent litter in the world. Cigarette butts accumulate outside buildings, on parking lots, and streets where they can be transported through storm drains to streams, rivers, and beaches. It is also called a fag-end or dog-end.

In a 2013 trial the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, partnered with TerraCycle to create a system for recycling of cigarette butts. A reward of 1¢ per collected butt was offered to determine the effectiveness of a deposit system similar to that of beverage containers

LIGHTS

Some cigarettes are marketed as “Lights”, “Milds”, or “Low-tar.” These cigarettes were historically marketed as being less harmful, but there is no research showing that they are any less harmful. The filter design is one of the main differences between light and regular cigarettes, although not all cigarettes contain perforated holes in the filter. In some light cigarettes, the filter is perforated with small holes that theoretically diffuse the tobacco smoke with clean air. In regular cigarettes, the filter does not include these perforations. In ultralight cigarettes, the filter's perforations are larger. he majority of major cigarette manufacturers offer a light, low-tar, and/or mild cigarette brand. Due to recent U.S. legislation prohibiting the use of these descriptors, tobacco manufacturers are turning to color-coding to allow consumers to differentiate between regular and light brands.

REPLACEMENT

An electronic cigarette is a handheld battery-powered vaporizer that simulates smoking by providing some of the behavioral aspects of smoking, including the hand-to-mouth action of smoking, but without combusting tobacco. Using an e-cigarette is known as "vaping" and the user is referred to as a "vaper." Instead of cigarette smoke, the user inhales an aerosol, commonly called vapor. E-cigarettes typically have a heating element that atomizes a liquid solution called e-liquid. E-cigarettes are automatically activated by taking a puff; others turn on manually by pressing a button. Some e-cigarettes look like traditional cigarettes, but they come in many variations. Most versions are reusable, though some are disposable. There are first-generation, second-generation, third-generation, and fourth-generation devices. E-liquids usually contain propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, flavorings, additives, and differing amounts of contaminants. E-liquids are also sold without propylene glycol, nicotine, or flavors.

The benefits and the health risks of e-cigarettes are uncertain. There is tentative evidence they may help people quit smoking, although they have not been proven to be more effective than smoking cessation medicine. There is concern with the possibility that non-smokers and children may start nicotine use with e-cigarettes at a rate higher than anticipated than if they were never created. Following the possibility of nicotine addiction from e-cigarette use, there is concern children may start smoking cigarettes. Youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to go on to smoke cigarettes. Their part in tobacco harm reduction is unclear, while another review found they appear to have the potential to lower tobacco-related death and disease. Regulated US Food and Drug Administration nicotine replacement products may be safer than e-cigarettes, but e-cigarettes are generally seen as safer than combusted tobacco products. It is estimated their safety risk to users is similar to that of smokeless tobacco. The long-term effects of e-cigarette use are unknown. The risk from serious adverse events was reported in 2016 to be low. Less serious adverse effects include abdominal pain, headache, blurry vision, throat and mouth irritation, vomiting, nausea, and coughing. Nicotine itself is associated with some health harms. In 2019, an outbreak of severe lung illness across multiple states in the US has been linked to the use of vaping products.

E-cigarettes create vapor made of fine and ultrafine particles of particulate matter, which have been found to contain propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, flavors, tiny amounts of toxicants, carcinogens, heavy metals, and metal nanoparticles, and other substances. Its exact composition varies across and within manufacturers, and depends on the contents of the liquid, the physical and electrical design of the device, and user behavior, among other factors. E-cigarette vapor potentially contains harmful chemicals not found in tobacco smoke. E-cigarette vapor contains fewer toxic chemicals, and lower concentrations of potential toxic chemicals than cigarette smoke. The vapor is probably much less harmful to users and bystanders than cigarette smoke,although concern exists that the exhaled vapor may be inhaled by non-users, particularly indoors.

WIKIPEDIA

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. In many contexts, potato refers to the edible tuber, but it can also refer to the plant itself. Common or slang terms include tater, tattie and spud. Potatoes were introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish. Today they are a staple food in many parts of the world and an integral part of much of the world's food supply. As of 2014, potatoes were the world's fourth-largest food crop after maize (corn), wheat, and rice.

Wild potato species can be found throughout the Americas, from the United States to southern Chile. The potato was originally believed to have been domesticated independently in multiple locations, but later genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species traced a single origin for potatoes. In the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia, from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex, potatoes were domesticated approximately 7,000–10,000 years ago. In the Andes region of South America, where the species is indigenous, some close relatives of the potato are cultivated.

Following millennia of selective breeding, there are now over 1,000 different types of potatoes. Over 99% of presently cultivated potatoes worldwide descended from varieties that originated in the lowlands of south-central Chile, which have displaced formerly popular varieties from the Andes.

The importance of the potato as a food source and culinary ingredient varies by region and is still changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe, especially eastern and central Europe, where per capita production is still the highest in the world, while the most rapid expansion in production over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia, with China and India leading the world in overall production as of 2014.

Being a nightshade similar to tomatoes, the vegetative and fruiting parts of the potato contain the toxin solanine and are not fit for human consumption. Normal potato tubers that have been grown and stored properly produce glycoalkaloids in amounts small enough to be negligible to human health, but if green sections of the plant (namely sprouts and skins) are exposed to light, the tuber can accumulate a high enough concentration of glycoalkaloids to affect human health.

ETYMOLOGY

The English word potato comes from Spanish patata (the name used in Spain). The Spanish Royal Academy says the Spanish word is a hybrid of the Taíno batata (sweet potato) and the Quechua papa (potato). The name originally referred to the sweet potato although the two plants are not closely related. The 16th-century English herbalist John Gerard referred to sweet potatoes as "common potatoes", and used the terms "bastard potatoes" and "Virginia potatoes" for the species we now call "potato". In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as "Irish potatoes" or "white potatoes" in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes.

The name spud for a small potato comes from the digging of soil (or a hole) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word has an unknown origin and was originally (c. 1440) used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin "spad-" a word root meaning "sword"; cf. Spanish "espada", English "spade" and "spadroon". It subsequently transferred over to a variety of digging tools. Around 1845, the name transferred to the tuber itself, the first record of this usage being in New Zealand English. The origin of the word "spud" has erroneously been attributed to an 18th-century activist group dedicated to keeping the potato out of Britain, calling itself The Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet (S.P.U.D.). It was Mario Pei's 1949 The Story of Language that can be blamed for the word's false origin. Pei writes, "the potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet. The initials of the main words in this title gave rise to spud." Like most other pre-20th century acronymic origins, this is false, and there is no evidence that a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet ever existed.

CHARACTERISTICS

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens. In general, the tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are mostly cross-pollinated by insects such as bumblebees, which carry pollen from other potato plants, though a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties.

After flowering, potato plants produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing about 300 seeds. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic alkaloid solanine and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true potato seed", "TPS" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. New varieties grown from seed can be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers cut to include at least one or two eyes, or cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Plants propagated from tubers are clones of the parent, whereas those propagated from seed produce a range of different varieties.

GENETICS

There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide. Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. They belong to eight or nine species, depending on the taxonomic school. Apart from the 5,000 cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties. Cross-breeding has been done repeatedly to transfer resistances to certain pests and diseases from the gene pool of wild species to the gene pool of cultivated potato species. Genetically modified varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European UnionThe major species grown worldwide is Solanum tuberosum (a tetraploid with 48 chromosomes), and modern varieties of this species are the most widely cultivated. There are also four diploid species (with 24 chromosomes): S. stenotomum, S. phureja, S. goniocalyx, and S. ajanhuiri. There are two triploid species (with 36 chromosomes): S. chaucha and S. juzepczukii. There is one pentaploid cultivated species (with 60 chromosomes): S. curtilobum. There are two major subspecies of Solanum tuberosum: andigena, or Andean; and tuberosum, or Chilean. The Andean potato is adapted to the short-day conditions prevalent in the mountainous equatorial and tropical regions where it originated; the Chilean potato, however, native to the Chiloé Archipelago, is adapted to the long-day conditions prevalent in the higher latitude region of southern Chile.

The International Potato Center, based in Lima, Peru, holds an ISO-accredited collection of potato germplasm. The international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium announced in 2009 that they had achieved a draft sequence of the potato genome. The potato genome contains 12 chromosomes and 860 million base pairs, making it a medium-sized plant genome. More than 99 percent of all current varieties of potatoes currently grown are direct descendants of a subspecies that once grew in the lowlands of south-central Chile. Nonetheless, genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species affirms that all potato subspecies derive from a single origin in the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme Northwestern Bolivia (from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex). The wild Crop Wild Relatives Prebreeding project encourages the use of wild relatives in breeding programs. Enriching and preserving the gene bank collection to make potatoes adaptive to diverse environmental conditions is seen as a pressing issue due to climate change.

Most modern potatoes grown in North America arrived through European settlement and not independently from the South American sources, although at least one wild potato species, Solanum fendleri, naturally ranges from Peru into Texas, where it is used in breeding for resistance to a nematode species that attacks cultivated potatoes. A secondary center of genetic variability of the potato is Mexico, where important wild species that have been used extensively in modern breeding are found, such as the hexaploid Solanum demissum, as a source of resistance to the devastating late blight disease. Another relative native to this region, Solanum bulbocastanum, has been used to genetically engineer the potato to resist potato blight.

Potatoes yield abundantly with little effort, and adapt readily to diverse climates as long as the climate is cool and moist enough for the plants to gather sufficient water from the soil to form the starchy tubers. Potatoes do not keep very well in storage and are vulnerable to moulds that feed on the stored tubers and quickly turn them rotten, whereas crops such as grain can be stored for several years with a low risk of rot. The yield of Calories per acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of maize (7.5 million), rice (7.4 million), wheat (3 million), or soybean (2.8 million).

VARIETIES

There are close to 4,000 varieties of potato including common commercial varieties, each of which has specific agricultural or culinary attributes. Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. In general, varieties are categorized into a few main groups based on common characteristics, such as russet potatoes (rough brown skin), red potatoes, white potatoes, yellow potatoes (also called Yukon potatoes) and purple potatoes.

For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy baking potatoes have more starch (20–22%) than waxy boiling potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped.

The European Cultivated Potato Database (ECPD) is an online collaborative database of potato variety descriptions that is updated and maintained by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency within the framework of the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/GR)—which is run by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).

PIGMENTATION

Dozens of potato cultivars have been selectively bred specifically for their skin or, more commonly, flesh color, including gold, red, and blue varieties that contain varying amounts of phytochemicals, including carotenoids for gold/yellow or polyphenols for red or blue cultivars. Carotenoid compounds include provitamin A alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which are converted to the essential nutrient, vitamin A, during digestion. Anthocyanins mainly responsible for red or blue pigmentation in potato cultivars do not have nutritional significance, but are used for visual variety and consumer appeal. Recently, as of 2010, potatoes have also been bioengineered specifically for these pigmentation traits.

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED POTATOES

Genetic research has produced several genetically modified varieties. 'New Leaf', owned by Monsanto Company, incorporates genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, which confers resistance to the Colorado potato beetle; 'New Leaf Plus' and 'New Leaf Y', approved by US regulatory agencies during the 1990s, also include resistance to viruses. McDonald's, Burger King, Frito-Lay, and Procter & Gamble announced they would not use genetically modified potatoes, and Monsanto published its intent to discontinue the line in March 2001.

Waxy potato varieties produce two main kinds of potato starch, amylose and amylopectin, the latter of which is most industrially useful. BASF developed the Amflora potato, which was modified to express antisense RNA to inactivate the gene for granule bound starch synthase, an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of amylose. Amflora potatoes therefore produce starch consisting almost entirely of amylopectin, and are thus more useful for the starch industry. In 2010, the European Commission cleared the way for 'Amflora' to be grown in the European Union for industrial purposes only—not for food. Nevertheless, under EU rules, individual countries have the right to decide whether they will allow this potato to be grown on their territory. Commercial planting of 'Amflora' was expected in the Czech Republic and Germany in the spring of 2010, and Sweden and the Netherlands in subsequent years. Another GM potato variety developed by BASF is 'Fortuna' which was made resistant to late blight by adding two resistance genes, blb1 and blb2, which originate from the Mexican wild potato Solanum bulbocastanum. In October 2011 BASF requested cultivation and marketing approval as a feed and food from the EFSA. In 2012, GMO development in Europe was stopped by BASF.

In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by J.R. Simplot Company, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less acrylamide when fried than conventional potatoes; the modifications do not cause new proteins to be made, but rather prevent proteins from being made via RNA interference.

HISTORY

The potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BC. It has since spread around the world and become a staple crop in many countries.

The earliest archaeologically verified potato tuber remains have been found at the coastal site of Ancon (central Peru), dating to 2500 BC. The most widely cultivated variety, Solanum tuberosum tuberosum, is indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago, and has been cultivated by the local indigenous people since before the Spanish conquest.

According to conservative estimates, the introduction of the potato was responsible for a quarter of the growth in Old World population and urbanization between 1700 and 1900. In the Altiplano, potatoes provided the principal energy source for the Inca civilization, its predecessors, and its Spanish successor. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, part of the Columbian exchange. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. The potato was slow to be adopted by European farmers, but soon enough it became an important food staple and field crop that played a major role in the European 19th century population boom. However, lack of genetic diversity, due to the very limited number of varieties initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oomycete Phytophthora infestans, spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western Ireland as well as parts of the Scottish Highlands, resulting in the crop failures that led to the Great Irish Famine. Thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes however, where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household.

PRODUCTION

In 2016, world production of potatoes was 377 million tonnes, led by China with over 26% of the world total (see table). Other major producers were India, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia.

NUTRITION

A raw potato is 79% water, 17% carbohydrates (88% is starch), 2% protein, and contains negligible fat (see table). In an amount measuring 100 grams, raw potato provides 322 kilojoules (77 kilocalories) of energy and is a rich source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C (23% and 24% of the Daily Value, respectively), with no other vitamins or minerals in significant amount (see table). The potato is rarely eaten raw because raw potato starch is poorly digested by humans. When a potato is baked, its contents of vitamin B6 and vitamin C decline notably, while there is little significant change in the amount of other nutrients.

Potatoes are often broadly classified as having a high glycemic index (GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a low-GI diet. The GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on the cultivar or cultivar category (such as "red", russet, "white", or King Edward), growing conditions and storage, preparation methods (by cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole), and accompanying foods consumed (especially the addition of various high-fat or high-protein toppings). In particular, consuming reheated or cooled potatoes that were previously cooked may yield a lower GI effect.

In the UK, potatoes are not considered by the National Health Service (NHS) as counting or contributing towards the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables, the 5-A-Day program.

COMPARISON TO OTHER STAPLE FOODS

This table shows the nutrient content of potatoes next to other major staple foods, each one measured in its respective raw state, even though staple foods are not commonly eaten raw and are usually sprouted or cooked before eating. In sprouted and cooked form, the relative nutritional and anti-nutritional contents of each of these grains (or other foods) may be different from the values in this table. Each nutrient (every row) has the highest number highlighted to show the staple food with the greatest amount in a 100-gram raw portion.

TOXICITY

Potatoes contain toxic compounds known as glycoalkaloids, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is found in other plants in the same family, Solanaceae, which includes such plants as deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), as well as the food plants eggplant and tomato. These compounds, which protect the potato plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, flowers, sprouts, and fruits (in contrast to the tubers). In a summary of several studies, the glycoalkaloid content was highest in the flowers and sprouts and lowest in the tuber flesh. (The glycoalkaloid content was, in order from highest to lowest: flowers, sprouts, leaves, skin, roots, berries, peel [skin plus outer cortex of tuber flesh], stems, and tuber flesh.)

Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber. Cooking at high temperatures—over 170 °C—partly destroys these compounds. The concentration of glycoalkaloids in wild potatoes is sufficient to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloid poisoning may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps, and, in severe cases, coma and death. However, poisoning from cultivated potato varieties is very rare. Light exposure causes greening from chlorophyll synthesis, giving a visual clue as to which areas of the tuber may have become more toxic. However, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other.

Different potato varieties contain different levels of glycoalkaloids. The Lenape variety was released in 1967 but was withdrawn in 1970 as it contained high levels of glycoalkaloids. Since then, breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar. Breeders try to keep glycoalkaloid levels below 200 mg/kg). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, they can still approach solanine concentrations of 1000 mg/kg. In normal potatoes, analysis has shown solanine levels may be as little as 3.5% of the breeders' maximum, with 7–187 mg/kg being found. While a normal potato tuber has 12–20 mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green potato tuber contains 250–280 mg/kg and its skin has 1500–2200 mg/kg.

GROWTH AND CULTIVATION

SEED POTATOES

Potatoes are generally grown from seed potatoes, tubers specifically grown to be free from disease and to provide consistent and healthy plants. To be disease free, the areas where seed potatoes are grown are selected with care. In the US, this restricts production of seed potatoes to only 15 states out of all 50 states where potatoes are grown. These locations are selected for their cold, hard winters that kill pests and summers with long sunshine hours for optimum growth. In the UK, most seed potatoes originate in Scotland, in areas where westerly winds prevent aphid attack and thus prevent spread of potato virus pathogens.

PHASES OF GROWTH

Potato growth is divided into five phases. During the first phase, sprouts emerge from the seed potatoes and root growth begins. During the second, photosynthesis begins as the plant develops leaves and branches. In the third phase, stolons develop from lower leaf axils on the stem and grow downwards into the ground and on these stolons new tubers develop as swellings of the stolon. This phase is often, but not always, associated with flowering. Tuber formation halts when soil temperatures reach 27 °C; hence potatoes are considered a cool-season, or winter, crop. Tuber bulking occurs during the fourth phase, when the plant begins investing the majority of its resources in its newly formed tubers. At this phase, several factors are critical to a good yield: optimal soil moisture and temperature, soil nutrient availability and balance, and resistance to pest attacks. The fifth and final phase is the maturation of the tubers: the plant canopy dies back, the tuber skins harden, and the sugars in the tubers convert to starches.

CHALLENGES

New tubers may start growing at the surface of the soil. Since exposure to light leads to an undesirable greening of the skins and the development of solanine as a protection from the sun's rays, growers cover surface tubers. Commercial growers cover them by piling additional soil around the base of the plant as it grows (called "hilling" up, or in British English "earthing up"). An alternative method, used by home gardeners and smaller-scale growers, involves covering the growing area with organic mulches such as straw or plastic sheets.

Correct potato husbandry can be an arduous task in some circumstances. Good ground preparation, harrowing, plowing, and rolling are always needed, along with a little grace from the weather and a good source of water. Three successive plowings, with associated harrowing and rolling, are desirable before planting. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. In general, the potatoes themselves are grown from the eyes of another potato and not from seed. Home gardeners often plant a piece of potato with two or three eyes in a hill of mounded soil. Commercial growers plant potatoes as a row crop using seed tubers, young plants or microtubers and may mound the entire row. Seed potato crops are rogued in some countries to eliminate diseased plants or those of a different variety from the seed crop.

Potatoes are sensitive to heavy frosts, which damage them in the ground. Even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting, which can quickly ruin a large stored crop.

PESTS

The historically significant Phytophthora infestans (late blight) remains an ongoing problem in Europe and the United States. Other potato diseases include Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, black leg, powdery mildew, powdery scab and leafroll virus.

Insects that commonly transmit potato diseases or damage the plants include the Colorado potato beetle, the potato tuber moth, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), the potato aphid, beet leafhoppers, thrips, and mites. The potato cyst nematode is a microscopic worm that thrives on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. Since its eggs can survive in the soil for several years, crop rotation is recommended.

During the crop year 2008, many of the certified organic potatoes produced in the United Kingdom and certified by the Soil Association as organic were sprayed with a copper pesticide to control potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). According to the Soil Association, the total copper that can be applied to organic land is 6 kg/ha/year.

According to an Environmental Working Group analysis of USDA and FDA pesticide residue tests performed from 2000 through 2008, 84% of the 2,216 tested potato samples contained detectable traces of at least one pesticide. A total of 36 unique pesticides were detected on potatoes over the 2,216 samples, though no individual sample contained more than 6 unique pesticide traces, and the average was 1.29 detectable unique pesticide traces per sample. The average quantity of all pesticide traces found in the 2,216 samples was 1.602 ppm. While this was a very low value of pesticide residue, it was the highest amongst the 50 vegetables analyzed.

HARVEST

At harvest time, gardeners usually dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e., a spading fork, or a potato hook, which is similar to the graip but with tines at a 90° angle to the handle. In larger plots, the plow is the fastest implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large potato harvesters, which scoop up the plant and surrounding earth. This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. The chain deposits into an area where further separation occurs. Different designs use different systems at this point. The most complex designs use vine choppers and shakers, along with a blower system to separate the potatoes from the plant. The result is then usually run past workers who continue to sort out plant material, stones, and rotten potatoes before the potatoes are continuously delivered to a wagon or truck. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage.

Immature potatoes may be sold as "creamer potatoes" and are particularly valued for taste. These are often harvested by the home gardener or farmer by "grabbling", i.e. pulling out the young tubers by hand while leaving the plant in place. A creamer potato is a variety of potato harvested before it matures to keep it small and tender. It is generally either a Yukon Gold potato or a red potato, called gold creamers or red creamers respectively, and measures approximately 2.5 cm in diameter. The skin of creamer potatoes is waxy and high in moisture content, and the flesh contains a lower level of starch than other potatoes. Like potatoes in general, they can be prepared by boiling, baking, frying, and roasting. Slightly older than creamer potatoes are "new potatoes", which are also prized for their taste and texture and often come from the same varieties.

Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Skin-set is the process by which the skin of the potato becomes resistant to skinning damage. Potato tubers may be susceptible to skinning at harvest and suffer skinning damage during harvest and handling operations. Curing allows the skin to fully set and any wounds to heal. Wound-healing prevents infection and water-loss from the tubers during storage. Curing is normally done at relatively warm temperatures 10 to 16 °C with high humidity and good gas-exchange if at all possible.

STORAGE

Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of decomposition, which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area is dark, ventilated well and, for long-term storage, maintained at temperatures near 4 °C. For short-term storage, temperatures of about 7 to 10 °C are preferred.

On the other hand, temperatures below 4 °C convert the starch in potatoes into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher acrylamide levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. The discovery of acrylamides in starchy foods in 2002 has led to international health concerns. They are believed to be probable carcinogens and their occurrence in cooked foods is being studied for potentially influencing health problems.

Under optimum conditions in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to 10–12 months. The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first drying surface moisture; wound healing at 85% to 95% relative humidity and temperatures below 25 °C; a staged cooling phase; a holding phase; and a reconditioning phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed. Mechanical ventilation is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

When stored in homes unrefrigerated, the shelf life is usually a few weeks.

If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, trimming or peeling those green-colored parts is inadequate to remove copresent toxins, and such potatoes are no longer edible.

YIELD

The world dedicated 18.6 million ha in 2010 for potato cultivation. The average world farm yield for potato was 17.4 tonnes per hectare, in 2010. Potato farms in the United States were the most productive in 2010, with a nationwide average of 44.3 tonnes per hectare. United Kingdom was a close second.

New Zealand farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 and 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes potatoes per hectare.

There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between 38–44 tonnes per hectare. China and India accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, and had yields of 14.7 and 19.9 tonnes per hectare respectively. The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over 400 million tonnes of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, can be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world.

USES

Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to swell the starch granules. Most potato dishes are served hot but some are first cooked, then served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips (crisps). Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or yogurt and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and roasted; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a microwave oven and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided they are covered in ventilated plastic wrap to prevent moisture from escaping; this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato, while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.

OTHER THAN FOR EATING

Potatoes are also used for purposes other than eating by humans, for example:

Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit.

They are also used as fodder for livestock. Livestock-grade potatoes, considered too small and/or blemished to sell or market for human use but suitable for fodder use, have been called chats in some dialects. They may be stored in bins until use; they are sometimes ensiled. Some farmers prefer to steam them rather than feed them raw and are equipped to do so efficiently.

Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.

Maine companies are exploring the possibilities of using waste potatoes to obtain polylactic acid for use in plastic products; other research projects seek ways to use the starch as a base for biodegradable packaging.

Potato skins, along with honey, are a folk remedy for burns in India. Burn centres in India have experimented with the use of the thin outer skin layer to protect burns while healing.

Potatoes (mainly Russets) are commonly used in plant research. The consistent parenchyma tissue, the clonal nature of the plant and the low metabolic activity provide a very nice "model tissue" for experimentation. Wound-response studies are often done on potato tuber tissue, as are electron transport experiments. In this respect, potato tuber tissue is similar to Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli: they are all "standard" research organisms.

Potatoes have been delivered with personalized messages as a novelty. Potato delivery services include Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud.

WIKIPEDIA

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A rally in Washington, DC in support of the equal health and livelihood of trans people, that included basic information about trans health issues and stories of denied / inappropriate care, as well as hope for the future

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The metro is in Budapest.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. In many contexts, potato refers to the edible tuber, but it can also refer to the plant itself. Common or slang terms include tater, tattie and spud. Potatoes were introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish. Today they are a staple food in many parts of the world and an integral part of much of the world's food supply. As of 2014, potatoes were the world's fourth-largest food crop after maize (corn), wheat, and rice.

Wild potato species can be found throughout the Americas, from the United States to southern Chile. The potato was originally believed to have been domesticated independently in multiple locations, but later genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species traced a single origin for potatoes. In the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia, from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex, potatoes were domesticated approximately 7,000–10,000 years ago. In the Andes region of South America, where the species is indigenous, some close relatives of the potato are cultivated.

Following millennia of selective breeding, there are now over 1,000 different types of potatoes. Over 99% of presently cultivated potatoes worldwide descended from varieties that originated in the lowlands of south-central Chile, which have displaced formerly popular varieties from the Andes.

The importance of the potato as a food source and culinary ingredient varies by region and is still changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe, especially eastern and central Europe, where per capita production is still the highest in the world, while the most rapid expansion in production over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia, with China and India leading the world in overall production as of 2014.

Being a nightshade similar to tomatoes, the vegetative and fruiting parts of the potato contain the toxin solanine and are not fit for human consumption. Normal potato tubers that have been grown and stored properly produce glycoalkaloids in amounts small enough to be negligible to human health, but if green sections of the plant (namely sprouts and skins) are exposed to light, the tuber can accumulate a high enough concentration of glycoalkaloids to affect human health.

ETYMOLOGY

The English word potato comes from Spanish patata (the name used in Spain). The Spanish Royal Academy says the Spanish word is a hybrid of the Taíno batata (sweet potato) and the Quechua papa (potato). The name originally referred to the sweet potato although the two plants are not closely related. The 16th-century English herbalist John Gerard referred to sweet potatoes as "common potatoes", and used the terms "bastard potatoes" and "Virginia potatoes" for the species we now call "potato". In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as "Irish potatoes" or "white potatoes" in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes.

The name spud for a small potato comes from the digging of soil (or a hole) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word has an unknown origin and was originally (c. 1440) used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin "spad-" a word root meaning "sword"; cf. Spanish "espada", English "spade" and "spadroon". It subsequently transferred over to a variety of digging tools. Around 1845, the name transferred to the tuber itself, the first record of this usage being in New Zealand English. The origin of the word "spud" has erroneously been attributed to an 18th-century activist group dedicated to keeping the potato out of Britain, calling itself The Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet (S.P.U.D.). It was Mario Pei's 1949 The Story of Language that can be blamed for the word's false origin. Pei writes, "the potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet. The initials of the main words in this title gave rise to spud." Like most other pre-20th century acronymic origins, this is false, and there is no evidence that a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet ever existed.

CHARACTERISTICS

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens. In general, the tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are mostly cross-pollinated by insects such as bumblebees, which carry pollen from other potato plants, though a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties.

After flowering, potato plants produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing about 300 seeds. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic alkaloid solanine and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true potato seed", "TPS" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. New varieties grown from seed can be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers cut to include at least one or two eyes, or cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Plants propagated from tubers are clones of the parent, whereas those propagated from seed produce a range of different varieties.

GENETICS

There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide. Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. They belong to eight or nine species, depending on the taxonomic school. Apart from the 5,000 cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties. Cross-breeding has been done repeatedly to transfer resistances to certain pests and diseases from the gene pool of wild species to the gene pool of cultivated potato species. Genetically modified varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European UnionThe major species grown worldwide is Solanum tuberosum (a tetraploid with 48 chromosomes), and modern varieties of this species are the most widely cultivated. There are also four diploid species (with 24 chromosomes): S. stenotomum, S. phureja, S. goniocalyx, and S. ajanhuiri. There are two triploid species (with 36 chromosomes): S. chaucha and S. juzepczukii. There is one pentaploid cultivated species (with 60 chromosomes): S. curtilobum. There are two major subspecies of Solanum tuberosum: andigena, or Andean; and tuberosum, or Chilean. The Andean potato is adapted to the short-day conditions prevalent in the mountainous equatorial and tropical regions where it originated; the Chilean potato, however, native to the Chiloé Archipelago, is adapted to the long-day conditions prevalent in the higher latitude region of southern Chile.

The International Potato Center, based in Lima, Peru, holds an ISO-accredited collection of potato germplasm. The international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium announced in 2009 that they had achieved a draft sequence of the potato genome. The potato genome contains 12 chromosomes and 860 million base pairs, making it a medium-sized plant genome. More than 99 percent of all current varieties of potatoes currently grown are direct descendants of a subspecies that once grew in the lowlands of south-central Chile. Nonetheless, genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species affirms that all potato subspecies derive from a single origin in the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme Northwestern Bolivia (from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex). The wild Crop Wild Relatives Prebreeding project encourages the use of wild relatives in breeding programs. Enriching and preserving the gene bank collection to make potatoes adaptive to diverse environmental conditions is seen as a pressing issue due to climate change.

Most modern potatoes grown in North America arrived through European settlement and not independently from the South American sources, although at least one wild potato species, Solanum fendleri, naturally ranges from Peru into Texas, where it is used in breeding for resistance to a nematode species that attacks cultivated potatoes. A secondary center of genetic variability of the potato is Mexico, where important wild species that have been used extensively in modern breeding are found, such as the hexaploid Solanum demissum, as a source of resistance to the devastating late blight disease. Another relative native to this region, Solanum bulbocastanum, has been used to genetically engineer the potato to resist potato blight.

Potatoes yield abundantly with little effort, and adapt readily to diverse climates as long as the climate is cool and moist enough for the plants to gather sufficient water from the soil to form the starchy tubers. Potatoes do not keep very well in storage and are vulnerable to moulds that feed on the stored tubers and quickly turn them rotten, whereas crops such as grain can be stored for several years with a low risk of rot. The yield of Calories per acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of maize (7.5 million), rice (7.4 million), wheat (3 million), or soybean (2.8 million).

VARIETIES

There are close to 4,000 varieties of potato including common commercial varieties, each of which has specific agricultural or culinary attributes. Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. In general, varieties are categorized into a few main groups based on common characteristics, such as russet potatoes (rough brown skin), red potatoes, white potatoes, yellow potatoes (also called Yukon potatoes) and purple potatoes.

For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy baking potatoes have more starch (20–22%) than waxy boiling potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped.

The European Cultivated Potato Database (ECPD) is an online collaborative database of potato variety descriptions that is updated and maintained by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency within the framework of the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/GR)—which is run by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).

PIGMENTATION

Dozens of potato cultivars have been selectively bred specifically for their skin or, more commonly, flesh color, including gold, red, and blue varieties that contain varying amounts of phytochemicals, including carotenoids for gold/yellow or polyphenols for red or blue cultivars. Carotenoid compounds include provitamin A alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which are converted to the essential nutrient, vitamin A, during digestion. Anthocyanins mainly responsible for red or blue pigmentation in potato cultivars do not have nutritional significance, but are used for visual variety and consumer appeal. Recently, as of 2010, potatoes have also been bioengineered specifically for these pigmentation traits.

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED POTATOES

Genetic research has produced several genetically modified varieties. 'New Leaf', owned by Monsanto Company, incorporates genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, which confers resistance to the Colorado potato beetle; 'New Leaf Plus' and 'New Leaf Y', approved by US regulatory agencies during the 1990s, also include resistance to viruses. McDonald's, Burger King, Frito-Lay, and Procter & Gamble announced they would not use genetically modified potatoes, and Monsanto published its intent to discontinue the line in March 2001.

Waxy potato varieties produce two main kinds of potato starch, amylose and amylopectin, the latter of which is most industrially useful. BASF developed the Amflora potato, which was modified to express antisense RNA to inactivate the gene for granule bound starch synthase, an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of amylose. Amflora potatoes therefore produce starch consisting almost entirely of amylopectin, and are thus more useful for the starch industry. In 2010, the European Commission cleared the way for 'Amflora' to be grown in the European Union for industrial purposes only—not for food. Nevertheless, under EU rules, individual countries have the right to decide whether they will allow this potato to be grown on their territory. Commercial planting of 'Amflora' was expected in the Czech Republic and Germany in the spring of 2010, and Sweden and the Netherlands in subsequent years. Another GM potato variety developed by BASF is 'Fortuna' which was made resistant to late blight by adding two resistance genes, blb1 and blb2, which originate from the Mexican wild potato Solanum bulbocastanum. In October 2011 BASF requested cultivation and marketing approval as a feed and food from the EFSA. In 2012, GMO development in Europe was stopped by BASF.

In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by J.R. Simplot Company, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less acrylamide when fried than conventional potatoes; the modifications do not cause new proteins to be made, but rather prevent proteins from being made via RNA interference.

HISTORY

The potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BC. It has since spread around the world and become a staple crop in many countries.

The earliest archaeologically verified potato tuber remains have been found at the coastal site of Ancon (central Peru), dating to 2500 BC. The most widely cultivated variety, Solanum tuberosum tuberosum, is indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago, and has been cultivated by the local indigenous people since before the Spanish conquest.

According to conservative estimates, the introduction of the potato was responsible for a quarter of the growth in Old World population and urbanization between 1700 and 1900. In the Altiplano, potatoes provided the principal energy source for the Inca civilization, its predecessors, and its Spanish successor. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, part of the Columbian exchange. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. The potato was slow to be adopted by European farmers, but soon enough it became an important food staple and field crop that played a major role in the European 19th century population boom. However, lack of genetic diversity, due to the very limited number of varieties initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oomycete Phytophthora infestans, spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western Ireland as well as parts of the Scottish Highlands, resulting in the crop failures that led to the Great Irish Famine. Thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes however, where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household.

PRODUCTION

In 2016, world production of potatoes was 377 million tonnes, led by China with over 26% of the world total (see table). Other major producers were India, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia.

NUTRITION

A raw potato is 79% water, 17% carbohydrates (88% is starch), 2% protein, and contains negligible fat (see table). In an amount measuring 100 grams, raw potato provides 322 kilojoules (77 kilocalories) of energy and is a rich source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C (23% and 24% of the Daily Value, respectively), with no other vitamins or minerals in significant amount (see table). The potato is rarely eaten raw because raw potato starch is poorly digested by humans. When a potato is baked, its contents of vitamin B6 and vitamin C decline notably, while there is little significant change in the amount of other nutrients.

Potatoes are often broadly classified as having a high glycemic index (GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a low-GI diet. The GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on the cultivar or cultivar category (such as "red", russet, "white", or King Edward), growing conditions and storage, preparation methods (by cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole), and accompanying foods consumed (especially the addition of various high-fat or high-protein toppings). In particular, consuming reheated or cooled potatoes that were previously cooked may yield a lower GI effect.

In the UK, potatoes are not considered by the National Health Service (NHS) as counting or contributing towards the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables, the 5-A-Day program.

COMPARISON TO OTHER STAPLE FOODS

This table shows the nutrient content of potatoes next to other major staple foods, each one measured in its respective raw state, even though staple foods are not commonly eaten raw and are usually sprouted or cooked before eating. In sprouted and cooked form, the relative nutritional and anti-nutritional contents of each of these grains (or other foods) may be different from the values in this table. Each nutrient (every row) has the highest number highlighted to show the staple food with the greatest amount in a 100-gram raw portion.

TOXICITY

Potatoes contain toxic compounds known as glycoalkaloids, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is found in other plants in the same family, Solanaceae, which includes such plants as deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), as well as the food plants eggplant and tomato. These compounds, which protect the potato plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, flowers, sprouts, and fruits (in contrast to the tubers). In a summary of several studies, the glycoalkaloid content was highest in the flowers and sprouts and lowest in the tuber flesh. (The glycoalkaloid content was, in order from highest to lowest: flowers, sprouts, leaves, skin, roots, berries, peel [skin plus outer cortex of tuber flesh], stems, and tuber flesh.)

Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber. Cooking at high temperatures—over 170 °C—partly destroys these compounds. The concentration of glycoalkaloids in wild potatoes is sufficient to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloid poisoning may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps, and, in severe cases, coma and death. However, poisoning from cultivated potato varieties is very rare. Light exposure causes greening from chlorophyll synthesis, giving a visual clue as to which areas of the tuber may have become more toxic. However, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other.

Different potato varieties contain different levels of glycoalkaloids. The Lenape variety was released in 1967 but was withdrawn in 1970 as it contained high levels of glycoalkaloids. Since then, breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar. Breeders try to keep glycoalkaloid levels below 200 mg/kg). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, they can still approach solanine concentrations of 1000 mg/kg. In normal potatoes, analysis has shown solanine levels may be as little as 3.5% of the breeders' maximum, with 7–187 mg/kg being found. While a normal potato tuber has 12–20 mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green potato tuber contains 250–280 mg/kg and its skin has 1500–2200 mg/kg.

GROWTH AND CULTIVATION

SEED POTATOES

Potatoes are generally grown from seed potatoes, tubers specifically grown to be free from disease and to provide consistent and healthy plants. To be disease free, the areas where seed potatoes are grown are selected with care. In the US, this restricts production of seed potatoes to only 15 states out of all 50 states where potatoes are grown. These locations are selected for their cold, hard winters that kill pests and summers with long sunshine hours for optimum growth. In the UK, most seed potatoes originate in Scotland, in areas where westerly winds prevent aphid attack and thus prevent spread of potato virus pathogens.

PHASES OF GROWTH

Potato growth is divided into five phases. During the first phase, sprouts emerge from the seed potatoes and root growth begins. During the second, photosynthesis begins as the plant develops leaves and branches. In the third phase, stolons develop from lower leaf axils on the stem and grow downwards into the ground and on these stolons new tubers develop as swellings of the stolon. This phase is often, but not always, associated with flowering. Tuber formation halts when soil temperatures reach 27 °C; hence potatoes are considered a cool-season, or winter, crop. Tuber bulking occurs during the fourth phase, when the plant begins investing the majority of its resources in its newly formed tubers. At this phase, several factors are critical to a good yield: optimal soil moisture and temperature, soil nutrient availability and balance, and resistance to pest attacks. The fifth and final phase is the maturation of the tubers: the plant canopy dies back, the tuber skins harden, and the sugars in the tubers convert to starches.

CHALLENGES

New tubers may start growing at the surface of the soil. Since exposure to light leads to an undesirable greening of the skins and the development of solanine as a protection from the sun's rays, growers cover surface tubers. Commercial growers cover them by piling additional soil around the base of the plant as it grows (called "hilling" up, or in British English "earthing up"). An alternative method, used by home gardeners and smaller-scale growers, involves covering the growing area with organic mulches such as straw or plastic sheets.

Correct potato husbandry can be an arduous task in some circumstances. Good ground preparation, harrowing, plowing, and rolling are always needed, along with a little grace from the weather and a good source of water. Three successive plowings, with associated harrowing and rolling, are desirable before planting. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. In general, the potatoes themselves are grown from the eyes of another potato and not from seed. Home gardeners often plant a piece of potato with two or three eyes in a hill of mounded soil. Commercial growers plant potatoes as a row crop using seed tubers, young plants or microtubers and may mound the entire row. Seed potato crops are rogued in some countries to eliminate diseased plants or those of a different variety from the seed crop.

Potatoes are sensitive to heavy frosts, which damage them in the ground. Even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting, which can quickly ruin a large stored crop.

PESTS

The historically significant Phytophthora infestans (late blight) remains an ongoing problem in Europe and the United States. Other potato diseases include Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, black leg, powdery mildew, powdery scab and leafroll virus.

Insects that commonly transmit potato diseases or damage the plants include the Colorado potato beetle, the potato tuber moth, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), the potato aphid, beet leafhoppers, thrips, and mites. The potato cyst nematode is a microscopic worm that thrives on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. Since its eggs can survive in the soil for several years, crop rotation is recommended.

During the crop year 2008, many of the certified organic potatoes produced in the United Kingdom and certified by the Soil Association as organic were sprayed with a copper pesticide to control potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). According to the Soil Association, the total copper that can be applied to organic land is 6 kg/ha/year.

According to an Environmental Working Group analysis of USDA and FDA pesticide residue tests performed from 2000 through 2008, 84% of the 2,216 tested potato samples contained detectable traces of at least one pesticide. A total of 36 unique pesticides were detected on potatoes over the 2,216 samples, though no individual sample contained more than 6 unique pesticide traces, and the average was 1.29 detectable unique pesticide traces per sample. The average quantity of all pesticide traces found in the 2,216 samples was 1.602 ppm. While this was a very low value of pesticide residue, it was the highest amongst the 50 vegetables analyzed.

HARVEST

At harvest time, gardeners usually dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e., a spading fork, or a potato hook, which is similar to the graip but with tines at a 90° angle to the handle. In larger plots, the plow is the fastest implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large potato harvesters, which scoop up the plant and surrounding earth. This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. The chain deposits into an area where further separation occurs. Different designs use different systems at this point. The most complex designs use vine choppers and shakers, along with a blower system to separate the potatoes from the plant. The result is then usually run past workers who continue to sort out plant material, stones, and rotten potatoes before the potatoes are continuously delivered to a wagon or truck. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage.

Immature potatoes may be sold as "creamer potatoes" and are particularly valued for taste. These are often harvested by the home gardener or farmer by "grabbling", i.e. pulling out the young tubers by hand while leaving the plant in place. A creamer potato is a variety of potato harvested before it matures to keep it small and tender. It is generally either a Yukon Gold potato or a red potato, called gold creamers or red creamers respectively, and measures approximately 2.5 cm in diameter. The skin of creamer potatoes is waxy and high in moisture content, and the flesh contains a lower level of starch than other potatoes. Like potatoes in general, they can be prepared by boiling, baking, frying, and roasting. Slightly older than creamer potatoes are "new potatoes", which are also prized for their taste and texture and often come from the same varieties.

Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Skin-set is the process by which the skin of the potato becomes resistant to skinning damage. Potato tubers may be susceptible to skinning at harvest and suffer skinning damage during harvest and handling operations. Curing allows the skin to fully set and any wounds to heal. Wound-healing prevents infection and water-loss from the tubers during storage. Curing is normally done at relatively warm temperatures 10 to 16 °C with high humidity and good gas-exchange if at all possible.

STORAGE

Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of decomposition, which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area is dark, ventilated well and, for long-term storage, maintained at temperatures near 4 °C. For short-term storage, temperatures of about 7 to 10 °C are preferred.

On the other hand, temperatures below 4 °C convert the starch in potatoes into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher acrylamide levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. The discovery of acrylamides in starchy foods in 2002 has led to international health concerns. They are believed to be probable carcinogens and their occurrence in cooked foods is being studied for potentially influencing health problems.

Under optimum conditions in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to 10–12 months. The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first drying surface moisture; wound healing at 85% to 95% relative humidity and temperatures below 25 °C; a staged cooling phase; a holding phase; and a reconditioning phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed. Mechanical ventilation is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

When stored in homes unrefrigerated, the shelf life is usually a few weeks.

If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, trimming or peeling those green-colored parts is inadequate to remove copresent toxins, and such potatoes are no longer edible.

YIELD

The world dedicated 18.6 million ha in 2010 for potato cultivation. The average world farm yield for potato was 17.4 tonnes per hectare, in 2010. Potato farms in the United States were the most productive in 2010, with a nationwide average of 44.3 tonnes per hectare. United Kingdom was a close second.

New Zealand farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 and 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes potatoes per hectare.

There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between 38–44 tonnes per hectare. China and India accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, and had yields of 14.7 and 19.9 tonnes per hectare respectively. The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over 400 million tonnes of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, can be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world.

USES

Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to swell the starch granules. Most potato dishes are served hot but some are first cooked, then served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips (crisps). Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or yogurt and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and roasted; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a microwave oven and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided they are covered in ventilated plastic wrap to prevent moisture from escaping; this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato, while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.

OTHER THAN FOR EATING

Potatoes are also used for purposes other than eating by humans, for example:

Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit.

They are also used as fodder for livestock. Livestock-grade potatoes, considered too small and/or blemished to sell or market for human use but suitable for fodder use, have been called chats in some dialects. They may be stored in bins until use; they are sometimes ensiled. Some farmers prefer to steam them rather than feed them raw and are equipped to do so efficiently.

Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.

Maine companies are exploring the possibilities of using waste potatoes to obtain polylactic acid for use in plastic products; other research projects seek ways to use the starch as a base for biodegradable packaging.

Potato skins, along with honey, are a folk remedy for burns in India. Burn centres in India have experimented with the use of the thin outer skin layer to protect burns while healing.

Potatoes (mainly Russets) are commonly used in plant research. The consistent parenchyma tissue, the clonal nature of the plant and the low metabolic activity provide a very nice "model tissue" for experimentation. Wound-response studies are often done on potato tuber tissue, as are electron transport experiments. In this respect, potato tuber tissue is similar to Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli: they are all "standard" research organisms.

Potatoes have been delivered with personalized messages as a novelty. Potato delivery services include Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud.

WIKIPEDIA

See: www.facebook.com/events/501459483222848/

A rally in Washington, DC in support of the equal health and livelihood of trans people, that included basic information about trans health issues and stories of denied / inappropriate care, as well as hope for the future

Published in Washington State Bans Health Insurance Discrimination Against Transgender People - The New Civil Rights Movement

Published in Transgender? New evidence on the biology of gender identity - Myria

Scenes from the launch event for the new global monitoring report, “Turning promises into action: Gender equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” held in New York on 14 February 2018.

On 14 February 2018 UN Women launched its flagship report, “Turning promises into action: Gender equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The report demonstrates through concrete evidence and data the pervasive nature of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere, and puts forth actionable recommendations on how to fulfill the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Two and a half years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, this first-of-its-kind report examines through a gender lens the progress and challenges in the implementation of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Agenda’s focus on peace, equality and sustainability provides a powerful counter-narrative to the current rise of conflict, exclusion and environmental degradation. Yet, women are up against an unprecedented set of challenges in all these areas, and urgent action is needed to address them.

Shahra Razavi, Chief of Research and Data, UN Women, presented the findings of the report.

The report presentation was followed by a moderated panel discussion with participants (L-R):

Fernando Filgueira, Senior Researcher at Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Igualdad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC), Argentina, and Associate Researcher at Centro de Informaciones y Estudios del Uruguay (IESU)

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women

Moderator Nermeen Shaikh, producer and co-host of Democracy Now!

Adebayo Olukoshi, Regional Director for Africa and West Asia, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)

Gita Sen, Distinguished Professor and Director, Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity and Social Determinants of Health, Public Health Foundation of India, and Adjunct Professor, Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University

Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Eco Art Project by Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel

for the Eco Art Parade International of Monte Carlo 2009

Benefitting the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation &

Under the Haute Patronage of

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco

Contact Info :

E mail : nataly.kimmel@yahoo.de

Skype : natalykimmel

Webpage : www.natalykimmel.com

THE V.I.P. Feathers

( already signed )

by

Bill Clinton

Sharon Stone

Sir Cliff Richard

Claudia Schiiffer

Donatella Versace

Zucchero

Christopher Lee

Anastacia

Hans Juergen Baeumler

Elle MACPHERSON

Marianne Faithfull

Marylin Carlson Nelson

Gery Keszler

Danielle Thoma

Regine Sixt

Hans Mahr

Ester

Dr.Mario Theissen

Josef Bulva

President Barack Obama

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Mikhael Gorbachev

Nelson Mandela

Claudia Cardinale

Kofi Annan

Felipe, Prince of Asturias

Britney Spears

George Clooney

Ted Turner

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Al Gore

Madonna

Queen Sirikit of Thailand

Carmen Electra

Hugh Grant

Kylie Minogue

Liv Tyler

Esther MUJAWAYO-KEINER

Vivienne Westwood

CINDY CRAWFORD

Queen Noor of Jordan

PRESENTATION

www.authorstream.com/Presentation/natalykimmel-148327-bea...

To honor the beauty and the rights of the Bonelli Eagles, Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel has conceived an art project entitled “The Beauty and The Beast. Self-Destruction”. While the sculptural project is clearly making reference to the famous fairy tale, it is also offering a new version of the story, with an eco-reading to it. In this interpretation, Beauty lies in the animal world and Man is revealed to be the Beast, endangering all living beings and as a consequence its own human world. The cycle of life must be preserved, the Beauty can be saved, and the Beast be tamed again. Adorned like a totemic animal by the many colors of a joyful palette, the Bonelli Eagle is presented in a thorn cage, fractured by the power of the Beauty taking off. Despite the thrust, the flight does not take place, hands seize his legs and the bird looses many of his feathers as he struggles to break free. His plumage gets hurt, scattered about in the cage, suspended in the air. The statement is clear: our planet has become a thorny environment, uncomfortable and unwelcoming, in which life can only damage itself.

Despite our love of Beauty, our square rational human logic is not always serving the spirit and dignity of all the living beings it shares the planet with. It is time for Humans to question the logic that has driven them. The Bonelli Eagle becomes in this project the symbol of the Natural Beauty in this world. The Eagle is loosing its mean to fly, its identity and life force. But there is a chance to change: the process can be reversed. Preservation and measures can be put into place to act now. Helping the Bonelli Eagles to survive is a meaningful gesture. To signify this crucial opportunity, Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel has conceived the feathers as multicolored rubber modules. As a suggestion for the end of the ECO ART PARADE : The first symbolical step could be to reversing the dreadful prospect of the extinction of this specie would be to put back the feathers on. The second step would be to be to bring back peacefully the eagle into our world, changing the logic of our actions. So that by protecting him, we will protect our planet, we will protect ourselves.

To sensitize the public to the Eagle’s cause, the artist would like to propose to the Eco-Art Parade a few events around the production of multicolored feathers, the creation of a The feathers would become the ambassadors of the Eagle’s cause. They would be sent around the world to be signed by VIPs and celebrities of the art and environmental world present in Monaco would be gathered for a signing event. Moreover an edition of the feathers as pen, pencils or more complex objects could be made for the general public. Sotheby’s International could in addition to the sale of the Eagle, auction some of the special signed feathers conceived as collectibles. Multiple forms of events and production of secondary products to mark the importance of the Eco-Parade and the Bonelli Eagles could be imagined on the basis of this sculptural project. All proceeds of the sales via auctions or shops, online or on site, of the signed and unsigned feathers and feather-objects would benefit the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Feather - Mania !!!

An educational program involving the schools of the Principality would be designed for children to learn about the environment and the Bonelli Eagles. Special Arts and crafts workshops would be lead by the artist, as she feels very committed to youth and the role of the arts in contributing to better the world. During one of the workshops, the children could participate in a determinant action to gather the feathers scattered in the exhibited cage and put them back on the sculpture. The artist and a young aware generation would join in this gesture full of hope for the future. To seal the Parade in a poetic and concrete manner, a couple of Bonelli Eagles (Male & Female) equipped with a tracking system could be released and their flight toward a safe new life could be monitored on a giant public screen as well as on the web. The movement from Art to Life would thus be accomplished, and the Bonelli Eagles, all plumage on being a reality to the people of the Eco Art Parade. Please see the technical documents and portfolio of sketches accompanying this text to have a visual idea of the proposal. The studio is at your entire disposition should you need more information!

Material Description

Feather : The feathers will be conceived as a decorative modular system. Made out of rubber they can fit together like a puzzle to create many different patterns and designs. The individual pieces come in 8 different forms, 8 standard colors, 3 metallic colors and 3 velvet colors. The size of each piece is customizable. The feathers will be water resistant and can be created in different materials in order to fit specific needs. They can be used as interior and/or exterior decorations, shower mats, lampshade, floors and wall coverings. They could be turned easily into pencils or ball pen holders

Panels :

Size: 270x270x3,7mm Weight-Piece: 98g Material: Erbit C-Hooks : 2g

Eagle Cage :

Cube Acrylic frame / cube shape Size 2100 x 2100 x 2100 mm Square acrylic tube 25 x 25 mm Three way junction at each corner

One of the essential parts of my project is the uniquely conceived, colorful feathers, which I will place on and around the Bonelli Eagle sculpture symbolizing the disappearance of animal life from our natural environment. The feathers that are attached to the Eagle will contain the signatures of various celebrities, dignitaries and supporters like you. I have already received signatures from Bill Clinton , Queen Noor of Jordan, Anastacia, etc.

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Projet de Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel

Afin d’honorer la beauté et les droits des Aigles Bonelli, Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel a conçu un projet intitulé “ La Belle et la Bête. Auto-Destruction”. Tout en faisant référence au conte de fée, ce projet propose une lecture écologique du conte. Dans cette nouvelle interprétation, la Belle est l’oiseau et c’est à l’homme que revient le rôle de la Bête, mettant en danger tous les êtres du monde et en conséquence l’humanité. Le cycle de vie doit être préservé, la Belle peut être sauvée, et la Bête apprivoisée.

Paré de couleurs joyeuses tel un animal totémique, l’Aigle Bonelli est enfermé dans une cage épineuse qu’il brise en prenant son envol. Malgré son élan vers le ciel, l’échappée n’a pas lieu, des mains se saisissent de lui et luttant pour s’envoler l’oiseau perds ses plumes. Son plumage est endommagé, les plumes sont éparpillées dans la cage, suspendues dans les airs.

Le propos est clair: la planète est devenue un environnement hardu, inhospitalié, même dangeureux, où il ne fait plus bon vivre. Malgré notre amour de la Beauté, notre raison cartésienne qui appréhende la vie de facon peut être un peu trop mathématique, ne prends pas toujours en consideration l’esprit et la dignité des êtres qui partagent cette planète avec nous. Il est temps pour les humains de remettre en question leur logique de vie sur terre.

Pour ce projet, l’Aigle Bonelli est devenu le symbole de la Beauté Naturelle dans ce monde. L’aigle a perdu les moyens de voler, son identité, sa force de vie. Mais il est possible de changer: le processus peut être inversé. Des mesures de préservations peuvent être implémentées pour agir rapidement. Protéger l’Aigle Bonelli est un geste exemplaire. Pour souligner ce fait, Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel a conçu le plumage multicolore de sa sculpture de telle facon que les plumes soient des modules légers facilement détachables et ratachables au modèle de l’oiseau. Le premier geste symbolique pour protéger cette espèce en voie de disparition serait de remettre sur l’oiseau les plumes éparpillées et suspendues dans la cage. Le second plus concret serait de réintégrer et de sauvegarder l’Aigle Bonelli dans nos environs, nous changerions ainsi la logique de nos actions. En le protegeant nous protégeons notre planète et nous nous protégeons nous-même.

Pour sensibiliser le public à la cause de l’Aigle Bonelli, l’artiste voudrait proposer quelques évènements et la production de plumes de couleurs, la création d’une Plume Mania ! Les plumes deviendraient les ambassadeurs de l’Aigle Bonelli. Elles seraient envoyées autour du monde à des VIP, et les célébrités de l’art et de l’environnement présents à Monaco seraient invités à une signature de plume ! De plus les plumes pourraient être offertes au grand public sous forme de stylots, crayons mais aussi sous la forme d’autres objets un peu plus développés.

Tout comme la sculpture de l’aigle, une edition limitée de plumes signées pourraient être vendue aux enchères par Sothebys International en clôture de Parade. Plusieurs formes d’évènements et de produits dérivés pourraient être imaginés sur la base de ce projet. Tous les bénéfices des ventes en magasins ou en salles des ventes, en ligne ou sur place reviendraient à la Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco.

Un programme éducatif établi en collaboration avec les écoles de la Principauté aurait pour but de sensibiliser les enfants à la cause de l’Aigle Bonelli et plus généralement aux problèmes de l’environnement. L’artiste dirigerait elle-même les ateliers d’art plastiques. Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel tient beaucoup à assurer ce role de liaison avec la jeunesse et à utiliser l’art comme véhicule de sensibilisation pour une cause importante. Lors du dernier atelier, les enfants pourraient participer avec elle à une action déterminante pour le projet : rassembler les plumes éparpillées dans la cage exposée et de les rattacher à la sculpture. L’artiste et une jeune génération alerte feraient ensemble ce geste qui porte en lui un espoir pour le futur.

Pour clôre la Parade de façon poétique et concrète, un couple d’Aigle Bonelli pourrait être relaché en liberté équipé d’un système de surveillance électronique. Leurs vols pourraient être diffusé sur des écrans géants et sur un site internet. L’art nous renvérait ainsi vers la vie et l’Aigle Bonelli tout plumage lissé serait une realité pour les spectateurs de L’Eco Art Parade de Monaco.

Pour voir les esquisses pour le projet vous pouvez vous référer aux fiches techniques et au portfolio qui accompagnent ce texte. Le studio est à votre entière disposition si vous avez besoin de plus d’information!

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

World leader, scientist, medical scientist, virologist, pharmacist, Professor Fangruida (F.D Smith) on the world epidemic and the nemesis and prevention of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses (Jacques Lucy) 2021v1.5)

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The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs (Fangruida) July 2021

*The particularity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses*The broad spectrum, high efficiency, redundancy, and safety of the new coronavirus vaccine design and development , Redundancy and safety

*New coronavirus drug chemical structure modification*Computer-aided design and drug screening. *"Antiviral biological missile", "New Coronavirus Anti-epidemic Tablets", "Composite Antiviral Oral Liquid", "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets", "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injection)

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(World leader, scientist, medical scientist, biologist, virologist, pharmacist, FD Smith) "The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-The Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs" is an important scientific research document. Now it has been revised and re-published by the original author several times. The compilation is published and published according to the original manuscript to meet the needs of readers and netizens all over the world. At the same time, it is also of great benefit to the vast number of medical clinical drug researchers and various experts and scholars. We hope that it will be corrected in the reprint.------Compiled by Jacques Lucy in Geneva, August 2021

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According to Worldometer's real-time statistics, as of about 6:30 on July 23, there were a total of 193,323,815 confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia worldwide, and a total of 4,150,213 deaths. There were 570,902 new confirmed cases and 8,766 new deaths worldwide in a single day. Data shows that the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, India, and Indonesia are the five countries with the largest number of new confirmed cases, and Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and India are the five countries with the largest number of new deaths.

The new coronavirus and delta mutant strains have been particularly serious in the recent past. Many countries and places have revived, and the number of cases has not decreased, but has increased.

, It is worthy of vigilance. Although many countries have strengthened vaccine prevention and control and other prevention and control measures, there are still many shortcomings and deficiencies in virus suppression and prevention. The new coronavirus and various mutant strains have a certain degree of antagonism to traditional drugs and most vaccines. Although most vaccines have great anti-epidemic properties and have important and irreplaceable effects and protection for prevention and treatment, it is impossible to completely prevent the spread and infection of viruses. The spread of the new crown virus pneumonia has been delayed for nearly two years. There are hundreds of millions of people infected worldwide, millions of deaths, and the time is long, the spread is widespread, and billions of people around the world are among them. The harm of the virus is quite terrible. This is well known. of. More urgent

What is more serious is that the virus and mutant strains have not completely retreated, especially many people are still infected and infected after being injected with various vaccines. The effectiveness of the vaccine and the resistance of the mutant virus are worthy of medical scientists, virologists, pharmacologists Zoologists and others seriously think and analyze. The current epidemic situation in European and American countries, China, Brazil, India, the United States, Russia and other countries has greatly improved from last year. However, relevant figures show that the global epidemic situation has not completely improved, and some countries and regions are still very serious. In particular, after extensive use of various vaccines, cases still occur, and in some places they are still very serious, which deserves a high degree of vigilance. Prevention and control measures are very important. In addition, vaccines and various anti-epidemic drugs are the first and necessary choices, and other methods are irreplaceable. It is particularly important to develop and develop comprehensive drugs, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, and genetic drugs. Research experiments on new coronaviruses and mutant viruses require more rigorous and in-depth data analysis, pathological pathogenic tissues, cell genes, molecular chemistry, quantum chemistry, etc., as well as vaccine molecular chemistry, quantum physics, quantum biology, cytological histology, medicinal chemistry, and drugs And the vaccine’s symptomatic, effectiveness, safety, long-term effectiveness, etc., of course, including tens of thousands of clinical cases and deaths and other first-hand information and evidence. The task of RNA (ribonucleic acid) in the human body is to use the information of our genetic material DNA to produce protein. It accomplishes this task in the ribosome, the protein-producing area of ​​the cell. The ribosome is the place where protein biosynthesis occurs.

Medicine takes advantage of this: In vaccination, artificially produced mRNA provides ribosomes with instructions for constructing pathogen antigens to fight against—for example, the spike protein of coronavirus.

Traditional live vaccines or inactivated vaccines contain antigens that cause the immune system to react. The mRNA vaccine is produced in the cell

(1) The specificity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, etc., virology and quantum chemistry of mutant viruses, quantum physics, quantum microbiology

(2) New crown vaccine design, molecular biology and chemical structure, etc.

(3) The generality and particularity of the development of new coronavirus drugs

(4) Various drug design for new coronavirus pneumonia, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, etc., cells, proteins, DNA, enzyme chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum physics, human biochemistry, human biophysics, etc.

(5) The evolution and mutation characteristics of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses, the long-term nature, repeatability, drug resistance, and epidemic resistance of the virus, etc.

(6) New coronavirus pneumonia and the infectious transmission of various new coronaviruses and their particularities

(7) The invisible transmission of new coronavirus pneumonia and various mutant viruses in humans or animals, and the mutual symbiosis of cross infection of various bacteria and viruses are also one of the very serious causes of serious harm to new coronaviruses and mutant viruses. Virology, pathology, etiology, gene sequencing, gene mapping, and a large number of analytical studies have shown that there are many cases in China, the United States, India, Russia, Brazil, and other countries.

(8) For the symptomatic prevention and treatment of the new coronavirus, the combination of various vaccines and various antiviral drugs is critical.

(9) According to the current epidemic situation and research judgments, the epidemic situation may improve in the next period of time and 2021-2022, and we are optimistic about its success. However, completely worry-free, it is still too early to win easily. It is not just relying on vaccination. Wearing masks to close the city and other prevention and control measures and methods can sit back and relax, and you can win a big victory. Because all kinds of research and exploration still require a lot of time and various experimental studies. It is not a day's work. A simple taste is very dangerous and harmful. The power and migratory explosiveness of viruses sometimes far exceed human thinking and perception. In the future, next year, or in the future, whether viruses and various evolutionary mutation viruses will re-attack, we still need to study, analyze, prevent and control, rather than being complacent, thinking that the vaccine can win a big victory is inevitably naive and ridiculous. Vaccine protection is very important, but it must not be taken carelessly. The mutation of the new crown virus is very rampant, and the cross-infection of recessive and virulent bacteria makes epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic very complicated.

(10) New crown virus pneumonia and the virus's stubbornness, strength, migration, susceptibility, multi-infectiousness, and occult. The effectiveness of various vaccines and the particularity of virus mutations The long-term hidden dangers and repeated recurrences of the new coronavirus

(11) The formation mechanism and invisible transmission of invisible viruses, asymptomatic infections and asymptomatic infections, asymptomatic transmission routes, asymptomatic infections, pathological pathogens. The spread and infection of viruses and mutated viruses, the blind spots and blind spots of virus vaccines, viral quantum chemistry and

The chemical and physical corresponding reactions at the meeting points of highly effective vaccine drugs, etc. The variability of mutated viruses is very complicated, and vaccination cannot completely prevent the spread of infection.

(12) New crown virus pneumonia and various respiratory infectious diseases are susceptible to infections in animals and humans, and are frequently recurring. This is one of the frequently-occurring and difficult diseases of common infectious diseases. Even with various vaccines and various antiviral immune drugs, it is difficult to completely prevent the occurrence and spread of viral pneumonia. Therefore, epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic is a major issue facing human society, and no country should take it lightly. The various costs that humans pay on this issue are very expensive, such as Ebola virus, influenza A virus,

Hepatitis virus,

Marburg virus

Sars coronavirus, plague, anthracnose, cholera

and many more. The B.1.1.7 mutant virus that was first discovered in the UK was renamed Alpha mutant virus; the B.1.351 that was first discovered in South Africa was renamed Beta mutant virus; the P.1 that was first discovered in Brazil was renamed Gamma mutant virus; the mutation was first discovered in India There are two branches of the virus. B.1.617.2, which was listed as "mutated virus of concern", was renamed Delta mutant virus, and B.1.617.1 of "mutated virus to be observed" was renamed Kappa mutant virus.

However, experts in many countries believe that the current vaccination is still effective, at least it can prevent severe illness and reduce deaths.

　　　　 Delta mutant strain

According to the degree of risk, the WHO divides the new crown variant strains into two categories: worrying variant strains (VOC, variant of concern) and noteworthy variant strains (VOI, variant of interest). The former has caused many cases and a wide range of cases worldwide, and data confirms its transmission ability, strong toxicity, high power, complex migration, and high insidious transmission of infection. Resistance to vaccines may lead to the effectiveness of vaccines and clinical treatments. Decrease; the latter has confirmed cases of community transmission worldwide, or has been found in multiple countries, but has not yet formed a large-scale infection. Need to be very vigilant. Various cases and deaths in many countries in the world are related to this. In some countries, the epidemic situation is repeated, and it is also caused by various reasons and viruses, of course, including new cases and so on.

At present, VOC is the mutant strain that has the greatest impact on the epidemic and the greatest threat to the world, including: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. , Will the change of the spur protein in the VOC affect the immune protection effect of the existing vaccine, or whether it will affect the sensitivity of the VOC to the existing vaccine? For this problem, it is necessary to directly test neutralizing antibodies, such as those that can prevent the protection of infection. Antibodies recognize specific protein sequences on viral particles, especially those spike protein sequences used in mRNA vaccines.

(13) Countries around the world, especially countries and regions with more severe epidemics, have a large number of clinical cases, severe cases, and deaths, especially including many young and middle-aged patients, including those who have been vaccinated. The epidemic is more complicated and serious. Injecting various vaccines, taking strict control measures such as closing the city and wearing masks are very important and the effect is very obvious. However, the new coronavirus and mutant viruses are so repeated, their pathological pathogen research will also be very complicated and difficult. After the large-scale use of the vaccine, many people are still infected. In addition to the lack of prevention and control measures, it is very important that the viability of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses is very important. It can escape the inactivation of the vaccine. It is very resistant to stubbornness. Therefore, the recurrence of new coronavirus pneumonia is very dangerous. What is more noteworthy is that medical scientists, virologists, pharmacists, biologists, zoologists and clinicians should seriously consider the correspondence between virus specificity and vaccine drugs, and the coupling of commonality and specificity. Only in this way can we find targets. Track and kill viruses. Only in this sense can the new crown virus produce a nemesis, put an end to and eradicate the new crown virus pneumonia. Of course, this is not a temporary battle, but a certain amount of time and process to achieve the goal in the end.

(14) The development and evolution of the natural universe and earth species, as well as life species. With the continuous evolution of human cell genes, microbes and bacterial viruses are constantly mutated and inherited. The new world will inevitably produce a variety of new pathogens.

And viruses. For example, neurological genetic disease, digestive system disease, respiratory system disease, blood system disease, cardiopulmonary system disease, etc., new diseases will continue to emerge as humans develop and evolve. Human migration to space, space diseases, space psychological diseases, space cell diseases, space genetic diseases, etc. Therefore, for the new coronavirus and mutated viruses, we must have sufficient knowledge and response, and do not think that it will be completely wiped out.

, And is not a scientific attitude. Viruses and humans mutually reinforce each other, and viruses and animals and plants mutually reinforce each other. This is the iron law of the natural universe. Human beings can only adapt to natural history, but cannot deliberately modify natural history.

Active immune products made from specific bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, spirochetes, mycoplasma and other microorganisms and parasites are collectively called vaccines. Vaccination of animals can make the animal body have specific immunity. The principle of vaccines is to artificially attenuate, inactivate, and genetically attenuate pathogenic microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, etc.) and their metabolites. Purification and preparation methods, made into immune preparations for the prevention of infectious diseases. In terms of ingredients, the vaccine retains the antigenic properties and other characteristics of the pathogen, which can stimulate the body's immune response and produce protective antibodies. But it has no pathogenicity and does not cause harm to the body. When the body is exposed to this pathogen again, the immune system will produce more antibodies according to the previous memory to prevent the pathogen from invading or to fight against the damage to the body. (1) Inactivated vaccines: select pathogenic microorganisms with strong immunogenicity, culture them, inactivate them by physical or chemical methods, and then purify and prepare them. The virus species used in inactivated vaccines are generally virulent strains, but the use of attenuated attenuated strains also has good immunogenicity, such as the inactivated polio vaccine produced by the Sabin attenuated strain. The inactivated vaccine has lost its infectivity to the body, but still maintains its immunogenicity, which can stimulate the body to produce corresponding immunity and resist the infection of wild strains. Inactivated vaccines have a good immune effect. They can generally be stored for more than one year at 2～8°C without the risk of reversion of virulence; however, the inactivated vaccines cannot grow and reproduce after entering the human body. They stimulate the human body for a short time and must be strong and long-lasting. In general, adjuvants are required for immunity, and multiple injections in large doses are required, and the local immune protection of natural infection is lacking. Including bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae and toxoid preparations.

(2) Live attenuated vaccine: It is a vaccine made by using artificial targeted mutation methods or by screening live microorganisms with highly weakened or basically non-toxic virulence from the natural world. After inoculation, the live attenuated vaccine has a certain ability to grow and reproduce in the body, which can cause the body to have a reaction similar to a recessive infection or a mild infection, and it is widely used.

(3) Subunit vaccine: Among the multiple specific antigenic determinants carried by macromolecular antigens, only a small number of antigenic sites play an important role in the protective immune response. Separate natural proteins through chemical decomposition or controlled proteolysis, and extract bacteria and virusesVaccines made from fragments with immunological activity are screened out of the special protein structure of, called subunit vaccines. Subunit vaccines have only a few major surface proteins, so they can eliminate antibodies induced by many unrelated antigens, thereby reducing the side effects of the vaccine and related diseases and other side effects caused by the vaccine. (4) Genetically engineered vaccine: It uses DNA recombination biotechnology to direct the natural or synthetic genetic material in the pathogen coat protein that can induce the body's immune response into bacteria, yeast or mammalian cells to make it fully expressed. A vaccine prepared after purification. The application of genetic engineering technology can produce subunit vaccines that do not contain infectious substances, stable attenuated vaccines with live viruses as carriers, and multivalent vaccines that can prevent multiple diseases. This is the second-generation vaccine following the first-generation traditional vaccine. It has the advantages of safety, effectiveness, long-term immune response, and easy realization of combined immunization. It has certain advantages and effects.

New coronavirus drug development, drug targets and chemical modification.

Ligand-based drug design (or indirect drug design planning) relies on the knowledge of other molecules that bind to the target biological target. These other molecules can be used to derive pharmacophore models and structural modalities, which define the minimum necessary structural features that the molecule must have in order to bind to the target. In other words, a model of a biological target can be established based on the knowledge of the binding target, and the model can be used to design new molecular entities and other parts that interact with the target. Among them, the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is included, in which the correlation between the calculated properties of the molecule and its experimentally determined biological activity can be derived. These QSAR relationships can be used to predict the activity of new analogs. The structure-activity relationship is very complicated.

Based on structure

Structure-based drug design relies on knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of biological targets obtained by methods such as X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. If the experimental structure of the target is not available, it is possible to create a homology model of the target and other standard models that can be compared based on the experimental structure of the relevant protein. Using the structure of biological targets, interactive graphics and medical chemists’ intuitive design can be used to predict drug candidates with high affinity and selective binding to the target. Various automatic calculation programs can also be used to suggest new drug candidates.

The current structure-based drug design methods can be roughly divided into three categories. The 3D method is to search a large database of small molecule 3D structures to find new ligands for a given receptor, in order to use a rapid approximate docking procedure to find those suitable for the receptor binding pocket. This method is called virtual screening. The second category is the de novo design of new ligands. In this method, by gradually assembling small fragments, a ligand molecule is established within the constraints of the binding pocket. These fragments can be single atoms or molecular fragments. The main advantage of this method is that it can propose novel structures that are not found in any database. The third method is to optimize the known ligand acquisition by evaluating the proposed analogs in the binding cavity.

Bind site ID

Binding site recognition is a step in structure-based design. If the structure of the target or a sufficiently similar homologue is determined in the presence of the bound ligand, the ligand should be observable in that structure, in which case the location of the binding site is small. However, there may not be an allosteric binding site of interest. In addition, only apo protein structures may be available, and it is not easy to reliably identify unoccupied sites that have the potential to bind ligands with high affinity. In short, the recognition of binding sites usually depends on the recognition of pits. The protein on the protein surface can hold molecules the size of drugs, etc. These molecules also have appropriate "hot spots" that drive ligand binding, hydrophobic surfaces, hydrogen bonding sites, and so on.

Drug design is a creative process of finding new drugs based on the knowledge of biological targets. The most common type of drug is small organic molecules that activate or inhibit the function of biomolecules, thereby producing therapeutic benefits for patients. In the most important sense, drug design involves the design of molecules with complementary shapes and charges that bind to their interacting biomolecular targets, and therefore will bind to them. Drug design often but does not necessarily rely on computer modeling techniques. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technology for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, etc., which must be optimized first before the ligand can become safe and effective. drug. These other features are usually difficult to predict and realize through reasonable design techniques. However, due to the high turnover rate, especially in the clinical stage of drug development, in the early stage of the drug design process, more attention is paid to the selection of drug candidates. The physical and chemical properties of these drug candidates are expected to be reduced during the development process. Complications are therefore more likely to lead to the approval of the marketed drug. In addition, in early drug discovery, in vitro experiments with computational methods are increasingly used to select compounds with more favorable ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) and toxicological characteristics. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technique for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, iatrogenic effects, etc., which must be optimized first, and then the ligand To become safe and effective.

For drug targets, two aspects should be considered when selecting drug targets:

1. The effectiveness of the target, that is, the target is indeed related to the disease, and the symptoms of the disease can be effectively improved by regulating the physiological activity of the target.

2. The side effects of the target. If the regulation of the physiological activity of the target inevitably produces serious side effects, it is inappropriate to select it as the target of drug action or lose its important biological activity. The reference frame of the target should be expanded in multiple dimensions to have a big choice.

3. Search for biomolecular clues related to diseases: use genomics, proteomics and biochip technology to obtain biomolecular information related to diseases, and perform bioinformatics analysis to obtain clue information.

4. Perform functional research on related biomolecules to determine the target of candidate drugs. Multiple targets or individual targets.

5. Candidate drug targets, design small molecule compounds, and conduct pharmacological research at the molecular, cellular and overall animal levels.

Covalent bonding type

The covalent bonding type is an irreversible form of bonding, similar to the organic synthesis reaction that occurs. Covalent bonding types mostly occur in the mechanism of action of chemotherapeutic drugs. For example, alkylating agent anti-tumor drugs produce covalent bonding bonds to guanine bases in DNA, resulting in cytotoxic activity.

. Verify the effectiveness of the target.

Based on the targets that interact with drugs, that is, receptors in a broad sense, such as enzymes, receptors, ion channels, membranes, antigens, viruses, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, etc., find and design reasonable drug molecules. Targets of action and drug screening should focus on multiple points. Drug intermediates and chemical modification. Combining the development of new drugs with the chemical structure modification of traditional drugs makes it easier to find breakthroughs and develop new antiviral drugs. For example, careful selection, modification and modification of existing related drugs that can successfully treat and recover a large number of cases, elimination and screening of invalid drugs from severe death cases, etc., are targeted, rather than screening and capturing needles in a haystack, aimless, with half the effort. Vaccine design should also be multi-pronged and focused. The broad-spectrum, long-term, safety, efficiency and redundancy of the vaccine should all be considered. In this way, it will be more powerful to deal with the mutation and evolution of the virus. Of course, series of vaccines, series of drugs, second-generation vaccines, third-generation vaccines, second-generation drugs, third-generation drugs, etc. can also be developed. Vaccines focus on epidemic prevention, and medicines focus on medical treatment. The two are very different; however, the two complement each other and complement each other. Therefore, in response to large-scale epidemics of infectious diseases, vaccines and various drugs are the nemesis and killers of viral diseases. Of course, it also includes other methods and measures, so I won't repeat them here.

Mainly through the comprehensive and accurate understanding of the structure of the drug and the receptor at the molecular level and even the electronic level, structure-based drug design and the understanding of the structure, function, and drug action mode of the target and the mechanism of physiological activity Mechanism-based drug design.

Compared with the traditional extensive pharmacological screening and lead compound optimization, it has obvious advantages.

Viral RNA replicase, also known as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is responsible for the replication and transcription of RNA virus genome, and plays a very important role in the process of virus self-replication in host cells, and It also has a major impact on the mutation of the virus, it will change and accelerate the replication and recombination. Because RdRp from different viruses has a highly conserved core structure, the virus replicase is an important antiviral drug target and there are other selection sites, rather than a single isolated target target such as the new coronavirus As with various mutant viruses, inhibitors developed for viral replicase are expected to become a broad-spectrum antiviral drug. The currently well-known anti-coronavirus drug remdesivir (remdesivir) is a drug for viral replicase.

New antiviral therapies are gradually emerging. In addition to traditional polymerase and protease inhibitors, nucleic acid drugs, cell entry inhibitors, nucleocapsid inhibitors, and drugs targeting host cells are also increasingly appearing in the research and development of major pharmaceutical companies. The treatment of mutated viruses is becoming increasingly urgent. The development of drugs for the new coronavirus pneumonia is very important. It is not only for the current global new coronavirus epidemic, but more importantly, it is of great significance to face the severe pneumonia-respiratory infectious disease that poses a huge threat to humans.

There are many vaccines and related drugs developed for the new coronavirus pneumonia, and countries are vying for a while, mainly including the following:

Identification test, appearance, difference in loading, moisture, pH value, osmolality, polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, potency test, sterility test, pyrogen test, bacterial endotoxin test, abnormal toxicity test.

Among them: such as sterility inspection, pyrogen inspection, bacterial endotoxin, and abnormal toxicity inspection are indicators closely related to safety.

Polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, and efficacy test are indicators closely related to vaccine effectiveness.

Usually, a vaccine will go through a long research and development process of at least 8 years or even more than 20 years from research and development to marketing. The outbreak of the new crown epidemic requires no delay, and the design and development of vaccines is speeding up. It is not surprising in this special period. Of course, it is understandable that vaccine design, development and testing can be accelerated, shortened the cycle, and reduced some procedures. However, science needs to be rigorous and rigorous to achieve great results. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines are of the utmost importance. There must not be a single error. Otherwise, it will be counterproductive and need to be continuously improved and perfected.

Pre-clinical research: The screening of strains and cells is the basic guarantee to ensure the safety, effectiveness, and continuous supply of vaccines. Taking virus vaccines as an example, the laboratory stage needs to carry out strain screening, necessary strain attenuation, strain adaptation to the cultured cell matrix and stability studies in the process of passaging, and explore the stability of process quality, establish animal models, etc. . Choose mice, guinea pigs, rabbits or monkeys for animal experiments according to each vaccine situation. Pre-clinical research generally takes 5-10 years or longer on the premise that the process is controllable, the quality is stable, and it is safe and effective. In order to be safe and effective, a certain redundant design is also needed, so that the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine can be importantly guaranteed.

These include the establishment of vaccine strain/cell seed bank, production process research, quality research, stability research, animal safety evaluation and effectiveness evaluation, and clinical trial programs, etc.

The ARS-CoV-2 genome contains at least 10 ORFs. ORF1ab is converted into a polyprotein and processed into 16 non-structural proteins (NSP). These NSPs have a variety of functional biological activities, physical and chemical reactions, such as genome replication, induction of host mRNA cleavage, membrane rearrangement, autophagosome production, NSP polyprotein cleavage, capping, tailing, methylation, RNA double-stranded Uncoiling, etc., and others, play an important role in the virus life cycle. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 contains 4 structural proteins, namely spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), envelope (E) and membrane (M), all of which are encoded by the 3'end of the viral genome. Among the four structural proteins, S protein is a large multifunctional transmembrane protein that plays an important role in the process of virus adsorption, fusion, and injection into host cells, and requires in-depth observation and research.

1S protein is composed of S1 and S2 subunits, and each subunit can be further divided into different functional domains. The S1 subunit has 2 domains: NTD and RBD, and RBD contains conservative RBM. The S2 subunit has 3 structural domains: FP, HR1 and HR2. The S1 subunit is arranged at the top of the S2 subunit to form an immunodominant S protein.

The virus uses the host transmembrane protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and the endosomal cysteine ​​protease CatB/L to enter the cell. TMPRSS2 is responsible for the cleavage of the S protein to expose the FP region of the S2 subunit, which is responsible for initiating endosome-mediated host cell entry into it. It shows that TMPRSS2 is a host factor necessary for virus entry. Therefore, the use of drugs that inhibit this protease can achieve the purpose of treatment.

mRNA-1273

The mRNA encoding the full length of SARS-CoV-2, and the pre-spike protein fusion is encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles to form mRNA-1273 vaccine. It can induce a high level of S protein specific antiviral response. It can also consist of inactivated antigens or subunit antigens. The vaccine was quickly approved by the FDA and has entered phase II clinical trials. The company has announced the antibody data of 8 subjects who received different immunization doses. The 25ug dose group achieved an effect similar to the antibody level during the recovery period. The 100ug dose group exceeded the antibody level during the recovery period. In the 25ug and 100ug dose groups, the vaccine was basically safe and tolerable, while the 250ug dose group had 3 levels of systemic symptoms.

Viral vector vaccines can provide long-term high-level expression of antigen proteins, induce CTLs, and ultimately eliminate viral infections.

1, Ad5-nCov

A vaccine of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein expressed by recombinant, replication-deficient type 5 adenovirus (Ad5) vector. Load the optimized full-length S protein gene together with the plasminogen activation signal peptide gene into the E1 and E3 deleted Ad5 vectors. The vaccine is constructed by the Admax system derived from Microbix Biosystem. In phase I clinical trials, RBD (S1 subunit receptor binding domain) and S protein neutralizing antibody increased by 4 times 14 days after immunization, reaching a peak on 28 days. CD4+T and CD8+T cells reached a peak 14 days after immunization. The existing Ad5 immune resistance partially limits the response of antibodies and T cells. This study will be further conducted in the 18-60 age group, receiving 1/3 of the study dose, and follow-up for 3-6 months after immunization.

DNA vaccine

The introduction of antigen-encoding DNA and adjuvants as vaccines is the most innovative vaccine method. The transfected cells stably express the transgenic protein, similar to live viruses. The antigen will be endocytosed by immature DC, and finally provide antigen to CD4 + T, CD8 + T cells (by MHC differentiation) To induce humoral and cellular immunity. Some specificities of the virus and the new coronavirus mutant are different from general vaccines and other vaccines. Therefore, it is worth noting the gene expression of the vaccine. Otherwise, the effectiveness and efficiency of the vaccine will be questioned.

Live attenuated vaccine

DelNS1-SARS-CoV2-RBD

Basic influenza vaccine, delete NS1 gene. Express SARS-CoV-2 RBD domain. Cultured in CEF and MDCK (canine kidney cells) cells. It is more immunogenic than wild-type influenza virus and can be administered by nasal spray.

The viral genome is susceptible to mutation, antigen transfer and drift can occur, and spread among the population. Mutations can vary depending on the environmental conditions and population density of the geographic area. After screening and comparing 7,500 samples of infected patients, scientists found 198 mutations, indicating the evolutionary mutation of the virus in the human host. These mutations may form different virus subtypes, which means that even after vaccine immunization, viral infections may occur. A certain amount of increment and strengthening is needed here.

Inactivated vaccines, adenovirus vector vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, attenuated influenza virus vector vaccines, etc. According to relevant information, there are dozens of new coronavirus vaccines in the world, and more varieties are being developed and upgraded. Including the United States, Britain, China, Russia, India and other countries, there are more R&D and production units.

AZ vaccine

Modena vaccine

Lianya Vaccine

High-end vaccine

Pfizer vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech

A large study found that the vaccine developed by Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.

The vaccine is divided into two doses, which are injected every three weeks.

This vaccine uses a molecule called mRNA as its basis. mRNA is a molecular cousin of DNA, which contains instructions to build specific proteins; in this case, the mRNA in the vaccine encodes the coronavirus spike protein, which is attached to the surface of the virus and used to infect human cells. Once the vaccine enters the human body, it will instruct the body's cells to make this protein, and the immune system will learn to recognize and attack it.

Moderna

The vaccine developed by the American biotechnology company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is also based on mRNA and is estimated to be 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Like Pfizer's vaccine, this vaccine is divided into two doses, but injected every four weeks instead of three weeks. Another difference is that the Moderna vaccine can be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius instead of deep freezing like Pfizer vaccine. At present, the importance of one of the widely used vaccines is self-evident.

Oxford-AstraZeneca

The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is approximately 70% effective in preventing COVID-19-that is, in clinical trials, adjusting the dose seems to improve this effect.

In the population who received two high-dose vaccines (28 days apart), the effectiveness of the vaccine was about 62%; according to early analysis, the effectiveness of the vaccine in those patients who received the half-dose first and then the full-dose Is 90%. However, in clinical trials, participants taking half doses of the drug are wrong, and some scientists question whether these early results are representative.

Sinopharm Group (Beijing Institute of Biological Products, China)

China National Pharmaceutical Group Sinopharm and Beijing Institute of Biological Products have developed a vaccine from inactivated coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The inactivated coronavirus is an improved version that cannot be replicated.

Estimates of the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19 vary.

Gamaleya Institute

The Gamaleya Institute of the Russian Ministry of Health has developed a coronavirus vaccine candidate called Sputnik V. This vaccine contains two common cold viruses, adenoviruses, which have been modified so that they will not replicate in the human body; the modified virus also contains a gene encoding the coronavirus spike protein.

New crown drugs

There are many small molecule antiviral drug candidates in the clinical research stage around the world. Including traditional drugs in the past and various drugs yet to be developed, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, Gene drugs, compound drugs, etc.

(A) Molnupiravir

Molnupiravir is a prodrug of the nucleoside analog N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

The positive rate of infectious virus isolation and culture in nasopharyngeal swabs was 0% (0/47), while that of patients in the placebo group was 24% (6/25). However, data from the Phase II/III study indicate that the drug has no benefit in preventing death or shortening the length of stay in hospitalized patients.

Therefore, Merck has decided to fully advance the research of 800mg molnupiravir in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

(B) AT-527

AT-527 is a small molecule inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase, jointly developed by Roche and Atea. Not only can it be used as an oral therapy to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but it also has the potential as a preventive treatment after exposure.

Including 70 high-risk COVID-19 hospitalized patients data, of which 62 patients' data can be used for virological analysis and evaluation. The results of interim virological analysis show that AT-527 can quickly reduce viral load. On day 2, compared with placebo, patients treated with AT-527 had a greater decline in viral load than the baseline level, and the continuous difference in viral load decline was maintained until day 8.

In addition, compared with the control group, the potent antiviral activity of AT-527 was also observed in patients with a baseline median viral load higher than 5.26 log10. When testing by RT-qPCR to assess whether the virus is cleared,

The safety aspect is consistent with previous studies. AT-527 showed good safety and tolerability, and no new safety problems or risks were found. Of course, there is still a considerable distance between experiment and clinical application, and a large amount of experimental data can prove it.

(C) Prokrutamide

Prokalamide is an AR (androgen receptor) antagonist. Activated androgen receptor AR can induce the expression of transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2). TMPRSS2 has a shearing effect on the new coronavirus S protein and ACE2, which can promote the binding of viral spike protein (S protein) to ACE, thereby promoting The virus enters the host cell. Therefore, inhibiting the androgen receptor may inhibit the viral infection process, and AR antagonists are expected to become anti-coronavirus drugs.

Positive results were obtained in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial. The data shows that Prokalutamide reduces the risk of death in severely ill patients with new coronary disease by 92%, reduces the risk of new ventilator use by 92%, and shortens the length of hospital stay by 9 days. This shows that procrulamide has a certain therapeutic effect for patients with severe new coronary disease, which can significantly reduce the mortality of patients, and at the same time greatly reduce the new mechanical ventilation and shorten the patient's hospital stay.

With the continuous development of COVID-19 on a global scale, in addition to vaccines and prevention and control measures, we need a multi-pronged plan to control this disease. Oral antiviral therapy undoubtedly provides a convenient treatment option.

In addition, there are other drugs under development and experimentation. In dealing with the plague virus, in addition to the strict control of protective measures, it is very important that various efficient and safe vaccines and various drugs (including medical instruments, etc.) are the ultimate nemesis and killer of the virus.

(A) "Antiviral biological missiles" are mainly drugs for new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, which act on respiratory and lung diseases. The drugs use redundant designs to inhibit new coronaviruses and variant viruses.

(B) "New Coronavirus Epidemic Prevention Tablets" mainly use natural purified elements and chemical structure modifications.

(C) "Composite antiviral oral liquid" antiviral intermediate, natural antiviral plant, plus other preparations

(D) "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets" Chemical modification of antiviral drugs, multiple targets, etc.

(E) "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injections) are mainly made of chemical drug structure modification and other preparations.

The development of these drugs mainly includes: drug target screening, structure-activity relationship, chemical modification, natural purification, etc., which require a lot of work and experimentation.

Humans need to vigorously develop drugs to deal with various viruses. These drugs are very important for the prevention and treatment of viruses and respiratory infectious diseases, influenza, pneumonia, etc.

The history of human development The history of human evolution, like all living species, will always be accompanied by the survival and development of microorganisms. It is not surprising that viruses and infectious diseases are frequent and prone to occur. The key is to prevent and control them before they happen.

This strain was first discovered in India in October 2020 and was initially called a "double mutant" virus by the media. According to the announcement by the Ministry of Health of India at the end of March this year, the "India New Coronavirus Genomics Alliance" composed of 10 laboratories found in samples collected in Maharashtra that this new mutant strain carries E484Q and L452R mutations. , May lead to immune escape and increased infectivity. This mutant strain was named B.1.617 by the WHO and was named with the Greek letter δ (delta) on May 31.

Shahid Jamil, the dean of the Trivedi School of Biological Sciences at Ashoka University in India and a virologist, said in an interview with the Shillong Times of India that this mutant strain called "double mutation" is not accurate enough. B. 1.617 contains a total of 15 mutations, of which 6 occur on the spike protein, of which 3 are more critical: L452R and E484Q mutations occur on the spike protein and the human cell "Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2)" receptor In the bound region, L452R improves the ability of the virus to invade cells, and E484Q helps to enhance the immune escape of the virus; the third mutation P681R can also make the virus enter the cell more effectively. (Encyclopedia website)

There are currently dozens of antiviral COVID-19 therapies under development. The large drugmakers Merck and Pfizer are the closest to the end, as expected, a pair of oral antiviral COVID-19 therapies are undergoing advanced human clinical trials.

Merck's drug candidate is called monupiravir. It was originally developed as an influenza antiviral drug several years ago. However, preclinical studies have shown that it has a good effect on SARS and MERS coronavirus.

Monupiravir is currently undergoing in-depth large-scale Phase 3 human trials. So far, the data is so promising that the US government recently pre-ordered 1.7 million courses of drugs at a cost of $1.2 billion. If everything goes according to plan, the company hopes that the drug will be authorized by the FDA for emergency use and be on the market before the end of 2021.

Pfizer's large COVID-19 antiviral drug candidate is more unique. Currently known as PF-07321332, this drug is the first oral antiviral drug to enter human clinical trials, specifically targeting SARS-CoV-2.

Variant of Concern WHO Label First Detected in World First Detected in Washington State

B.1.1.7 Alpha United Kingdom, September 2020 January 2021

B.1.351 Beta South Africa, December 2020 February 2021

P.1 Gamma Brazil, April 2020 March 2021

B.1.617.2 Delta India, October 2020 April 2021

Although this particular molecule was developed in 2020 after the emergence of the new coronavirus, a somewhat related drug called PF-00835231 has been in operation for several years, targeting the original SARS virus. However, the new drug candidate PF-07321332 is designed as a simple pill that can be taken under non-hospital conditions in the initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

"The protease inhibitor binds to a viral enzyme and prevents the virus from replicating in the cell," Pfizer said when explaining the mechanism of its new antiviral drug. "Protease inhibitors have been effective in the treatment of other viral pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, whether used alone or in combination with other antiviral drugs. Currently marketed therapeutic drugs for viral proteases are generally not toxic Therefore, such molecules may provide well-tolerated treatments against COVID-19."

Various studies on other types of antiviral drugs are also gaining momentum. For example, the new coronavirus pneumonia "antiviral biological missile", "new coronavirus prevention tablets", "composite antiviral oral liquid", "new coronavirus long-acting oral tablets", "new coronavirus inhibitors" (injections), etc., are worthy of attention. Like all kinds of vaccines, they will play a major role in preventing and fighting epidemics.

In addition, Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionoyoshi Pharmaceutical is currently conducting a phase 1 trial of a protease inhibitor similar to SARS-CoV-2. This is called S-217622, ​​which is another oral antiviral drug, and hopes to provide people with an easy-to-take pill in the early stages of COVID-19. At present, the research and development of vaccines and various new crown drugs is very active and urgent. Time does not wait. With the passage of time, various new crown drugs will appear on the stage one after another, bringing the gospel to the complete victory of mankind.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. The Delta mutant strain has quickly become the most prominent SARS-CoV-2 strain in the world. Although our vaccine is still maintained, it is clear that we need more tools to combat this new type of coronavirus. Delta will certainly not be the last new SARS-CoV-2 variant we encountered. Therefore, it is necessary for all mankind to persevere and fight the epidemic together.

Overcome illness and meet new challenges. The new crown epidemic and various mutated viruses are very important global epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic top priorities, especially for the current period of time. Vaccine injections, research and development of new drugs, strict prevention and control, wear masks, reduce gatherings, strictly control large gatherings, prevent the spread of various viruses Masks, disinfection and sterilization, lockdown of the city, vaccinations, accounting and testing are very important, but this does not mean that humans can completely overcome the virus. In fact, many spreading and new latently transmitted infections are still unsuccessful. There are detections, such as invisible patients, asymptomatic patients, migratory latent patients, new-onset patients, etc. The struggle between humans and the virus is still very difficult and complicated, and long-term efforts and exploration are still needed, especially for medical research on the new coronavirus. The origin of the disease, the course of the disease, the virus invaded The deep-level path and the reasons for the evolution and mutation of the new coronavirus and the particularity of prevention and treatment, etc.). Therefore, human beings should be highly vigilant and must not be taken lightly. The fierce battle between humans and various viruses must not be slackened. Greater efforts are needed to successfully overcome this pandemic, fully restore the normal life of the whole society, restore the normal production and work order, restore the normal operation of society, economy and culture, and give up food due to choking. Or eager for success, will pay a high price.

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Compilation postscript

Once Fang Ruida's research literature on the new crown virus and mutant virus was published, it has been enthusiastically praised by readers and netizens in dozens of countries around the world, and has proposed some amendments and suggestions. Hope to publish a multilingual version of the book as an emergency To meet the needs of many readers around the world, in the face of the new crown epidemic and the prevention and treatment of various mutant viruses, including the general public, college and middle school students, medical workers, medical colleagues and so on. According to the English original manuscript, it will be re-compiled and published. Inconsistencies will be revised separately. Thank you very much.

Jacques Lucy, Geneva, Switzerland, August 2021

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Leader mondial, scientifique, scientifique médical, virologue, pharmacien et professeur Fangruida (F.D Smith) sur l'épidémie mondiale et l'ennemi juré et la prévention des nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants (Jacques Lucy 2021v1.5)

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L'ennemi juré et le tueur du nouveau coronavirus et des virus mutés - Développement conjoint de vaccins et de médicaments (Fangruida) Juillet 2021

* La particularité des nouveaux coronavirus et des virus mutants * Le large spectre, la haute efficacité, la redondance et la sécurité de la conception et du développement du nouveau vaccin contre le coronavirus, Redondance et sécurité

World leader, scientist, medical scientist, virologist, pharmacist, Professor Fangruida (F.D Smith) on the world epidemic and the nemesis and prevention of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses (Jacques Lucy) 2021v1.5)

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The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs (Fangruida) July 2021

*The particularity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses*The broad spectrum, high efficiency, redundancy, and safety of the new coronavirus vaccine design and development , Redundancy and safety

*New coronavirus drug chemical structure modification*Computer-aided design and drug screening. *"Antiviral biological missile", "New Coronavirus Anti-epidemic Tablets", "Composite Antiviral Oral Liquid", "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets", "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injection)

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(World leader, scientist, medical scientist, biologist, virologist, pharmacist, FD Smith) "The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-The Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs" is an important scientific research document. Now it has been revised and re-published by the original author several times. The compilation is published and published according to the original manuscript to meet the needs of readers and netizens all over the world. At the same time, it is also of great benefit to the vast number of medical clinical drug researchers and various experts and scholars. We hope that it will be corrected in the reprint.------Compiled by Jacques Lucy in Geneva, August 2021

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According to Worldometer's real-time statistics, as of about 6:30 on July 23, there were a total of 193,323,815 confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia worldwide, and a total of 4,150,213 deaths. There were 570,902 new confirmed cases and 8,766 new deaths worldwide in a single day. Data shows that the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, India, and Indonesia are the five countries with the largest number of new confirmed cases, and Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and India are the five countries with the largest number of new deaths.

The new coronavirus and delta mutant strains have been particularly serious in the recent past. Many countries and places have revived, and the number of cases has not decreased, but has increased.

, It is worthy of vigilance. Although many countries have strengthened vaccine prevention and control and other prevention and control measures, there are still many shortcomings and deficiencies in virus suppression and prevention. The new coronavirus and various mutant strains have a certain degree of antagonism to traditional drugs and most vaccines. Although most vaccines have great anti-epidemic properties and have important and irreplaceable effects and protection for prevention and treatment, it is impossible to completely prevent the spread and infection of viruses. The spread of the new crown virus pneumonia has been delayed for nearly two years. There are hundreds of millions of people infected worldwide, millions of deaths, and the time is long, the spread is widespread, and billions of people around the world are among them. The harm of the virus is quite terrible. This is well known. of. More urgent

What is more serious is that the virus and mutant strains have not completely retreated, especially many people are still infected and infected after being injected with various vaccines. The effectiveness of the vaccine and the resistance of the mutant virus are worthy of medical scientists, virologists, pharmacologists Zoologists and others seriously think and analyze. The current epidemic situation in European and American countries, China, Brazil, India, the United States, Russia and other countries has greatly improved from last year. However, relevant figures show that the global epidemic situation has not completely improved, and some countries and regions are still very serious. In particular, after extensive use of various vaccines, cases still occur, and in some places they are still very serious, which deserves a high degree of vigilance. Prevention and control measures are very important. In addition, vaccines and various anti-epidemic drugs are the first and necessary choices, and other methods are irreplaceable. It is particularly important to develop and develop comprehensive drugs, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, and genetic drugs. Research experiments on new coronaviruses and mutant viruses require more rigorous and in-depth data analysis, pathological pathogenic tissues, cell genes, molecular chemistry, quantum chemistry, etc., as well as vaccine molecular chemistry, quantum physics, quantum biology, cytological histology, medicinal chemistry, and drugs And the vaccine’s symptomatic, effectiveness, safety, long-term effectiveness, etc., of course, including tens of thousands of clinical cases and deaths and other first-hand information and evidence. The task of RNA (ribonucleic acid) in the human body is to use the information of our genetic material DNA to produce protein. It accomplishes this task in the ribosome, the protein-producing area of ​​the cell. The ribosome is the place where protein biosynthesis occurs.

Medicine takes advantage of this: In vaccination, artificially produced mRNA provides ribosomes with instructions for constructing pathogen antigens to fight against—for example, the spike protein of coronavirus.

Traditional live vaccines or inactivated vaccines contain antigens that cause the immune system to react. The mRNA vaccine is produced in the cell

(1) The specificity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, etc., virology and quantum chemistry of mutant viruses, quantum physics, quantum microbiology

(2) New crown vaccine design, molecular biology and chemical structure, etc.

(3) The generality and particularity of the development of new coronavirus drugs

(4) Various drug design for new coronavirus pneumonia, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, etc., cells, proteins, DNA, enzyme chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum physics, human biochemistry, human biophysics, etc.

(5) The evolution and mutation characteristics of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses, the long-term nature, repeatability, drug resistance, and epidemic resistance of the virus, etc.

(6) New coronavirus pneumonia and the infectious transmission of various new coronaviruses and their particularities

(7) The invisible transmission of new coronavirus pneumonia and various mutant viruses in humans or animals, and the mutual symbiosis of cross infection of various bacteria and viruses are also one of the very serious causes of serious harm to new coronaviruses and mutant viruses. Virology, pathology, etiology, gene sequencing, gene mapping, and a large number of analytical studies have shown that there are many cases in China, the United States, India, Russia, Brazil, and other countries.

(8) For the symptomatic prevention and treatment of the new coronavirus, the combination of various vaccines and various antiviral drugs is critical.

(9) According to the current epidemic situation and research judgments, the epidemic situation may improve in the next period of time and 2021-2022, and we are optimistic about its success. However, completely worry-free, it is still too early to win easily. It is not just relying on vaccination. Wearing masks to close the city and other prevention and control measures and methods can sit back and relax, and you can win a big victory. Because all kinds of research and exploration still require a lot of time and various experimental studies. It is not a day's work. A simple taste is very dangerous and harmful. The power and migratory explosiveness of viruses sometimes far exceed human thinking and perception. In the future, next year, or in the future, whether viruses and various evolutionary mutation viruses will re-attack, we still need to study, analyze, prevent and control, rather than being complacent, thinking that the vaccine can win a big victory is inevitably naive and ridiculous. Vaccine protection is very important, but it must not be taken carelessly. The mutation of the new crown virus is very rampant, and the cross-infection of recessive and virulent bacteria makes epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic very complicated.

(10) New crown virus pneumonia and the virus's stubbornness, strength, migration, susceptibility, multi-infectiousness, and occult. The effectiveness of various vaccines and the particularity of virus mutations The long-term hidden dangers and repeated recurrences of the new coronavirus

(11) The formation mechanism and invisible transmission of invisible viruses, asymptomatic infections and asymptomatic infections, asymptomatic transmission routes, asymptomatic infections, pathological pathogens. The spread and infection of viruses and mutated viruses, the blind spots and blind spots of virus vaccines, viral quantum chemistry and

The chemical and physical corresponding reactions at the meeting points of highly effective vaccine drugs, etc. The variability of mutated viruses is very complicated, and vaccination cannot completely prevent the spread of infection.

(12) New crown virus pneumonia and various respiratory infectious diseases are susceptible to infections in animals and humans, and are frequently recurring. This is one of the frequently-occurring and difficult diseases of common infectious diseases. Even with various vaccines and various antiviral immune drugs, it is difficult to completely prevent the occurrence and spread of viral pneumonia. Therefore, epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic is a major issue facing human society, and no country should take it lightly. The various costs that humans pay on this issue are very expensive, such as Ebola virus, influenza A virus,

Hepatitis virus,

Marburg virus

Sars coronavirus, plague, anthracnose, cholera

and many more. The B.1.1.7 mutant virus that was first discovered in the UK was renamed Alpha mutant virus; the B.1.351 that was first discovered in South Africa was renamed Beta mutant virus; the P.1 that was first discovered in Brazil was renamed Gamma mutant virus; the mutation was first discovered in India There are two branches of the virus. B.1.617.2, which was listed as "mutated virus of concern", was renamed Delta mutant virus, and B.1.617.1 of "mutated virus to be observed" was renamed Kappa mutant virus.

However, experts in many countries believe that the current vaccination is still effective, at least it can prevent severe illness and reduce deaths.

　　　　 Delta mutant strain

According to the degree of risk, the WHO divides the new crown variant strains into two categories: worrying variant strains (VOC, variant of concern) and noteworthy variant strains (VOI, variant of interest). The former has caused many cases and a wide range of cases worldwide, and data confirms its transmission ability, strong toxicity, high power, complex migration, and high insidious transmission of infection. Resistance to vaccines may lead to the effectiveness of vaccines and clinical treatments. Decrease; the latter has confirmed cases of community transmission worldwide, or has been found in multiple countries, but has not yet formed a large-scale infection. Need to be very vigilant. Various cases and deaths in many countries in the world are related to this. In some countries, the epidemic situation is repeated, and it is also caused by various reasons and viruses, of course, including new cases and so on.

At present, VOC is the mutant strain that has the greatest impact on the epidemic and the greatest threat to the world, including: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. , Will the change of the spur protein in the VOC affect the immune protection effect of the existing vaccine, or whether it will affect the sensitivity of the VOC to the existing vaccine? For this problem, it is necessary to directly test neutralizing antibodies, such as those that can prevent the protection of infection. Antibodies recognize specific protein sequences on viral particles, especially those spike protein sequences used in mRNA vaccines.

(13) Countries around the world, especially countries and regions with more severe epidemics, have a large number of clinical cases, severe cases, and deaths, especially including many young and middle-aged patients, including those who have been vaccinated. The epidemic is more complicated and serious. Injecting various vaccines, taking strict control measures such as closing the city and wearing masks are very important and the effect is very obvious. However, the new coronavirus and mutant viruses are so repeated, their pathological pathogen research will also be very complicated and difficult. After the large-scale use of the vaccine, many people are still infected. In addition to the lack of prevention and control measures, it is very important that the viability of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses is very important. It can escape the inactivation of the vaccine. It is very resistant to stubbornness. Therefore, the recurrence of new coronavirus pneumonia is very dangerous. What is more noteworthy is that medical scientists, virologists, pharmacists, biologists, zoologists and clinicians should seriously consider the correspondence between virus specificity and vaccine drugs, and the coupling of commonality and specificity. Only in this way can we find targets. Track and kill viruses. Only in this sense can the new crown virus produce a nemesis, put an end to and eradicate the new crown virus pneumonia. Of course, this is not a temporary battle, but a certain amount of time and process to achieve the goal in the end.

(14) The development and evolution of the natural universe and earth species, as well as life species. With the continuous evolution of human cell genes, microbes and bacterial viruses are constantly mutated and inherited. The new world will inevitably produce a variety of new pathogens.

And viruses. For example, neurological genetic disease, digestive system disease, respiratory system disease, blood system disease, cardiopulmonary system disease, etc., new diseases will continue to emerge as humans develop and evolve. Human migration to space, space diseases, space psychological diseases, space cell diseases, space genetic diseases, etc. Therefore, for the new coronavirus and mutated viruses, we must have sufficient knowledge and response, and do not think that it will be completely wiped out.

, And is not a scientific attitude. Viruses and humans mutually reinforce each other, and viruses and animals and plants mutually reinforce each other. This is the iron law of the natural universe. Human beings can only adapt to natural history, but cannot deliberately modify natural history.

Active immune products made from specific bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, spirochetes, mycoplasma and other microorganisms and parasites are collectively called vaccines. Vaccination of animals can make the animal body have specific immunity. The principle of vaccines is to artificially attenuate, inactivate, and genetically attenuate pathogenic microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, etc.) and their metabolites. Purification and preparation methods, made into immune preparations for the prevention of infectious diseases. In terms of ingredients, the vaccine retains the antigenic properties and other characteristics of the pathogen, which can stimulate the body's immune response and produce protective antibodies. But it has no pathogenicity and does not cause harm to the body. When the body is exposed to this pathogen again, the immune system will produce more antibodies according to the previous memory to prevent the pathogen from invading or to fight against the damage to the body. (1) Inactivated vaccines: select pathogenic microorganisms with strong immunogenicity, culture them, inactivate them by physical or chemical methods, and then purify and prepare them. The virus species used in inactivated vaccines are generally virulent strains, but the use of attenuated attenuated strains also has good immunogenicity, such as the inactivated polio vaccine produced by the Sabin attenuated strain. The inactivated vaccine has lost its infectivity to the body, but still maintains its immunogenicity, which can stimulate the body to produce corresponding immunity and resist the infection of wild strains. Inactivated vaccines have a good immune effect. They can generally be stored for more than one year at 2～8°C without the risk of reversion of virulence; however, the inactivated vaccines cannot grow and reproduce after entering the human body. They stimulate the human body for a short time and must be strong and long-lasting. In general, adjuvants are required for immunity, and multiple injections in large doses are required, and the local immune protection of natural infection is lacking. Including bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae and toxoid preparations.

(2) Live attenuated vaccine: It is a vaccine made by using artificial targeted mutation methods or by screening live microorganisms with highly weakened or basically non-toxic virulence from the natural world. After inoculation, the live attenuated vaccine has a certain ability to grow and reproduce in the body, which can cause the body to have a reaction similar to a recessive infection or a mild infection, and it is widely used.

(3) Subunit vaccine: Among the multiple specific antigenic determinants carried by macromolecular antigens, only a small number of antigenic sites play an important role in the protective immune response. Separate natural proteins through chemical decomposition or controlled proteolysis, and extract bacteria and virusesVaccines made from fragments with immunological activity are screened out of the special protein structure of, called subunit vaccines. Subunit vaccines have only a few major surface proteins, so they can eliminate antibodies induced by many unrelated antigens, thereby reducing the side effects of the vaccine and related diseases and other side effects caused by the vaccine. (4) Genetically engineered vaccine: It uses DNA recombination biotechnology to direct the natural or synthetic genetic material in the pathogen coat protein that can induce the body's immune response into bacteria, yeast or mammalian cells to make it fully expressed. A vaccine prepared after purification. The application of genetic engineering technology can produce subunit vaccines that do not contain infectious substances, stable attenuated vaccines with live viruses as carriers, and multivalent vaccines that can prevent multiple diseases. This is the second-generation vaccine following the first-generation traditional vaccine. It has the advantages of safety, effectiveness, long-term immune response, and easy realization of combined immunization. It has certain advantages and effects.

New coronavirus drug development, drug targets and chemical modification.

Ligand-based drug design (or indirect drug design planning) relies on the knowledge of other molecules that bind to the target biological target. These other molecules can be used to derive pharmacophore models and structural modalities, which define the minimum necessary structural features that the molecule must have in order to bind to the target. In other words, a model of a biological target can be established based on the knowledge of the binding target, and the model can be used to design new molecular entities and other parts that interact with the target. Among them, the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is included, in which the correlation between the calculated properties of the molecule and its experimentally determined biological activity can be derived. These QSAR relationships can be used to predict the activity of new analogs. The structure-activity relationship is very complicated.

Based on structure

Structure-based drug design relies on knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of biological targets obtained by methods such as X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. If the experimental structure of the target is not available, it is possible to create a homology model of the target and other standard models that can be compared based on the experimental structure of the relevant protein. Using the structure of biological targets, interactive graphics and medical chemists’ intuitive design can be used to predict drug candidates with high affinity and selective binding to the target. Various automatic calculation programs can also be used to suggest new drug candidates.

The current structure-based drug design methods can be roughly divided into three categories. The 3D method is to search a large database of small molecule 3D structures to find new ligands for a given receptor, in order to use a rapid approximate docking procedure to find those suitable for the receptor binding pocket. This method is called virtual screening. The second category is the de novo design of new ligands. In this method, by gradually assembling small fragments, a ligand molecule is established within the constraints of the binding pocket. These fragments can be single atoms or molecular fragments. The main advantage of this method is that it can propose novel structures that are not found in any database. The third method is to optimize the known ligand acquisition by evaluating the proposed analogs in the binding cavity.

Bind site ID

Binding site recognition is a step in structure-based design. If the structure of the target or a sufficiently similar homologue is determined in the presence of the bound ligand, the ligand should be observable in that structure, in which case the location of the binding site is small. However, there may not be an allosteric binding site of interest. In addition, only apo protein structures may be available, and it is not easy to reliably identify unoccupied sites that have the potential to bind ligands with high affinity. In short, the recognition of binding sites usually depends on the recognition of pits. The protein on the protein surface can hold molecules the size of drugs, etc. These molecules also have appropriate "hot spots" that drive ligand binding, hydrophobic surfaces, hydrogen bonding sites, and so on.

Drug design is a creative process of finding new drugs based on the knowledge of biological targets. The most common type of drug is small organic molecules that activate or inhibit the function of biomolecules, thereby producing therapeutic benefits for patients. In the most important sense, drug design involves the design of molecules with complementary shapes and charges that bind to their interacting biomolecular targets, and therefore will bind to them. Drug design often but does not necessarily rely on computer modeling techniques. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technology for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, etc., which must be optimized first before the ligand can become safe and effective. drug. These other features are usually difficult to predict and realize through reasonable design techniques. However, due to the high turnover rate, especially in the clinical stage of drug development, in the early stage of the drug design process, more attention is paid to the selection of drug candidates. The physical and chemical properties of these drug candidates are expected to be reduced during the development process. Complications are therefore more likely to lead to the approval of the marketed drug. In addition, in early drug discovery, in vitro experiments with computational methods are increasingly used to select compounds with more favorable ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) and toxicological characteristics. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technique for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, iatrogenic effects, etc., which must be optimized first, and then the ligand To become safe and effective.

For drug targets, two aspects should be considered when selecting drug targets:

1. The effectiveness of the target, that is, the target is indeed related to the disease, and the symptoms of the disease can be effectively improved by regulating the physiological activity of the target.

2. The side effects of the target. If the regulation of the physiological activity of the target inevitably produces serious side effects, it is inappropriate to select it as the target of drug action or lose its important biological activity. The reference frame of the target should be expanded in multiple dimensions to have a big choice.

3. Search for biomolecular clues related to diseases: use genomics, proteomics and biochip technology to obtain biomolecular information related to diseases, and perform bioinformatics analysis to obtain clue information.

4. Perform functional research on related biomolecules to determine the target of candidate drugs. Multiple targets or individual targets.

5. Candidate drug targets, design small molecule compounds, and conduct pharmacological research at the molecular, cellular and overall animal levels.

Covalent bonding type

The covalent bonding type is an irreversible form of bonding, similar to the organic synthesis reaction that occurs. Covalent bonding types mostly occur in the mechanism of action of chemotherapeutic drugs. For example, alkylating agent anti-tumor drugs produce covalent bonding bonds to guanine bases in DNA, resulting in cytotoxic activity.

. Verify the effectiveness of the target.

Based on the targets that interact with drugs, that is, receptors in a broad sense, such as enzymes, receptors, ion channels, membranes, antigens, viruses, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, etc., find and design reasonable drug molecules. Targets of action and drug screening should focus on multiple points. Drug intermediates and chemical modification. Combining the development of new drugs with the chemical structure modification of traditional drugs makes it easier to find breakthroughs and develop new antiviral drugs. For example, careful selection, modification and modification of existing related drugs that can successfully treat and recover a large number of cases, elimination and screening of invalid drugs from severe death cases, etc., are targeted, rather than screening and capturing needles in a haystack, aimless, with half the effort. Vaccine design should also be multi-pronged and focused. The broad-spectrum, long-term, safety, efficiency and redundancy of the vaccine should all be considered. In this way, it will be more powerful to deal with the mutation and evolution of the virus. Of course, series of vaccines, series of drugs, second-generation vaccines, third-generation vaccines, second-generation drugs, third-generation drugs, etc. can also be developed. Vaccines focus on epidemic prevention, and medicines focus on medical treatment. The two are very different; however, the two complement each other and complement each other. Therefore, in response to large-scale epidemics of infectious diseases, vaccines and various drugs are the nemesis and killers of viral diseases. Of course, it also includes other methods and measures, so I won't repeat them here.

Mainly through the comprehensive and accurate understanding of the structure of the drug and the receptor at the molecular level and even the electronic level, structure-based drug design and the understanding of the structure, function, and drug action mode of the target and the mechanism of physiological activity Mechanism-based drug design.

Compared with the traditional extensive pharmacological screening and lead compound optimization, it has obvious advantages.

Viral RNA replicase, also known as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is responsible for the replication and transcription of RNA virus genome, and plays a very important role in the process of virus self-replication in host cells, and It also has a major impact on the mutation of the virus, it will change and accelerate the replication and recombination. Because RdRp from different viruses has a highly conserved core structure, the virus replicase is an important antiviral drug target and there are other selection sites, rather than a single isolated target target such as the new coronavirus As with various mutant viruses, inhibitors developed for viral replicase are expected to become a broad-spectrum antiviral drug. The currently well-known anti-coronavirus drug remdesivir (remdesivir) is a drug for viral replicase.

New antiviral therapies are gradually emerging. In addition to traditional polymerase and protease inhibitors, nucleic acid drugs, cell entry inhibitors, nucleocapsid inhibitors, and drugs targeting host cells are also increasingly appearing in the research and development of major pharmaceutical companies. The treatment of mutated viruses is becoming increasingly urgent. The development of drugs for the new coronavirus pneumonia is very important. It is not only for the current global new coronavirus epidemic, but more importantly, it is of great significance to face the severe pneumonia-respiratory infectious disease that poses a huge threat to humans.

There are many vaccines and related drugs developed for the new coronavirus pneumonia, and countries are vying for a while, mainly including the following:

Identification test, appearance, difference in loading, moisture, pH value, osmolality, polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, potency test, sterility test, pyrogen test, bacterial endotoxin test, abnormal toxicity test.

Among them: such as sterility inspection, pyrogen inspection, bacterial endotoxin, and abnormal toxicity inspection are indicators closely related to safety.

Polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, and efficacy test are indicators closely related to vaccine effectiveness.

Usually, a vaccine will go through a long research and development process of at least 8 years or even more than 20 years from research and development to marketing. The outbreak of the new crown epidemic requires no delay, and the design and development of vaccines is speeding up. It is not surprising in this special period. Of course, it is understandable that vaccine design, development and testing can be accelerated, shortened the cycle, and reduced some procedures. However, science needs to be rigorous and rigorous to achieve great results. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines are of the utmost importance. There must not be a single error. Otherwise, it will be counterproductive and need to be continuously improved and perfected.

Pre-clinical research: The screening of strains and cells is the basic guarantee to ensure the safety, effectiveness, and continuous supply of vaccines. Taking virus vaccines as an example, the laboratory stage needs to carry out strain screening, necessary strain attenuation, strain adaptation to the cultured cell matrix and stability studies in the process of passaging, and explore the stability of process quality, establish animal models, etc. . Choose mice, guinea pigs, rabbits or monkeys for animal experiments according to each vaccine situation. Pre-clinical research generally takes 5-10 years or longer on the premise that the process is controllable, the quality is stable, and it is safe and effective. In order to be safe and effective, a certain redundant design is also needed, so that the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine can be importantly guaranteed.

These include the establishment of vaccine strain/cell seed bank, production process research, quality research, stability research, animal safety evaluation and effectiveness evaluation, and clinical trial programs, etc.

The ARS-CoV-2 genome contains at least 10 ORFs. ORF1ab is converted into a polyprotein and processed into 16 non-structural proteins (NSP). These NSPs have a variety of functional biological activities, physical and chemical reactions, such as genome replication, induction of host mRNA cleavage, membrane rearrangement, autophagosome production, NSP polyprotein cleavage, capping, tailing, methylation, RNA double-stranded Uncoiling, etc., and others, play an important role in the virus life cycle. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 contains 4 structural proteins, namely spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), envelope (E) and membrane (M), all of which are encoded by the 3'end of the viral genome. Among the four structural proteins, S protein is a large multifunctional transmembrane protein that plays an important role in the process of virus adsorption, fusion, and injection into host cells, and requires in-depth observation and research.

1S protein is composed of S1 and S2 subunits, and each subunit can be further divided into different functional domains. The S1 subunit has 2 domains: NTD and RBD, and RBD contains conservative RBM. The S2 subunit has 3 structural domains: FP, HR1 and HR2. The S1 subunit is arranged at the top of the S2 subunit to form an immunodominant S protein.

The virus uses the host transmembrane protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and the endosomal cysteine ​​protease CatB/L to enter the cell. TMPRSS2 is responsible for the cleavage of the S protein to expose the FP region of the S2 subunit, which is responsible for initiating endosome-mediated host cell entry into it. It shows that TMPRSS2 is a host factor necessary for virus entry. Therefore, the use of drugs that inhibit this protease can achieve the purpose of treatment.

mRNA-1273

The mRNA encoding the full length of SARS-CoV-2, and the pre-spike protein fusion is encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles to form mRNA-1273 vaccine. It can induce a high level of S protein specific antiviral response. It can also consist of inactivated antigens or subunit antigens. The vaccine was quickly approved by the FDA and has entered phase II clinical trials. The company has announced the antibody data of 8 subjects who received different immunization doses. The 25ug dose group achieved an effect similar to the antibody level during the recovery period. The 100ug dose group exceeded the antibody level during the recovery period. In the 25ug and 100ug dose groups, the vaccine was basically safe and tolerable, while the 250ug dose group had 3 levels of systemic symptoms.

Viral vector vaccines can provide long-term high-level expression of antigen proteins, induce CTLs, and ultimately eliminate viral infections.

1, Ad5-nCov

A vaccine of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein expressed by recombinant, replication-deficient type 5 adenovirus (Ad5) vector. Load the optimized full-length S protein gene together with the plasminogen activation signal peptide gene into the E1 and E3 deleted Ad5 vectors. The vaccine is constructed by the Admax system derived from Microbix Biosystem. In phase I clinical trials, RBD (S1 subunit receptor binding domain) and S protein neutralizing antibody increased by 4 times 14 days after immunization, reaching a peak on 28 days. CD4+T and CD8+T cells reached a peak 14 days after immunization. The existing Ad5 immune resistance partially limits the response of antibodies and T cells. This study will be further conducted in the 18-60 age group, receiving 1/3 of the study dose, and follow-up for 3-6 months after immunization.

DNA vaccine

The introduction of antigen-encoding DNA and adjuvants as vaccines is the most innovative vaccine method. The transfected cells stably express the transgenic protein, similar to live viruses. The antigen will be endocytosed by immature DC, and finally provide antigen to CD4 + T, CD8 + T cells (by MHC differentiation) To induce humoral and cellular immunity. Some specificities of the virus and the new coronavirus mutant are different from general vaccines and other vaccines. Therefore, it is worth noting the gene expression of the vaccine. Otherwise, the effectiveness and efficiency of the vaccine will be questioned.

Live attenuated vaccine

DelNS1-SARS-CoV2-RBD

Basic influenza vaccine, delete NS1 gene. Express SARS-CoV-2 RBD domain. Cultured in CEF and MDCK (canine kidney cells) cells. It is more immunogenic than wild-type influenza virus and can be administered by nasal spray.

The viral genome is susceptible to mutation, antigen transfer and drift can occur, and spread among the population. Mutations can vary depending on the environmental conditions and population density of the geographic area. After screening and comparing 7,500 samples of infected patients, scientists found 198 mutations, indicating the evolutionary mutation of the virus in the human host. These mutations may form different virus subtypes, which means that even after vaccine immunization, viral infections may occur. A certain amount of increment and strengthening is needed here.

Inactivated vaccines, adenovirus vector vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, attenuated influenza virus vector vaccines, etc. According to relevant information, there are dozens of new coronavirus vaccines in the world, and more varieties are being developed and upgraded. Including the United States, Britain, China, Russia, India and other countries, there are more R&D and production units.

AZ vaccine

Modena vaccine

Lianya Vaccine

High-end vaccine

Pfizer vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech

A large study found that the vaccine developed by Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.

The vaccine is divided into two doses, which are injected every three weeks.

This vaccine uses a molecule called mRNA as its basis. mRNA is a molecular cousin of DNA, which contains instructions to build specific proteins; in this case, the mRNA in the vaccine encodes the coronavirus spike protein, which is attached to the surface of the virus and used to infect human cells. Once the vaccine enters the human body, it will instruct the body's cells to make this protein, and the immune system will learn to recognize and attack it.

Moderna

The vaccine developed by the American biotechnology company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is also based on mRNA and is estimated to be 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Like Pfizer's vaccine, this vaccine is divided into two doses, but injected every four weeks instead of three weeks. Another difference is that the Moderna vaccine can be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius instead of deep freezing like Pfizer vaccine. At present, the importance of one of the widely used vaccines is self-evident.

Oxford-AstraZeneca

The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is approximately 70% effective in preventing COVID-19-that is, in clinical trials, adjusting the dose seems to improve this effect.

In the population who received two high-dose vaccines (28 days apart), the effectiveness of the vaccine was about 62%; according to early analysis, the effectiveness of the vaccine in those patients who received the half-dose first and then the full-dose Is 90%. However, in clinical trials, participants taking half doses of the drug are wrong, and some scientists question whether these early results are representative.

Sinopharm Group (Beijing Institute of Biological Products, China)

China National Pharmaceutical Group Sinopharm and Beijing Institute of Biological Products have developed a vaccine from inactivated coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The inactivated coronavirus is an improved version that cannot be replicated.

Estimates of the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19 vary.

Gamaleya Institute

The Gamaleya Institute of the Russian Ministry of Health has developed a coronavirus vaccine candidate called Sputnik V. This vaccine contains two common cold viruses, adenoviruses, which have been modified so that they will not replicate in the human body; the modified virus also contains a gene encoding the coronavirus spike protein.

New crown drugs

There are many small molecule antiviral drug candidates in the clinical research stage around the world. Including traditional drugs in the past and various drugs yet to be developed, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, Gene drugs, compound drugs, etc.

(A) Molnupiravir

Molnupiravir is a prodrug of the nucleoside analog N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

The positive rate of infectious virus isolation and culture in nasopharyngeal swabs was 0% (0/47), while that of patients in the placebo group was 24% (6/25). However, data from the Phase II/III study indicate that the drug has no benefit in preventing death or shortening the length of stay in hospitalized patients.

Therefore, Merck has decided to fully advance the research of 800mg molnupiravir in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

(B) AT-527

AT-527 is a small molecule inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase, jointly developed by Roche and Atea. Not only can it be used as an oral therapy to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but it also has the potential as a preventive treatment after exposure.

Including 70 high-risk COVID-19 hospitalized patients data, of which 62 patients' data can be used for virological analysis and evaluation. The results of interim virological analysis show that AT-527 can quickly reduce viral load. On day 2, compared with placebo, patients treated with AT-527 had a greater decline in viral load than the baseline level, and the continuous difference in viral load decline was maintained until day 8.

In addition, compared with the control group, the potent antiviral activity of AT-527 was also observed in patients with a baseline median viral load higher than 5.26 log10. When testing by RT-qPCR to assess whether the virus is cleared,

The safety aspect is consistent with previous studies. AT-527 showed good safety and tolerability, and no new safety problems or risks were found. Of course, there is still a considerable distance between experiment and clinical application, and a large amount of experimental data can prove it.

(C) Prokrutamide

Prokalamide is an AR (androgen receptor) antagonist. Activated androgen receptor AR can induce the expression of transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2). TMPRSS2 has a shearing effect on the new coronavirus S protein and ACE2, which can promote the binding of viral spike protein (S protein) to ACE, thereby promoting The virus enters the host cell. Therefore, inhibiting the androgen receptor may inhibit the viral infection process, and AR antagonists are expected to become anti-coronavirus drugs.

Positive results were obtained in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial. The data shows that Prokalutamide reduces the risk of death in severely ill patients with new coronary disease by 92%, reduces the risk of new ventilator use by 92%, and shortens the length of hospital stay by 9 days. This shows that procrulamide has a certain therapeutic effect for patients with severe new coronary disease, which can significantly reduce the mortality of patients, and at the same time greatly reduce the new mechanical ventilation and shorten the patient's hospital stay.

With the continuous development of COVID-19 on a global scale, in addition to vaccines and prevention and control measures, we need a multi-pronged plan to control this disease. Oral antiviral therapy undoubtedly provides a convenient treatment option.

In addition, there are other drugs under development and experimentation. In dealing with the plague virus, in addition to the strict control of protective measures, it is very important that various efficient and safe vaccines and various drugs (including medical instruments, etc.) are the ultimate nemesis and killer of the virus.

(A) "Antiviral biological missiles" are mainly drugs for new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, which act on respiratory and lung diseases. The drugs use redundant designs to inhibit new coronaviruses and variant viruses.

(B) "New Coronavirus Epidemic Prevention Tablets" mainly use natural purified elements and chemical structure modifications.

(C) "Composite antiviral oral liquid" antiviral intermediate, natural antiviral plant, plus other preparations

(D) "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets" Chemical modification of antiviral drugs, multiple targets, etc.

(E) "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injections) are mainly made of chemical drug structure modification and other preparations.

The development of these drugs mainly includes: drug target screening, structure-activity relationship, chemical modification, natural purification, etc., which require a lot of work and experimentation.

Humans need to vigorously develop drugs to deal with various viruses. These drugs are very important for the prevention and treatment of viruses and respiratory infectious diseases, influenza, pneumonia, etc.

The history of human development The history of human evolution, like all living species, will always be accompanied by the survival and development of microorganisms. It is not surprising that viruses and infectious diseases are frequent and prone to occur. The key is to prevent and control them before they happen.

This strain was first discovered in India in October 2020 and was initially called a "double mutant" virus by the media. According to the announcement by the Ministry of Health of India at the end of March this year, the "India New Coronavirus Genomics Alliance" composed of 10 laboratories found in samples collected in Maharashtra that this new mutant strain carries E484Q and L452R mutations. , May lead to immune escape and increased infectivity. This mutant strain was named B.1.617 by the WHO and was named with the Greek letter δ (delta) on May 31.

Shahid Jamil, the dean of the Trivedi School of Biological Sciences at Ashoka University in India and a virologist, said in an interview with the Shillong Times of India that this mutant strain called "double mutation" is not accurate enough. B. 1.617 contains a total of 15 mutations, of which 6 occur on the spike protein, of which 3 are more critical: L452R and E484Q mutations occur on the spike protein and the human cell "Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2)" receptor In the bound region, L452R improves the ability of the virus to invade cells, and E484Q helps to enhance the immune escape of the virus; the third mutation P681R can also make the virus enter the cell more effectively. (Encyclopedia website)

There are currently dozens of antiviral COVID-19 therapies under development. The large drugmakers Merck and Pfizer are the closest to the end, as expected, a pair of oral antiviral COVID-19 therapies are undergoing advanced human clinical trials.

Merck's drug candidate is called monupiravir. It was originally developed as an influenza antiviral drug several years ago. However, preclinical studies have shown that it has a good effect on SARS and MERS coronavirus.

Monupiravir is currently undergoing in-depth large-scale Phase 3 human trials. So far, the data is so promising that the US government recently pre-ordered 1.7 million courses of drugs at a cost of $1.2 billion. If everything goes according to plan, the company hopes that the drug will be authorized by the FDA for emergency use and be on the market before the end of 2021.

Pfizer's large COVID-19 antiviral drug candidate is more unique. Currently known as PF-07321332, this drug is the first oral antiviral drug to enter human clinical trials, specifically targeting SARS-CoV-2.

Variant of Concern WHO Label First Detected in World First Detected in Washington State

B.1.1.7 Alpha United Kingdom, September 2020 January 2021

B.1.351 Beta South Africa, December 2020 February 2021

P.1 Gamma Brazil, April 2020 March 2021

B.1.617.2 Delta India, October 2020 April 2021

Although this particular molecule was developed in 2020 after the emergence of the new coronavirus, a somewhat related drug called PF-00835231 has been in operation for several years, targeting the original SARS virus. However, the new drug candidate PF-07321332 is designed as a simple pill that can be taken under non-hospital conditions in the initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

"The protease inhibitor binds to a viral enzyme and prevents the virus from replicating in the cell," Pfizer said when explaining the mechanism of its new antiviral drug. "Protease inhibitors have been effective in the treatment of other viral pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, whether used alone or in combination with other antiviral drugs. Currently marketed therapeutic drugs for viral proteases are generally not toxic Therefore, such molecules may provide well-tolerated treatments against COVID-19."

Various studies on other types of antiviral drugs are also gaining momentum. For example, the new coronavirus pneumonia "antiviral biological missile", "new coronavirus prevention tablets", "composite antiviral oral liquid", "new coronavirus long-acting oral tablets", "new coronavirus inhibitors" (injections), etc., are worthy of attention. Like all kinds of vaccines, they will play a major role in preventing and fighting epidemics.

In addition, Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionoyoshi Pharmaceutical is currently conducting a phase 1 trial of a protease inhibitor similar to SARS-CoV-2. This is called S-217622, ​​which is another oral antiviral drug, and hopes to provide people with an easy-to-take pill in the early stages of COVID-19. At present, the research and development of vaccines and various new crown drugs is very active and urgent. Time does not wait. With the passage of time, various new crown drugs will appear on the stage one after another, bringing the gospel to the complete victory of mankind.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. The Delta mutant strain has quickly become the most prominent SARS-CoV-2 strain in the world. Although our vaccine is still maintained, it is clear that we need more tools to combat this new type of coronavirus. Delta will certainly not be the last new SARS-CoV-2 variant we encountered. Therefore, it is necessary for all mankind to persevere and fight the epidemic together.

Overcome illness and meet new challenges. The new crown epidemic and various mutated viruses are very important global epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic top priorities, especially for the current period of time. Vaccine injections, research and development of new drugs, strict prevention and control, wear masks, reduce gatherings, strictly control large gatherings, prevent the spread of various viruses Masks, disinfection and sterilization, lockdown of the city, vaccinations, accounting and testing are very important, but this does not mean that humans can completely overcome the virus. In fact, many spreading and new latently transmitted infections are still unsuccessful. There are detections, such as invisible patients, asymptomatic patients, migratory latent patients, new-onset patients, etc. The struggle between humans and the virus is still very difficult and complicated, and long-term efforts and exploration are still needed, especially for medical research on the new coronavirus. The origin of the disease, the course of the disease, the virus invaded The deep-level path and the reasons for the evolution and mutation of the new coronavirus and the particularity of prevention and treatment, etc.). Therefore, human beings should be highly vigilant and must not be taken lightly. The fierce battle between humans and various viruses must not be slackened. Greater efforts are needed to successfully overcome this pandemic, fully restore the normal life of the whole society, restore the normal production and work order, restore the normal operation of society, economy and culture, and give up food due to choking. Or eager for success, will pay a high price.

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Compilation postscript

Once Fang Ruida's research literature on the new crown virus and mutant virus was published, it has been enthusiastically praised by readers and netizens in dozens of countries around the world, and has proposed some amendments and suggestions. Hope to publish a multilingual version of the book as an emergency To meet the needs of many readers around the world, in the face of the new crown epidemic and the prevention and treatment of various mutant viruses, including the general public, college and middle school students, medical workers, medical colleagues and so on. According to the English original manuscript, it will be re-compiled and published. Inconsistencies will be revised separately. Thank you very much.

Jacques Lucy, Geneva, Switzerland, August 2021

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Leader mondial, scientifique, scientifique médical, virologue, pharmacien et professeur Fangruida (F.D Smith) sur l'épidémie mondiale et l'ennemi juré et la prévention des nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants (Jacques Lucy 2021v1.5)

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L'ennemi juré et le tueur du nouveau coronavirus et des virus mutés - Développement conjoint de vaccins et de médicaments (Fangruida) Juillet 2021

* La particularité des nouveaux coronavirus et des virus mutants * Le large spectre, la haute efficacité, la redondance et la sécurité de la conception et du développement du nouveau vaccin contre le coronavirus, Redondance et sécurité

* Nouvelle modification de la structure chimique des médicaments contre les coronavirus * Conception et dépistage des médicaments assistés par ordinateur. *"Missile biologique antiviral", "Nouveaux comprimés anti-épidémiques contre le coronavirus", "Liquide oral antiviral composite", "Nouveaux comprimés oraux à action prolongée contre le coronavirus", "Nouveaux inhibiteurs de coronavirus" (injection)

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(leader mondial, scientifique, scientifique médical, biologiste, virologue, pharmacien, FD Smith) "The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-The Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs" est un important document de recherche scientifique. Il a maintenant été révisé et réédité par l'auteur original à plusieurs reprises. La compilation est publiée et publiée selon le manuscrit original pour répondre aux besoins des lecteurs et des internautes du monde entier. En même temps, elle est également très bénéfique pour le grand nombre de chercheurs en médicaments cliniques médicaux et de divers experts et universitaires. Nous espérons qu'il sera corrigé dans la réimpression.------Compilé par Jacques Lucy à Genève, août 2021

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Selon les statistiques en temps réel de Worldometer, vers 6h30 le 23 juillet, il y avait un total de 193 323 815 cas confirmés de nouvelle pneumonie coronarienne dans le monde, et un total de 4 150 213 décès. Il y a eu 570 902 nouveaux cas confirmés et 8 766 nouveaux décès dans le monde en une seule journée. Les données montrent que les États-Unis, le Brésil, le Royaume-Uni, l'Inde et l'Indonésie sont les cinq pays avec le plus grand nombre de nouveaux cas confirmés, et l'Indonésie, le Brésil, la Russie, l'Afrique du Sud et l'Inde sont les cinq pays avec le plus grand nombre de nouveaux décès.

Les nouvelles souches de coronavirus et de mutants delta ont été particulièrement graves ces derniers temps. De nombreux pays et lieux ont repris vie et le nombre de cas n'a pas diminué, mais a augmenté.

, Il est digne de vigilance. Bien que de nombreux pays aient renforcé la prévention et le contrôle des vaccins et d'autres mesures de prévention et de contrôle, il existe encore de nombreuses lacunes et carences dans la suppression et la prévention du virus. Le nouveau coronavirus et diverses souches mutantes présentent un certain degré d'antagonisme par rapport aux médicaments traditionnels et à la plupart des vaccins. Bien que la plupart des vaccins aient de grandes propriétés anti-épidémiques et aient des effets et une protection importants et irremplaçables pour la prévention et le traitement, il est impossible d'empêcher complètement la propagation et l'infection des virus. La propagation de la nouvelle pneumonie à virus couronne a été retardée de près de deux ans. Il y a des centaines de millions de personnes infectées dans le monde, des millions de décès, et le temps est long, la propagation est généralisée et des milliards de personnes dans le monde sont parmi Les dommages causés par le virus sont assez terribles, c'est bien connu. Plus urgent

Ce qui est plus grave, c'est que le virus et les souches mutantes n'ont pas complètement reculé, surtout que de nombreuses personnes sont encore infectées et infectées après avoir été injectées avec divers vaccins.L'efficacité du vaccin et la résistance du virus mutant sont dignes des scientifiques médicaux, virologues , les pharmacologues Les zoologistes et autres réfléchissent et analysent sérieusement. La situation épidémique actuelle dans les pays européens et américains, la Chine, le Brésil, l'Inde, les États-Unis, la Russie et d'autres pays s'est considérablement améliorée par rapport à l'année dernière.Cependant, les chiffres pertinents montrent que la situation épidémique mondiale ne s'est pas complètement améliorée, et certains pays et régions sont encore très graves. En particulier, après une utilisation intensive de divers vaccins, des cas surviennent encore, et dans certains endroits ils sont encore très graves, ce qui mérite une grande vigilance. Les mesures de prévention et de contrôle sont très importantes.De plus, les vaccins et divers médicaments antiépidémiques sont les premiers choix nécessaires, et les autres méthodes sont irremplaçables. Il est particulièrement important de développer et de développer des médicaments complets, des médicaments antiviraux, des médicaments immunitaires et des médicaments génétiques. Les expériences de recherche sur les nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants nécessitent une analyse plus rigoureuse et approfondie des données, des tissus pathogènes pathologiques, des gènes cellulaires, de la chimie moléculaire, de la chimie quantique, etc., ainsi que de la chimie moléculaire des vaccins, de la physique quantique, de la biologie quantique, de l'histologie cytologique, la chimie médicinale et les médicaments Et les symptômes, l'efficacité, la sécurité, l'efficacité à long terme, etc. du vaccin, bien sûr, y compris des dizaines de milliers de cas cliniques et de décès et d'autres informations et preuves de première main. La tâche de l'ARN (acide ribonucléique) dans le corps humain est d'utiliser les informations de notre matériel génétique ADN pour produire des protéines. Il accomplit cette tâche dans le ribosome, la zone productrice de protéines de la cellule. Le ribosome est le lieu où se produit la biosynthèse des protéines.

La médecine en profite : dans la vaccination, l'ARNm produit artificiellement fournit aux ribosomes des instructions pour construire des antigènes pathogènes contre lesquels lutter, par exemple, la protéine de pointe du coronavirus.

Les vaccins vivants traditionnels ou les vaccins inactivés contiennent des antigènes qui provoquent la réaction du système immunitaire. Le vaccin à ARNm est produit dans la cellule

(1) La spécificité des nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants, etc., virologie et chimie quantique des virus mutants, physique quantique, microbiologie quantique

(2) Nouvelle conception de vaccin couronne, biologie moléculaire et structure chimique, etc.

(3) La généralité et la particularité du développement de nouveaux médicaments contre le coronavirus

(4) Diverses conceptions de médicaments pour la pneumonie à nouveau coronavirus, la chimie médicinale, la pharmacologie, etc., les cellules, les protéines, l'ADN, la chimie des enzymes, la chimie quantique pharmaceutique, la physique quantique pharmaceutique, la biochimie humaine, la biophysique humaine, etc.

(5) Les caractéristiques d'évolution et de mutation du nouveau coronavirus et de divers virus mutants, la nature à long terme, la répétabilité, la résistance aux médicaments et la résistance épidémique du virus, etc.

(6) Pneumonie à nouveau coronavirus et transmission infectieuse de divers nouveaux coronavirus et leurs particularités

(7) La transmission invisible de la pneumonie à nouveau coronavirus et de divers virus mutants chez l'homme ou l'animal, et la symbiose mutuelle de l'infection croisée de diverses bactéries et virus sont également l'une des causes très graves de dommages graves aux nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants. La virologie, la pathologie, l'étiologie, le séquençage des gènes, la cartographie des gènes et un grand nombre d'études analytiques ont montré qu'il existe de nombreux cas en Chine, aux États-Unis, en Inde, en Russie, au Brésil et dans d'autres pays.

(8) Pour la prévention et le traitement symptomatiques du nouveau coronavirus, la combinaison de divers vaccins et de di

World leader, scientist, medical scientist, virologist, pharmacist, Professor Fangruida (F.D Smith) on the world epidemic and the nemesis and prevention of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses (Jacques Lucy) 2021v1.5)

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The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs (Fangruida) July 2021

*The particularity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses*The broad spectrum, high efficiency, redundancy, and safety of the new coronavirus vaccine design and development , Redundancy and safety

*New coronavirus drug chemical structure modification*Computer-aided design and drug screening. *"Antiviral biological missile", "New Coronavirus Anti-epidemic Tablets", "Composite Antiviral Oral Liquid", "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets", "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injection)

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(World leader, scientist, medical scientist, biologist, virologist, pharmacist, FD Smith) "The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-The Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs" is an important scientific research document. Now it has been revised and re-published by the original author several times. The compilation is published and published according to the original manuscript to meet the needs of readers and netizens all over the world. At the same time, it is also of great benefit to the vast number of medical clinical drug researchers and various experts and scholars. We hope that it will be corrected in the reprint.------Compiled by Jacques Lucy in Geneva, August 2021

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According to Worldometer's real-time statistics, as of about 6:30 on July 23, there were a total of 193,323,815 confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia worldwide, and a total of 4,150,213 deaths. There were 570,902 new confirmed cases and 8,766 new deaths worldwide in a single day. Data shows that the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, India, and Indonesia are the five countries with the largest number of new confirmed cases, and Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and India are the five countries with the largest number of new deaths.

The new coronavirus and delta mutant strains have been particularly serious in the recent past. Many countries and places have revived, and the number of cases has not decreased, but has increased.

, It is worthy of vigilance. Although many countries have strengthened vaccine prevention and control and other prevention and control measures, there are still many shortcomings and deficiencies in virus suppression and prevention. The new coronavirus and various mutant strains have a certain degree of antagonism to traditional drugs and most vaccines. Although most vaccines have great anti-epidemic properties and have important and irreplaceable effects and protection for prevention and treatment, it is impossible to completely prevent the spread and infection of viruses. The spread of the new crown virus pneumonia has been delayed for nearly two years. There are hundreds of millions of people infected worldwide, millions of deaths, and the time is long, the spread is widespread, and billions of people around the world are among them. The harm of the virus is quite terrible. This is well known. of. More urgent

What is more serious is that the virus and mutant strains have not completely retreated, especially many people are still infected and infected after being injected with various vaccines. The effectiveness of the vaccine and the resistance of the mutant virus are worthy of medical scientists, virologists, pharmacologists Zoologists and others seriously think and analyze. The current epidemic situation in European and American countries, China, Brazil, India, the United States, Russia and other countries has greatly improved from last year. However, relevant figures show that the global epidemic situation has not completely improved, and some countries and regions are still very serious. In particular, after extensive use of various vaccines, cases still occur, and in some places they are still very serious, which deserves a high degree of vigilance. Prevention and control measures are very important. In addition, vaccines and various anti-epidemic drugs are the first and necessary choices, and other methods are irreplaceable. It is particularly important to develop and develop comprehensive drugs, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, and genetic drugs. Research experiments on new coronaviruses and mutant viruses require more rigorous and in-depth data analysis, pathological pathogenic tissues, cell genes, molecular chemistry, quantum chemistry, etc., as well as vaccine molecular chemistry, quantum physics, quantum biology, cytological histology, medicinal chemistry, and drugs And the vaccine’s symptomatic, effectiveness, safety, long-term effectiveness, etc., of course, including tens of thousands of clinical cases and deaths and other first-hand information and evidence. The task of RNA (ribonucleic acid) in the human body is to use the information of our genetic material DNA to produce protein. It accomplishes this task in the ribosome, the protein-producing area of ​​the cell. The ribosome is the place where protein biosynthesis occurs.

Medicine takes advantage of this: In vaccination, artificially produced mRNA provides ribosomes with instructions for constructing pathogen antigens to fight against—for example, the spike protein of coronavirus.

Traditional live vaccines or inactivated vaccines contain antigens that cause the immune system to react. The mRNA vaccine is produced in the cell

(1) The specificity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, etc., virology and quantum chemistry of mutant viruses, quantum physics, quantum microbiology

(2) New crown vaccine design, molecular biology and chemical structure, etc.

(3) The generality and particularity of the development of new coronavirus drugs

(4) Various drug design for new coronavirus pneumonia, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, etc., cells, proteins, DNA, enzyme chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum physics, human biochemistry, human biophysics, etc.

(5) The evolution and mutation characteristics of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses, the long-term nature, repeatability, drug resistance, and epidemic resistance of the virus, etc.

(6) New coronavirus pneumonia and the infectious transmission of various new coronaviruses and their particularities

(7) The invisible transmission of new coronavirus pneumonia and various mutant viruses in humans or animals, and the mutual symbiosis of cross infection of various bacteria and viruses are also one of the very serious causes of serious harm to new coronaviruses and mutant viruses. Virology, pathology, etiology, gene sequencing, gene mapping, and a large number of analytical studies have shown that there are many cases in China, the United States, India, Russia, Brazil, and other countries.

(8) For the symptomatic prevention and treatment of the new coronavirus, the combination of various vaccines and various antiviral drugs is critical.

(9) According to the current epidemic situation and research judgments, the epidemic situation may improve in the next period of time and 2021-2022, and we are optimistic about its success. However, completely worry-free, it is still too early to win easily. It is not just relying on vaccination. Wearing masks to close the city and other prevention and control measures and methods can sit back and relax, and you can win a big victory. Because all kinds of research and exploration still require a lot of time and various experimental studies. It is not a day's work. A simple taste is very dangerous and harmful. The power and migratory explosiveness of viruses sometimes far exceed human thinking and perception. In the future, next year, or in the future, whether viruses and various evolutionary mutation viruses will re-attack, we still need to study, analyze, prevent and control, rather than being complacent, thinking that the vaccine can win a big victory is inevitably naive and ridiculous. Vaccine protection is very important, but it must not be taken carelessly. The mutation of the new crown virus is very rampant, and the cross-infection of recessive and virulent bacteria makes epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic very complicated.

(10) New crown virus pneumonia and the virus's stubbornness, strength, migration, susceptibility, multi-infectiousness, and occult. The effectiveness of various vaccines and the particularity of virus mutations The long-term hidden dangers and repeated recurrences of the new coronavirus

(11) The formation mechanism and invisible transmission of invisible viruses, asymptomatic infections and asymptomatic infections, asymptomatic transmission routes, asymptomatic infections, pathological pathogens. The spread and infection of viruses and mutated viruses, the blind spots and blind spots of virus vaccines, viral quantum chemistry and

The chemical and physical corresponding reactions at the meeting points of highly effective vaccine drugs, etc. The variability of mutated viruses is very complicated, and vaccination cannot completely prevent the spread of infection.

(12) New crown virus pneumonia and various respiratory infectious diseases are susceptible to infections in animals and humans, and are frequently recurring. This is one of the frequently-occurring and difficult diseases of common infectious diseases. Even with various vaccines and various antiviral immune drugs, it is difficult to completely prevent the occurrence and spread of viral pneumonia. Therefore, epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic is a major issue facing human society, and no country should take it lightly. The various costs that humans pay on this issue are very expensive, such as Ebola virus, influenza A virus,

Hepatitis virus,

Marburg virus

Sars coronavirus, plague, anthracnose, cholera

and many more. The B.1.1.7 mutant virus that was first discovered in the UK was renamed Alpha mutant virus; the B.1.351 that was first discovered in South Africa was renamed Beta mutant virus; the P.1 that was first discovered in Brazil was renamed Gamma mutant virus; the mutation was first discovered in India There are two branches of the virus. B.1.617.2, which was listed as "mutated virus of concern", was renamed Delta mutant virus, and B.1.617.1 of "mutated virus to be observed" was renamed Kappa mutant virus.

However, experts in many countries believe that the current vaccination is still effective, at least it can prevent severe illness and reduce deaths.

　　　　 Delta mutant strain

According to the degree of risk, the WHO divides the new crown variant strains into two categories: worrying variant strains (VOC, variant of concern) and noteworthy variant strains (VOI, variant of interest). The former has caused many cases and a wide range of cases worldwide, and data confirms its transmission ability, strong toxicity, high power, complex migration, and high insidious transmission of infection. Resistance to vaccines may lead to the effectiveness of vaccines and clinical treatments. Decrease; the latter has confirmed cases of community transmission worldwide, or has been found in multiple countries, but has not yet formed a large-scale infection. Need to be very vigilant. Various cases and deaths in many countries in the world are related to this. In some countries, the epidemic situation is repeated, and it is also caused by various reasons and viruses, of course, including new cases and so on.

At present, VOC is the mutant strain that has the greatest impact on the epidemic and the greatest threat to the world, including: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. , Will the change of the spur protein in the VOC affect the immune protection effect of the existing vaccine, or whether it will affect the sensitivity of the VOC to the existing vaccine? For this problem, it is necessary to directly test neutralizing antibodies, such as those that can prevent the protection of infection. Antibodies recognize specific protein sequences on viral particles, especially those spike protein sequences used in mRNA vaccines.

(13) Countries around the world, especially countries and regions with more severe epidemics, have a large number of clinical cases, severe cases, and deaths, especially including many young and middle-aged patients, including those who have been vaccinated. The epidemic is more complicated and serious. Injecting various vaccines, taking strict control measures such as closing the city and wearing masks are very important and the effect is very obvious. However, the new coronavirus and mutant viruses are so repeated, their pathological pathogen research will also be very complicated and difficult. After the large-scale use of the vaccine, many people are still infected. In addition to the lack of prevention and control measures, it is very important that the viability of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses is very important. It can escape the inactivation of the vaccine. It is very resistant to stubbornness. Therefore, the recurrence of new coronavirus pneumonia is very dangerous. What is more noteworthy is that medical scientists, virologists, pharmacists, biologists, zoologists and clinicians should seriously consider the correspondence between virus specificity and vaccine drugs, and the coupling of commonality and specificity. Only in this way can we find targets. Track and kill viruses. Only in this sense can the new crown virus produce a nemesis, put an end to and eradicate the new crown virus pneumonia. Of course, this is not a temporary battle, but a certain amount of time and process to achieve the goal in the end.

(14) The development and evolution of the natural universe and earth species, as well as life species. With the continuous evolution of human cell genes, microbes and bacterial viruses are constantly mutated and inherited. The new world will inevitably produce a variety of new pathogens.

And viruses. For example, neurological genetic disease, digestive system disease, respiratory system disease, blood system disease, cardiopulmonary system disease, etc., new diseases will continue to emerge as humans develop and evolve. Human migration to space, space diseases, space psychological diseases, space cell diseases, space genetic diseases, etc. Therefore, for the new coronavirus and mutated viruses, we must have sufficient knowledge and response, and do not think that it will be completely wiped out.

, And is not a scientific attitude. Viruses and humans mutually reinforce each other, and viruses and animals and plants mutually reinforce each other. This is the iron law of the natural universe. Human beings can only adapt to natural history, but cannot deliberately modify natural history.

Active immune products made from specific bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, spirochetes, mycoplasma and other microorganisms and parasites are collectively called vaccines. Vaccination of animals can make the animal body have specific immunity. The principle of vaccines is to artificially attenuate, inactivate, and genetically attenuate pathogenic microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, etc.) and their metabolites. Purification and preparation methods, made into immune preparations for the prevention of infectious diseases. In terms of ingredients, the vaccine retains the antigenic properties and other characteristics of the pathogen, which can stimulate the body's immune response and produce protective antibodies. But it has no pathogenicity and does not cause harm to the body. When the body is exposed to this pathogen again, the immune system will produce more antibodies according to the previous memory to prevent the pathogen from invading or to fight against the damage to the body. (1) Inactivated vaccines: select pathogenic microorganisms with strong immunogenicity, culture them, inactivate them by physical or chemical methods, and then purify and prepare them. The virus species used in inactivated vaccines are generally virulent strains, but the use of attenuated attenuated strains also has good immunogenicity, such as the inactivated polio vaccine produced by the Sabin attenuated strain. The inactivated vaccine has lost its infectivity to the body, but still maintains its immunogenicity, which can stimulate the body to produce corresponding immunity and resist the infection of wild strains. Inactivated vaccines have a good immune effect. They can generally be stored for more than one year at 2～8°C without the risk of reversion of virulence; however, the inactivated vaccines cannot grow and reproduce after entering the human body. They stimulate the human body for a short time and must be strong and long-lasting. In general, adjuvants are required for immunity, and multiple injections in large doses are required, and the local immune protection of natural infection is lacking. Including bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae and toxoid preparations.

(2) Live attenuated vaccine: It is a vaccine made by using artificial targeted mutation methods or by screening live microorganisms with highly weakened or basically non-toxic virulence from the natural world. After inoculation, the live attenuated vaccine has a certain ability to grow and reproduce in the body, which can cause the body to have a reaction similar to a recessive infection or a mild infection, and it is widely used.

(3) Subunit vaccine: Among the multiple specific antigenic determinants carried by macromolecular antigens, only a small number of antigenic sites play an important role in the protective immune response. Separate natural proteins through chemical decomposition or controlled proteolysis, and extract bacteria and virusesVaccines made from fragments with immunological activity are screened out of the special protein structure of, called subunit vaccines. Subunit vaccines have only a few major surface proteins, so they can eliminate antibodies induced by many unrelated antigens, thereby reducing the side effects of the vaccine and related diseases and other side effects caused by the vaccine. (4) Genetically engineered vaccine: It uses DNA recombination biotechnology to direct the natural or synthetic genetic material in the pathogen coat protein that can induce the body's immune response into bacteria, yeast or mammalian cells to make it fully expressed. A vaccine prepared after purification. The application of genetic engineering technology can produce subunit vaccines that do not contain infectious substances, stable attenuated vaccines with live viruses as carriers, and multivalent vaccines that can prevent multiple diseases. This is the second-generation vaccine following the first-generation traditional vaccine. It has the advantages of safety, effectiveness, long-term immune response, and easy realization of combined immunization. It has certain advantages and effects.

New coronavirus drug development, drug targets and chemical modification.

Ligand-based drug design (or indirect drug design planning) relies on the knowledge of other molecules that bind to the target biological target. These other molecules can be used to derive pharmacophore models and structural modalities, which define the minimum necessary structural features that the molecule must have in order to bind to the target. In other words, a model of a biological target can be established based on the knowledge of the binding target, and the model can be used to design new molecular entities and other parts that interact with the target. Among them, the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is included, in which the correlation between the calculated properties of the molecule and its experimentally determined biological activity can be derived. These QSAR relationships can be used to predict the activity of new analogs. The structure-activity relationship is very complicated.

Based on structure

Structure-based drug design relies on knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of biological targets obtained by methods such as X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. If the experimental structure of the target is not available, it is possible to create a homology model of the target and other standard models that can be compared based on the experimental structure of the relevant protein. Using the structure of biological targets, interactive graphics and medical chemists’ intuitive design can be used to predict drug candidates with high affinity and selective binding to the target. Various automatic calculation programs can also be used to suggest new drug candidates.

The current structure-based drug design methods can be roughly divided into three categories. The 3D method is to search a large database of small molecule 3D structures to find new ligands for a given receptor, in order to use a rapid approximate docking procedure to find those suitable for the receptor binding pocket. This method is called virtual screening. The second category is the de novo design of new ligands. In this method, by gradually assembling small fragments, a ligand molecule is established within the constraints of the binding pocket. These fragments can be single atoms or molecular fragments. The main advantage of this method is that it can propose novel structures that are not found in any database. The third method is to optimize the known ligand acquisition by evaluating the proposed analogs in the binding cavity.

Bind site ID

Binding site recognition is a step in structure-based design. If the structure of the target or a sufficiently similar homologue is determined in the presence of the bound ligand, the ligand should be observable in that structure, in which case the location of the binding site is small. However, there may not be an allosteric binding site of interest. In addition, only apo protein structures may be available, and it is not easy to reliably identify unoccupied sites that have the potential to bind ligands with high affinity. In short, the recognition of binding sites usually depends on the recognition of pits. The protein on the protein surface can hold molecules the size of drugs, etc. These molecules also have appropriate "hot spots" that drive ligand binding, hydrophobic surfaces, hydrogen bonding sites, and so on.

Drug design is a creative process of finding new drugs based on the knowledge of biological targets. The most common type of drug is small organic molecules that activate or inhibit the function of biomolecules, thereby producing therapeutic benefits for patients. In the most important sense, drug design involves the design of molecules with complementary shapes and charges that bind to their interacting biomolecular targets, and therefore will bind to them. Drug design often but does not necessarily rely on computer modeling techniques. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technology for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, etc., which must be optimized first before the ligand can become safe and effective. drug. These other features are usually difficult to predict and realize through reasonable design techniques. However, due to the high turnover rate, especially in the clinical stage of drug development, in the early stage of the drug design process, more attention is paid to the selection of drug candidates. The physical and chemical properties of these drug candidates are expected to be reduced during the development process. Complications are therefore more likely to lead to the approval of the marketed drug. In addition, in early drug discovery, in vitro experiments with computational methods are increasingly used to select compounds with more favorable ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) and toxicological characteristics. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technique for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, iatrogenic effects, etc., which must be optimized first, and then the ligand To become safe and effective.

For drug targets, two aspects should be considered when selecting drug targets:

1. The effectiveness of the target, that is, the target is indeed related to the disease, and the symptoms of the disease can be effectively improved by regulating the physiological activity of the target.

2. The side effects of the target. If the regulation of the physiological activity of the target inevitably produces serious side effects, it is inappropriate to select it as the target of drug action or lose its important biological activity. The reference frame of the target should be expanded in multiple dimensions to have a big choice.

3. Search for biomolecular clues related to diseases: use genomics, proteomics and biochip technology to obtain biomolecular information related to diseases, and perform bioinformatics analysis to obtain clue information.

4. Perform functional research on related biomolecules to determine the target of candidate drugs. Multiple targets or individual targets.

5. Candidate drug targets, design small molecule compounds, and conduct pharmacological research at the molecular, cellular and overall animal levels.

Covalent bonding type

The covalent bonding type is an irreversible form of bonding, similar to the organic synthesis reaction that occurs. Covalent bonding types mostly occur in the mechanism of action of chemotherapeutic drugs. For example, alkylating agent anti-tumor drugs produce covalent bonding bonds to guanine bases in DNA, resulting in cytotoxic activity.

. Verify the effectiveness of the target.

Based on the targets that interact with drugs, that is, receptors in a broad sense, such as enzymes, receptors, ion channels, membranes, antigens, viruses, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, etc., find and design reasonable drug molecules. Targets of action and drug screening should focus on multiple points. Drug intermediates and chemical modification. Combining the development of new drugs with the chemical structure modification of traditional drugs makes it easier to find breakthroughs and develop new antiviral drugs. For example, careful selection, modification and modification of existing related drugs that can successfully treat and recover a large number of cases, elimination and screening of invalid drugs from severe death cases, etc., are targeted, rather than screening and capturing needles in a haystack, aimless, with half the effort. Vaccine design should also be multi-pronged and focused. The broad-spectrum, long-term, safety, efficiency and redundancy of the vaccine should all be considered. In this way, it will be more powerful to deal with the mutation and evolution of the virus. Of course, series of vaccines, series of drugs, second-generation vaccines, third-generation vaccines, second-generation drugs, third-generation drugs, etc. can also be developed. Vaccines focus on epidemic prevention, and medicines focus on medical treatment. The two are very different; however, the two complement each other and complement each other. Therefore, in response to large-scale epidemics of infectious diseases, vaccines and various drugs are the nemesis and killers of viral diseases. Of course, it also includes other methods and measures, so I won't repeat them here.

Mainly through the comprehensive and accurate understanding of the structure of the drug and the receptor at the molecular level and even the electronic level, structure-based drug design and the understanding of the structure, function, and drug action mode of the target and the mechanism of physiological activity Mechanism-based drug design.

Compared with the traditional extensive pharmacological screening and lead compound optimization, it has obvious advantages.

Viral RNA replicase, also known as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is responsible for the replication and transcription of RNA virus genome, and plays a very important role in the process of virus self-replication in host cells, and It also has a major impact on the mutation of the virus, it will change and accelerate the replication and recombination. Because RdRp from different viruses has a highly conserved core structure, the virus replicase is an important antiviral drug target and there are other selection sites, rather than a single isolated target target such as the new coronavirus As with various mutant viruses, inhibitors developed for viral replicase are expected to become a broad-spectrum antiviral drug. The currently well-known anti-coronavirus drug remdesivir (remdesivir) is a drug for viral replicase.

New antiviral therapies are gradually emerging. In addition to traditional polymerase and protease inhibitors, nucleic acid drugs, cell entry inhibitors, nucleocapsid inhibitors, and drugs targeting host cells are also increasingly appearing in the research and development of major pharmaceutical companies. The treatment of mutated viruses is becoming increasingly urgent. The development of drugs for the new coronavirus pneumonia is very important. It is not only for the current global new coronavirus epidemic, but more importantly, it is of great significance to face the severe pneumonia-respiratory infectious disease that poses a huge threat to humans.

There are many vaccines and related drugs developed for the new coronavirus pneumonia, and countries are vying for a while, mainly including the following:

Identification test, appearance, difference in loading, moisture, pH value, osmolality, polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, potency test, sterility test, pyrogen test, bacterial endotoxin test, abnormal toxicity test.

Among them: such as sterility inspection, pyrogen inspection, bacterial endotoxin, and abnormal toxicity inspection are indicators closely related to safety.

Polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, and efficacy test are indicators closely related to vaccine effectiveness.

Usually, a vaccine will go through a long research and development process of at least 8 years or even more than 20 years from research and development to marketing. The outbreak of the new crown epidemic requires no delay, and the design and development of vaccines is speeding up. It is not surprising in this special period. Of course, it is understandable that vaccine design, development and testing can be accelerated, shortened the cycle, and reduced some procedures. However, science needs to be rigorous and rigorous to achieve great results. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines are of the utmost importance. There must not be a single error. Otherwise, it will be counterproductive and need to be continuously improved and perfected.

Pre-clinical research: The screening of strains and cells is the basic guarantee to ensure the safety, effectiveness, and continuous supply of vaccines. Taking virus vaccines as an example, the laboratory stage needs to carry out strain screening, necessary strain attenuation, strain adaptation to the cultured cell matrix and stability studies in the process of passaging, and explore the stability of process quality, establish animal models, etc. . Choose mice, guinea pigs, rabbits or monkeys for animal experiments according to each vaccine situation. Pre-clinical research generally takes 5-10 years or longer on the premise that the process is controllable, the quality is stable, and it is safe and effective. In order to be safe and effective, a certain redundant design is also needed, so that the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine can be importantly guaranteed.

These include the establishment of vaccine strain/cell seed bank, production process research, quality research, stability research, animal safety evaluation and effectiveness evaluation, and clinical trial programs, etc.

The ARS-CoV-2 genome contains at least 10 ORFs. ORF1ab is converted into a polyprotein and processed into 16 non-structural proteins (NSP). These NSPs have a variety of functional biological activities, physical and chemical reactions, such as genome replication, induction of host mRNA cleavage, membrane rearrangement, autophagosome production, NSP polyprotein cleavage, capping, tailing, methylation, RNA double-stranded Uncoiling, etc., and others, play an important role in the virus life cycle. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 contains 4 structural proteins, namely spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), envelope (E) and membrane (M), all of which are encoded by the 3'end of the viral genome. Among the four structural proteins, S protein is a large multifunctional transmembrane protein that plays an important role in the process of virus adsorption, fusion, and injection into host cells, and requires in-depth observation and research.

1S protein is composed of S1 and S2 subunits, and each subunit can be further divided into different functional domains. The S1 subunit has 2 domains: NTD and RBD, and RBD contains conservative RBM. The S2 subunit has 3 structural domains: FP, HR1 and HR2. The S1 subunit is arranged at the top of the S2 subunit to form an immunodominant S protein.

The virus uses the host transmembrane protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and the endosomal cysteine ​​protease CatB/L to enter the cell. TMPRSS2 is responsible for the cleavage of the S protein to expose the FP region of the S2 subunit, which is responsible for initiating endosome-mediated host cell entry into it. It shows that TMPRSS2 is a host factor necessary for virus entry. Therefore, the use of drugs that inhibit this protease can achieve the purpose of treatment.

mRNA-1273

The mRNA encoding the full length of SARS-CoV-2, and the pre-spike protein fusion is encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles to form mRNA-1273 vaccine. It can induce a high level of S protein specific antiviral response. It can also consist of inactivated antigens or subunit antigens. The vaccine was quickly approved by the FDA and has entered phase II clinical trials. The company has announced the antibody data of 8 subjects who received different immunization doses. The 25ug dose group achieved an effect similar to the antibody level during the recovery period. The 100ug dose group exceeded the antibody level during the recovery period. In the 25ug and 100ug dose groups, the vaccine was basically safe and tolerable, while the 250ug dose group had 3 levels of systemic symptoms.

Viral vector vaccines can provide long-term high-level expression of antigen proteins, induce CTLs, and ultimately eliminate viral infections.

1, Ad5-nCov

A vaccine of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein expressed by recombinant, replication-deficient type 5 adenovirus (Ad5) vector. Load the optimized full-length S protein gene together with the plasminogen activation signal peptide gene into the E1 and E3 deleted Ad5 vectors. The vaccine is constructed by the Admax system derived from Microbix Biosystem. In phase I clinical trials, RBD (S1 subunit receptor binding domain) and S protein neutralizing antibody increased by 4 times 14 days after immunization, reaching a peak on 28 days. CD4+T and CD8+T cells reached a peak 14 days after immunization. The existing Ad5 immune resistance partially limits the response of antibodies and T cells. This study will be further conducted in the 18-60 age group, receiving 1/3 of the study dose, and follow-up for 3-6 months after immunization.

DNA vaccine

The introduction of antigen-encoding DNA and adjuvants as vaccines is the most innovative vaccine method. The transfected cells stably express the transgenic protein, similar to live viruses. The antigen will be endocytosed by immature DC, and finally provide antigen to CD4 + T, CD8 + T cells (by MHC differentiation) To induce humoral and cellular immunity. Some specificities of the virus and the new coronavirus mutant are different from general vaccines and other vaccines. Therefore, it is worth noting the gene expression of the vaccine. Otherwise, the effectiveness and efficiency of the vaccine will be questioned.

Live attenuated vaccine

DelNS1-SARS-CoV2-RBD

Basic influenza vaccine, delete NS1 gene. Express SARS-CoV-2 RBD domain. Cultured in CEF and MDCK (canine kidney cells) cells. It is more immunogenic than wild-type influenza virus and can be administered by nasal spray.

The viral genome is susceptible to mutation, antigen transfer and drift can occur, and spread among the population. Mutations can vary depending on the environmental conditions and population density of the geographic area. After screening and comparing 7,500 samples of infected patients, scientists found 198 mutations, indicating the evolutionary mutation of the virus in the human host. These mutations may form different virus subtypes, which means that even after vaccine immunization, viral infections may occur. A certain amount of increment and strengthening is needed here.

Inactivated vaccines, adenovirus vector vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, attenuated influenza virus vector vaccines, etc. According to relevant information, there are dozens of new coronavirus vaccines in the world, and more varieties are being developed and upgraded. Including the United States, Britain, China, Russia, India and other countries, there are more R&D and production units.

AZ vaccine

Modena vaccine

Lianya Vaccine

High-end vaccine

Pfizer vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech

A large study found that the vaccine developed by Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.

The vaccine is divided into two doses, which are injected every three weeks.

This vaccine uses a molecule called mRNA as its basis. mRNA is a molecular cousin of DNA, which contains instructions to build specific proteins; in this case, the mRNA in the vaccine encodes the coronavirus spike protein, which is attached to the surface of the virus and used to infect human cells. Once the vaccine enters the human body, it will instruct the body's cells to make this protein, and the immune system will learn to recognize and attack it.

Moderna

The vaccine developed by the American biotechnology company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is also based on mRNA and is estimated to be 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Like Pfizer's vaccine, this vaccine is divided into two doses, but injected every four weeks instead of three weeks. Another difference is that the Moderna vaccine can be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius instead of deep freezing like Pfizer vaccine. At present, the importance of one of the widely used vaccines is self-evident.

Oxford-AstraZeneca

The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is approximately 70% effective in preventing COVID-19-that is, in clinical trials, adjusting the dose seems to improve this effect.

In the population who received two high-dose vaccines (28 days apart), the effectiveness of the vaccine was about 62%; according to early analysis, the effectiveness of the vaccine in those patients who received the half-dose first and then the full-dose Is 90%. However, in clinical trials, participants taking half doses of the drug are wrong, and some scientists question whether these early results are representative.

Sinopharm Group (Beijing Institute of Biological Products, China)

China National Pharmaceutical Group Sinopharm and Beijing Institute of Biological Products have developed a vaccine from inactivated coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The inactivated coronavirus is an improved version that cannot be replicated.

Estimates of the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19 vary.

Gamaleya Institute

The Gamaleya Institute of the Russian Ministry of Health has developed a coronavirus vaccine candidate called Sputnik V. This vaccine contains two common cold viruses, adenoviruses, which have been modified so that they will not replicate in the human body; the modified virus also contains a gene encoding the coronavirus spike protein.

New crown drugs

There are many small molecule antiviral drug candidates in the clinical research stage around the world. Including traditional drugs in the past and various drugs yet to be developed, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, Gene drugs, compound drugs, etc.

(A) Molnupiravir

Molnupiravir is a prodrug of the nucleoside analog N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

The positive rate of infectious virus isolation and culture in nasopharyngeal swabs was 0% (0/47), while that of patients in the placebo group was 24% (6/25). However, data from the Phase II/III study indicate that the drug has no benefit in preventing death or shortening the length of stay in hospitalized patients.

Therefore, Merck has decided to fully advance the research of 800mg molnupiravir in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

(B) AT-527

AT-527 is a small molecule inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase, jointly developed by Roche and Atea. Not only can it be used as an oral therapy to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but it also has the potential as a preventive treatment after exposure.

Including 70 high-risk COVID-19 hospitalized patients data, of which 62 patients' data can be used for virological analysis and evaluation. The results of interim virological analysis show that AT-527 can quickly reduce viral load. On day 2, compared with placebo, patients treated with AT-527 had a greater decline in viral load than the baseline level, and the continuous difference in viral load decline was maintained until day 8.

In addition, compared with the control group, the potent antiviral activity of AT-527 was also observed in patients with a baseline median viral load higher than 5.26 log10. When testing by RT-qPCR to assess whether the virus is cleared,

The safety aspect is consistent with previous studies. AT-527 showed good safety and tolerability, and no new safety problems or risks were found. Of course, there is still a considerable distance between experiment and clinical application, and a large amount of experimental data can prove it.

(C) Prokrutamide

Prokalamide is an AR (androgen receptor) antagonist. Activated androgen receptor AR can induce the expression of transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2). TMPRSS2 has a shearing effect on the new coronavirus S protein and ACE2, which can promote the binding of viral spike protein (S protein) to ACE, thereby promoting The virus enters the host cell. Therefore, inhibiting the androgen receptor may inhibit the viral infection process, and AR antagonists are expected to become anti-coronavirus drugs.

Positive results were obtained in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial. The data shows that Prokalutamide reduces the risk of death in severely ill patients with new coronary disease by 92%, reduces the risk of new ventilator use by 92%, and shortens the length of hospital stay by 9 days. This shows that procrulamide has a certain therapeutic effect for patients with severe new coronary disease, which can significantly reduce the mortality of patients, and at the same time greatly reduce the new mechanical ventilation and shorten the patient's hospital stay.

With the continuous development of COVID-19 on a global scale, in addition to vaccines and prevention and control measures, we need a multi-pronged plan to control this disease. Oral antiviral therapy undoubtedly provides a convenient treatment option.

In addition, there are other drugs under development and experimentation. In dealing with the plague virus, in addition to the strict control of protective measures, it is very important that various efficient and safe vaccines and various drugs (including medical instruments, etc.) are the ultimate nemesis and killer of the virus.

(A) "Antiviral biological missiles" are mainly drugs for new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, which act on respiratory and lung diseases. The drugs use redundant designs to inhibit new coronaviruses and variant viruses.

(B) "New Coronavirus Epidemic Prevention Tablets" mainly use natural purified elements and chemical structure modifications.

(C) "Composite antiviral oral liquid" antiviral intermediate, natural antiviral plant, plus other preparations

(D) "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets" Chemical modification of antiviral drugs, multiple targets, etc.

(E) "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injections) are mainly made of chemical drug structure modification and other preparations.

The development of these drugs mainly includes: drug target screening, structure-activity relationship, chemical modification, natural purification, etc., which require a lot of work and experimentation.

Humans need to vigorously develop drugs to deal with various viruses. These drugs are very important for the prevention and treatment of viruses and respiratory infectious diseases, influenza, pneumonia, etc.

The history of human development The history of human evolution, like all living species, will always be accompanied by the survival and development of microorganisms. It is not surprising that viruses and infectious diseases are frequent and prone to occur. The key is to prevent and control them before they happen.

This strain was first discovered in India in October 2020 and was initially called a "double mutant" virus by the media. According to the announcement by the Ministry of Health of India at the end of March this year, the "India New Coronavirus Genomics Alliance" composed of 10 laboratories found in samples collected in Maharashtra that this new mutant strain carries E484Q and L452R mutations. , May lead to immune escape and increased infectivity. This mutant strain was named B.1.617 by the WHO and was named with the Greek letter δ (delta) on May 31.

Shahid Jamil, the dean of the Trivedi School of Biological Sciences at Ashoka University in India and a virologist, said in an interview with the Shillong Times of India that this mutant strain called "double mutation" is not accurate enough. B. 1.617 contains a total of 15 mutations, of which 6 occur on the spike protein, of which 3 are more critical: L452R and E484Q mutations occur on the spike protein and the human cell "Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2)" receptor In the bound region, L452R improves the ability of the virus to invade cells, and E484Q helps to enhance the immune escape of the virus; the third mutation P681R can also make the virus enter the cell more effectively. (Encyclopedia website)

There are currently dozens of antiviral COVID-19 therapies under development. The large drugmakers Merck and Pfizer are the closest to the end, as expected, a pair of oral antiviral COVID-19 therapies are undergoing advanced human clinical trials.

Merck's drug candidate is called monupiravir. It was originally developed as an influenza antiviral drug several years ago. However, preclinical studies have shown that it has a good effect on SARS and MERS coronavirus.

Monupiravir is currently undergoing in-depth large-scale Phase 3 human trials. So far, the data is so promising that the US government recently pre-ordered 1.7 million courses of drugs at a cost of $1.2 billion. If everything goes according to plan, the company hopes that the drug will be authorized by the FDA for emergency use and be on the market before the end of 2021.

Pfizer's large COVID-19 antiviral drug candidate is more unique. Currently known as PF-07321332, this drug is the first oral antiviral drug to enter human clinical trials, specifically targeting SARS-CoV-2.

Variant of Concern WHO Label First Detected in World First Detected in Washington State

B.1.1.7 Alpha United Kingdom, September 2020 January 2021

B.1.351 Beta South Africa, December 2020 February 2021

P.1 Gamma Brazil, April 2020 March 2021

B.1.617.2 Delta India, October 2020 April 2021

Although this particular molecule was developed in 2020 after the emergence of the new coronavirus, a somewhat related drug called PF-00835231 has been in operation for several years, targeting the original SARS virus. However, the new drug candidate PF-07321332 is designed as a simple pill that can be taken under non-hospital conditions in the initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

"The protease inhibitor binds to a viral enzyme and prevents the virus from replicating in the cell," Pfizer said when explaining the mechanism of its new antiviral drug. "Protease inhibitors have been effective in the treatment of other viral pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, whether used alone or in combination with other antiviral drugs. Currently marketed therapeutic drugs for viral proteases are generally not toxic Therefore, such molecules may provide well-tolerated treatments against COVID-19."

Various studies on other types of antiviral drugs are also gaining momentum. For example, the new coronavirus pneumonia "antiviral biological missile", "new coronavirus prevention tablets", "composite antiviral oral liquid", "new coronavirus long-acting oral tablets", "new coronavirus inhibitors" (injections), etc., are worthy of attention. Like all kinds of vaccines, they will play a major role in preventing and fighting epidemics.

In addition, Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionoyoshi Pharmaceutical is currently conducting a phase 1 trial of a protease inhibitor similar to SARS-CoV-2. This is called S-217622, ​​which is another oral antiviral drug, and hopes to provide people with an easy-to-take pill in the early stages of COVID-19. At present, the research and development of vaccines and various new crown drugs is very active and urgent. Time does not wait. With the passage of time, various new crown drugs will appear on the stage one after another, bringing the gospel to the complete victory of mankind.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. The Delta mutant strain has quickly become the most prominent SARS-CoV-2 strain in the world. Although our vaccine is still maintained, it is clear that we need more tools to combat this new type of coronavirus. Delta will certainly not be the last new SARS-CoV-2 variant we encountered. Therefore, it is necessary for all mankind to persevere and fight the epidemic together.

Overcome illness and meet new challenges. The new crown epidemic and various mutated viruses are very important global epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic top priorities, especially for the current period of time. Vaccine injections, research and development of new drugs, strict prevention and control, wear masks, reduce gatherings, strictly control large gatherings, prevent the spread of various viruses Masks, disinfection and sterilization, lockdown of the city, vaccinations, accounting and testing are very important, but this does not mean that humans can completely overcome the virus. In fact, many spreading and new latently transmitted infections are still unsuccessful. There are detections, such as invisible patients, asymptomatic patients, migratory latent patients, new-onset patients, etc. The struggle between humans and the virus is still very difficult and complicated, and long-term efforts and exploration are still needed, especially for medical research on the new coronavirus. The origin of the disease, the course of the disease, the virus invaded The deep-level path and the reasons for the evolution and mutation of the new coronavirus and the particularity of prevention and treatment, etc.). Therefore, human beings should be highly vigilant and must not be taken lightly. The fierce battle between humans and various viruses must not be slackened. Greater efforts are needed to successfully overcome this pandemic, fully restore the normal life of the whole society, restore the normal production and work order, restore the normal operation of society, economy and culture, and give up food due to choking. Or eager for success, will pay a high price.

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Compilation postscript

Once Fang Ruida's research literature on the new crown virus and mutant virus was published, it has been enthusiastically praised by readers and netizens in dozens of countries around the world, and has proposed some amendments and suggestions. Hope to publish a multilingual version of the book as an emergency To meet the needs of many readers around the world, in the face of the new crown epidemic and the prevention and treatment of various mutant viruses, including the general public, college and middle school students, medical workers, medical colleagues and so on. According to the English original manuscript, it will be re-compiled and published. Inconsistencies will be revised separately. Thank you very much.

Jacques Lucy, Geneva, Switzerland, August 2021

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Leader mondial, scientifique, scientifique médical, virologue, pharmacien et professeur Fangruida (F.D Smith) sur l'épidémie mondiale et l'ennemi juré et la prévention des nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants (Jacques Lucy 2021v1.5)

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L'ennemi juré et le tueur du nouveau coronavirus et des virus mutés - Développement conjoint de vaccins et de médicaments (Fangruida) Juillet 2021

* La particularité des nouveaux coronavirus et des virus mutants * Le large spectre, la haute efficacité, la redondance et la sécurité de la conception et du développement du nouveau vaccin contre le coronavirus, Redondance et sécurité

* Nouvelle modification de la structure chimique des médicaments contre les coronavirus * Conception et dépistage des médicaments assistés par ordinateur. *"Missile biologique antiviral", "Nouveaux comprimés anti-épidémiques contre le coronavirus", "Liquide oral antiviral composite", "Nouveaux comprimés oraux à action prolongée contre le coronavirus", "Nouveaux inhibiteurs de coronavirus" (injection)

——————————————————————————

(leader mondial, scientifique, scientifique médical, biologiste, virologue, pharmacien, FD Smith) "The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-The Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs" est un important document de recherche scientifique. Il a maintenant été révisé et réédité par l'auteur original à plusieurs reprises. La compilation est publiée et publiée selon le manuscrit original pour répondre aux besoins des lecteurs et des internautes du monde entier. En même temps, elle est également très bénéfique pour le grand nombre de chercheurs en médicaments cliniques médicaux et de divers experts et universitaires. Nous espérons qu'il sera corrigé dans la réimpression.------Compilé par Jacques Lucy à Genève, août 2021

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Selon les statistiques en temps réel de Worldometer, vers 6h30 le 23 juillet, il y avait un total de 193 323 815 cas confirmés de nouvelle pneumonie coronarienne dans le monde, et un total de 4 150 213 décès. Il y a eu 570 902 nouveaux cas confirmés et 8 766 nouveaux décès dans le monde en une seule journée. Les données montrent que les États-Unis, le Brésil, le Royaume-Uni, l'Inde et l'Indonésie sont les cinq pays avec le plus grand nombre de nouveaux cas confirmés, et l'Indonésie, le Brésil, la Russie, l'Afrique du Sud et l'Inde sont les cinq pays avec le plus grand nombre de nouveaux décès.

Les nouvelles souches de coronavirus et de mutants delta ont été particulièrement graves ces derniers temps. De nombreux pays et lieux ont repris vie et le nombre de cas n'a pas diminué, mais a augmenté.

, Il est digne de vigilance. Bien que de nombreux pays aient renforcé la prévention et le contrôle des vaccins et d'autres mesures de prévention et de contrôle, il existe encore de nombreuses lacunes et carences dans la suppression et la prévention du virus. Le nouveau coronavirus et diverses souches mutantes présentent un certain degré d'antagonisme par rapport aux médicaments traditionnels et à la plupart des vaccins. Bien que la plupart des vaccins aient de grandes propriétés anti-épidémiques et aient des effets et une protection importants et irremplaçables pour la prévention et le traitement, il est impossible d'empêcher complètement la propagation et l'infection des virus. La propagation de la nouvelle pneumonie à virus couronne a été retardée de près de deux ans. Il y a des centaines de millions de personnes infectées dans le monde, des millions de décès, et le temps est long, la propagation est généralisée et des milliards de personnes dans le monde sont parmi Les dommages causés par le virus sont assez terribles, c'est bien connu. Plus urgent

Ce qui est plus grave, c'est que le virus et les souches mutantes n'ont pas complètement reculé, surtout que de nombreuses personnes sont encore infectées et infectées après avoir été injectées avec divers vaccins.L'efficacité du vaccin et la résistance du virus mutant sont dignes des scientifiques médicaux, virologues , les pharmacologues Les zoologistes et autres réfléchissent et analysent sérieusement. La situation épidémique actuelle dans les pays européens et américains, la Chine, le Brésil, l'Inde, les États-Unis, la Russie et d'autres pays s'est considérablement améliorée par rapport à l'année dernière.Cependant, les chiffres pertinents montrent que la situation épidémique mondiale ne s'est pas complètement améliorée, et certains pays et régions sont encore très graves. En particulier, après une utilisation intensive de divers vaccins, des cas surviennent encore, et dans certains endroits ils sont encore très graves, ce qui mérite une grande vigilance. Les mesures de prévention et de contrôle sont très importantes.De plus, les vaccins et divers médicaments antiépidémiques sont les premiers choix nécessaires, et les autres méthodes sont irremplaçables. Il est particulièrement important de développer et de développer des médicaments complets, des médicaments antiviraux, des médicaments immunitaires et des médicaments génétiques. Les expériences de recherche sur les nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants nécessitent une analyse plus rigoureuse et approfondie des données, des tissus pathogènes pathologiques, des gènes cellulaires, de la chimie moléculaire, de la chimie quantique, etc., ainsi que de la chimie moléculaire des vaccins, de la physique quantique, de la biologie quantique, de l'histologie cytologique, la chimie médicinale et les médicaments Et les symptômes, l'efficacité, la sécurité, l'efficacité à long terme, etc. du vaccin, bien sûr, y compris des dizaines de milliers de cas cliniques et de décès et d'autres informations et preuves de première main. La tâche de l'ARN (acide ribonucléique) dans le corps humain est d'utiliser les informations de notre matériel génétique ADN pour produire des protéines. Il accomplit cette tâche dans le ribosome, la zone productrice de protéines de la cellule. Le ribosome est le lieu où se produit la biosynthèse des protéines.

La médecine en profite : dans la vaccination, l'ARNm produit artificiellement fournit aux ribosomes des instructions pour construire des antigènes pathogènes contre lesquels lutter, par exemple, la protéine de pointe du coronavirus.

Les vaccins vivants traditionnels ou les vaccins inactivés contiennent des antigènes qui provoquent la réaction du système immunitaire. Le vaccin à ARNm est produit dans la cellule

(1) La spécificité des nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants, etc., virologie et chimie quantique des virus mutants, physique quantique, microbiologie quantique

(2) Nouvelle conception de vaccin couronne, biologie moléculaire et structure chimique, etc.

(3) La généralité et la particularité du développement de nouveaux médicaments contre le coronavirus

(4) Diverses conceptions de médicaments pour la pneumonie à nouveau coronavirus, la chimie médicinale, la pharmacologie, etc., les cellules, les protéines, l'ADN, la chimie des enzymes, la chimie quantique pharmaceutique, la physique quantique pharmaceutique, la biochimie humaine, la biophysique humaine, etc.

(5) Les caractéristiques d'évolution et de mutation du nouveau coronavirus et de divers virus mutants, la nature à long terme, la répétabilité, la résistance aux médicaments et la résistance épidémique du virus, etc.

(6) Pneumonie à nouveau coronavirus et transmission infectieuse de divers nouveaux coronavirus et leurs particularités

(7) La transmission invisible de la pneumonie à nouveau coronavirus et de divers virus mutants chez l'homme ou l'animal, et la symbiose mutuelle de l'infection croisée de diverses bactéries et virus sont également l'une des causes très graves de dommages graves aux nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants. La virologie, la pathologie, l'étiologie, le séquençage des gènes, la cartographie des gènes et un grand nombre d'études analytiques ont montré qu'il existe de nombreux cas en Chine, aux États-Unis, en Inde, en Russie, au Brésil et dans d'autres pays.

(8) Pour la prévention et le traitement symptomatiques du nouveau coronavirus, la combinaison de divers vaccins et de di

La veritat és que aquesta cantant em va "enamorar"... millor encara , la cámara se'n va enamorar.

En aquesta imatge hi havia un munt de colors extranys dels reflectors i llums de l'escenari, per tant vaig pensar que en Blanc i Negre estaria prou bé. Estic ben content del resultat, tot i que, com sempre, no sé si és bona o no, però m'agrada.

És encara de la Festa Major del poble, de Salt, això ja fa, com diu el jovent, una eternitat, però per a mi, quan veig les fotos és com si hagués estat ahir. Una altra màgia que té la fotografia per a mi, fer del record un sentiment ben proper i tangible.

No en faig massa de B&N, però en coses i moments determinants m'agrada i em fa recordar els inicis amb els carrets a munt i avall que els revalavem com podíem i que no sempre queden bé, però que bé que ens ho passàvem. A més com que no tenia espai al pis ho compartia amb un colega i sempre deiem res un parell d'hores i prou... i començavem a les 3 de la tarda i si acabaven a les 3 de la matinada era un èxit. Erem joves, jejejeje.

En fi, no sé si en possaré més de la festa, però aquesta l'havia de possar... No creieu?.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Estival.

de Jaume Otero

1929

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

La font del Gat.

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

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The Font del Gat.

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

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La Font del Gat.

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

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Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

World leader, scientist, medical scientist, virologist, pharmacist, Professor Fangruida (F.D Smith) on the world epidemic and the nemesis and prevention of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses (Jacques Lucy) 2021v1.5)

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The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs (Fangruida) July 2021

*The particularity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses*The broad spectrum, high efficiency, redundancy, and safety of the new coronavirus vaccine design and development , Redundancy and safety

*New coronavirus drug chemical structure modification*Computer-aided design and drug screening. *"Antiviral biological missile", "New Coronavirus Anti-epidemic Tablets", "Composite Antiviral Oral Liquid", "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets", "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injection)

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(World leader, scientist, medical scientist, biologist, virologist, pharmacist, FD Smith) "The Nemesis and Killer of New Coronavirus and Mutated Viruses-The Joint Development of Vaccines and Drugs" is an important scientific research document. Now it has been revised and re-published by the original author several times. The compilation is published and published according to the original manuscript to meet the needs of readers and netizens all over the world. At the same time, it is also of great benefit to the vast number of medical clinical drug researchers and various experts and scholars. We hope that it will be corrected in the reprint.------Compiled by Jacques Lucy in Geneva, August 2021

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According to Worldometer's real-time statistics, as of about 6:30 on July 23, there were a total of 193,323,815 confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia worldwide, and a total of 4,150,213 deaths. There were 570,902 new confirmed cases and 8,766 new deaths worldwide in a single day. Data shows that the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, India, and Indonesia are the five countries with the largest number of new confirmed cases, and Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and India are the five countries with the largest number of new deaths.

The new coronavirus and delta mutant strains have been particularly serious in the recent past. Many countries and places have revived, and the number of cases has not decreased, but has increased.

, It is worthy of vigilance. Although many countries have strengthened vaccine prevention and control and other prevention and control measures, there are still many shortcomings and deficiencies in virus suppression and prevention. The new coronavirus and various mutant strains have a certain degree of antagonism to traditional drugs and most vaccines. Although most vaccines have great anti-epidemic properties and have important and irreplaceable effects and protection for prevention and treatment, it is impossible to completely prevent the spread and infection of viruses. The spread of the new crown virus pneumonia has been delayed for nearly two years. There are hundreds of millions of people infected worldwide, millions of deaths, and the time is long, the spread is widespread, and billions of people around the world are among them. The harm of the virus is quite terrible. This is well known. of. More urgent

What is more serious is that the virus and mutant strains have not completely retreated, especially many people are still infected and infected after being injected with various vaccines. The effectiveness of the vaccine and the resistance of the mutant virus are worthy of medical scientists, virologists, pharmacologists Zoologists and others seriously think and analyze. The current epidemic situation in European and American countries, China, Brazil, India, the United States, Russia and other countries has greatly improved from last year. However, relevant figures show that the global epidemic situation has not completely improved, and some countries and regions are still very serious. In particular, after extensive use of various vaccines, cases still occur, and in some places they are still very serious, which deserves a high degree of vigilance. Prevention and control measures are very important. In addition, vaccines and various anti-epidemic drugs are the first and necessary choices, and other methods are irreplaceable. It is particularly important to develop and develop comprehensive drugs, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, and genetic drugs. Research experiments on new coronaviruses and mutant viruses require more rigorous and in-depth data analysis, pathological pathogenic tissues, cell genes, molecular chemistry, quantum chemistry, etc., as well as vaccine molecular chemistry, quantum physics, quantum biology, cytological histology, medicinal chemistry, and drugs And the vaccine’s symptomatic, effectiveness, safety, long-term effectiveness, etc., of course, including tens of thousands of clinical cases and deaths and other first-hand information and evidence. The task of RNA (ribonucleic acid) in the human body is to use the information of our genetic material DNA to produce protein. It accomplishes this task in the ribosome, the protein-producing area of ​​the cell. The ribosome is the place where protein biosynthesis occurs.

Medicine takes advantage of this: In vaccination, artificially produced mRNA provides ribosomes with instructions for constructing pathogen antigens to fight against—for example, the spike protein of coronavirus.

Traditional live vaccines or inactivated vaccines contain antigens that cause the immune system to react. The mRNA vaccine is produced in the cell

(1) The specificity of new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, etc., virology and quantum chemistry of mutant viruses, quantum physics, quantum microbiology

(2) New crown vaccine design, molecular biology and chemical structure, etc.

(3) The generality and particularity of the development of new coronavirus drugs

(4) Various drug design for new coronavirus pneumonia, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, etc., cells, proteins, DNA, enzyme chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum chemistry, pharmaceutical quantum physics, human biochemistry, human biophysics, etc.

(5) The evolution and mutation characteristics of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses, the long-term nature, repeatability, drug resistance, and epidemic resistance of the virus, etc.

(6) New coronavirus pneumonia and the infectious transmission of various new coronaviruses and their particularities

(7) The invisible transmission of new coronavirus pneumonia and various mutant viruses in humans or animals, and the mutual symbiosis of cross infection of various bacteria and viruses are also one of the very serious causes of serious harm to new coronaviruses and mutant viruses. Virology, pathology, etiology, gene sequencing, gene mapping, and a large number of analytical studies have shown that there are many cases in China, the United States, India, Russia, Brazil, and other countries.

(8) For the symptomatic prevention and treatment of the new coronavirus, the combination of various vaccines and various antiviral drugs is critical.

(9) According to the current epidemic situation and research judgments, the epidemic situation may improve in the next period of time and 2021-2022, and we are optimistic about its success. However, completely worry-free, it is still too early to win easily. It is not just relying on vaccination. Wearing masks to close the city and other prevention and control measures and methods can sit back and relax, and you can win a big victory. Because all kinds of research and exploration still require a lot of time and various experimental studies. It is not a day's work. A simple taste is very dangerous and harmful. The power and migratory explosiveness of viruses sometimes far exceed human thinking and perception. In the future, next year, or in the future, whether viruses and various evolutionary mutation viruses will re-attack, we still need to study, analyze, prevent and control, rather than being complacent, thinking that the vaccine can win a big victory is inevitably naive and ridiculous. Vaccine protection is very important, but it must not be taken carelessly. The mutation of the new crown virus is very rampant, and the cross-infection of recessive and virulent bacteria makes epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic very complicated.

(10) New crown virus pneumonia and the virus's stubbornness, strength, migration, susceptibility, multi-infectiousness, and occult. The effectiveness of various vaccines and the particularity of virus mutations The long-term hidden dangers and repeated recurrences of the new coronavirus

(11) The formation mechanism and invisible transmission of invisible viruses, asymptomatic infections and asymptomatic infections, asymptomatic transmission routes, asymptomatic infections, pathological pathogens. The spread and infection of viruses and mutated viruses, the blind spots and blind spots of virus vaccines, viral quantum chemistry and

The chemical and physical corresponding reactions at the meeting points of highly effective vaccine drugs, etc. The variability of mutated viruses is very complicated, and vaccination cannot completely prevent the spread of infection.

(12) New crown virus pneumonia and various respiratory infectious diseases are susceptible to infections in animals and humans, and are frequently recurring. This is one of the frequently-occurring and difficult diseases of common infectious diseases. Even with various vaccines and various antiviral immune drugs, it is difficult to completely prevent the occurrence and spread of viral pneumonia. Therefore, epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic is a major issue facing human society, and no country should take it lightly. The various costs that humans pay on this issue are very expensive, such as Ebola virus, influenza A virus,

Hepatitis virus,

Marburg virus

Sars coronavirus, plague, anthracnose, cholera

and many more. The B.1.1.7 mutant virus that was first discovered in the UK was renamed Alpha mutant virus; the B.1.351 that was first discovered in South Africa was renamed Beta mutant virus; the P.1 that was first discovered in Brazil was renamed Gamma mutant virus; the mutation was first discovered in India There are two branches of the virus. B.1.617.2, which was listed as "mutated virus of concern", was renamed Delta mutant virus, and B.1.617.1 of "mutated virus to be observed" was renamed Kappa mutant virus.

However, experts in many countries believe that the current vaccination is still effective, at least it can prevent severe illness and reduce deaths.

　　　　 Delta mutant strain

According to the degree of risk, the WHO divides the new crown variant strains into two categories: worrying variant strains (VOC, variant of concern) and noteworthy variant strains (VOI, variant of interest). The former has caused many cases and a wide range of cases worldwide, and data confirms its transmission ability, strong toxicity, high power, complex migration, and high insidious transmission of infection. Resistance to vaccines may lead to the effectiveness of vaccines and clinical treatments. Decrease; the latter has confirmed cases of community transmission worldwide, or has been found in multiple countries, but has not yet formed a large-scale infection. Need to be very vigilant. Various cases and deaths in many countries in the world are related to this. In some countries, the epidemic situation is repeated, and it is also caused by various reasons and viruses, of course, including new cases and so on.

At present, VOC is the mutant strain that has the greatest impact on the epidemic and the greatest threat to the world, including: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. , Will the change of the spur protein in the VOC affect the immune protection effect of the existing vaccine, or whether it will affect the sensitivity of the VOC to the existing vaccine? For this problem, it is necessary to directly test neutralizing antibodies, such as those that can prevent the protection of infection. Antibodies recognize specific protein sequences on viral particles, especially those spike protein sequences used in mRNA vaccines.

(13) Countries around the world, especially countries and regions with more severe epidemics, have a large number of clinical cases, severe cases, and deaths, especially including many young and middle-aged patients, including those who have been vaccinated. The epidemic is more complicated and serious. Injecting various vaccines, taking strict control measures such as closing the city and wearing masks are very important and the effect is very obvious. However, the new coronavirus and mutant viruses are so repeated, their pathological pathogen research will also be very complicated and difficult. After the large-scale use of the vaccine, many people are still infected. In addition to the lack of prevention and control measures, it is very important that the viability of the new coronavirus and various mutant viruses is very important. It can escape the inactivation of the vaccine. It is very resistant to stubbornness. Therefore, the recurrence of new coronavirus pneumonia is very dangerous. What is more noteworthy is that medical scientists, virologists, pharmacists, biologists, zoologists and clinicians should seriously consider the correspondence between virus specificity and vaccine drugs, and the coupling of commonality and specificity. Only in this way can we find targets. Track and kill viruses. Only in this sense can the new crown virus produce a nemesis, put an end to and eradicate the new crown virus pneumonia. Of course, this is not a temporary battle, but a certain amount of time and process to achieve the goal in the end.

(14) The development and evolution of the natural universe and earth species, as well as life species. With the continuous evolution of human cell genes, microbes and bacterial viruses are constantly mutated and inherited. The new world will inevitably produce a variety of new pathogens.

And viruses. For example, neurological genetic disease, digestive system disease, respiratory system disease, blood system disease, cardiopulmonary system disease, etc., new diseases will continue to emerge as humans develop and evolve. Human migration to space, space diseases, space psychological diseases, space cell diseases, space genetic diseases, etc. Therefore, for the new coronavirus and mutated viruses, we must have sufficient knowledge and response, and do not think that it will be completely wiped out.

, And is not a scientific attitude. Viruses and humans mutually reinforce each other, and viruses and animals and plants mutually reinforce each other. This is the iron law of the natural universe. Human beings can only adapt to natural history, but cannot deliberately modify natural history.

Active immune products made from specific bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, spirochetes, mycoplasma and other microorganisms and parasites are collectively called vaccines. Vaccination of animals can make the animal body have specific immunity. The principle of vaccines is to artificially attenuate, inactivate, and genetically attenuate pathogenic microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, etc.) and their metabolites. Purification and preparation methods, made into immune preparations for the prevention of infectious diseases. In terms of ingredients, the vaccine retains the antigenic properties and other characteristics of the pathogen, which can stimulate the body's immune response and produce protective antibodies. But it has no pathogenicity and does not cause harm to the body. When the body is exposed to this pathogen again, the immune system will produce more antibodies according to the previous memory to prevent the pathogen from invading or to fight against the damage to the body. (1) Inactivated vaccines: select pathogenic microorganisms with strong immunogenicity, culture them, inactivate them by physical or chemical methods, and then purify and prepare them. The virus species used in inactivated vaccines are generally virulent strains, but the use of attenuated attenuated strains also has good immunogenicity, such as the inactivated polio vaccine produced by the Sabin attenuated strain. The inactivated vaccine has lost its infectivity to the body, but still maintains its immunogenicity, which can stimulate the body to produce corresponding immunity and resist the infection of wild strains. Inactivated vaccines have a good immune effect. They can generally be stored for more than one year at 2～8°C without the risk of reversion of virulence; however, the inactivated vaccines cannot grow and reproduce after entering the human body. They stimulate the human body for a short time and must be strong and long-lasting. In general, adjuvants are required for immunity, and multiple injections in large doses are required, and the local immune protection of natural infection is lacking. Including bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae and toxoid preparations.

(2) Live attenuated vaccine: It is a vaccine made by using artificial targeted mutation methods or by screening live microorganisms with highly weakened or basically non-toxic virulence from the natural world. After inoculation, the live attenuated vaccine has a certain ability to grow and reproduce in the body, which can cause the body to have a reaction similar to a recessive infection or a mild infection, and it is widely used.

(3) Subunit vaccine: Among the multiple specific antigenic determinants carried by macromolecular antigens, only a small number of antigenic sites play an important role in the protective immune response. Separate natural proteins through chemical decomposition or controlled proteolysis, and extract bacteria and virusesVaccines made from fragments with immunological activity are screened out of the special protein structure of, called subunit vaccines. Subunit vaccines have only a few major surface proteins, so they can eliminate antibodies induced by many unrelated antigens, thereby reducing the side effects of the vaccine and related diseases and other side effects caused by the vaccine. (4) Genetically engineered vaccine: It uses DNA recombination biotechnology to direct the natural or synthetic genetic material in the pathogen coat protein that can induce the body's immune response into bacteria, yeast or mammalian cells to make it fully expressed. A vaccine prepared after purification. The application of genetic engineering technology can produce subunit vaccines that do not contain infectious substances, stable attenuated vaccines with live viruses as carriers, and multivalent vaccines that can prevent multiple diseases. This is the second-generation vaccine following the first-generation traditional vaccine. It has the advantages of safety, effectiveness, long-term immune response, and easy realization of combined immunization. It has certain advantages and effects.

New coronavirus drug development, drug targets and chemical modification.

Ligand-based drug design (or indirect drug design planning) relies on the knowledge of other molecules that bind to the target biological target. These other molecules can be used to derive pharmacophore models and structural modalities, which define the minimum necessary structural features that the molecule must have in order to bind to the target. In other words, a model of a biological target can be established based on the knowledge of the binding target, and the model can be used to design new molecular entities and other parts that interact with the target. Among them, the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is included, in which the correlation between the calculated properties of the molecule and its experimentally determined biological activity can be derived. These QSAR relationships can be used to predict the activity of new analogs. The structure-activity relationship is very complicated.

Based on structure

Structure-based drug design relies on knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of biological targets obtained by methods such as X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. If the experimental structure of the target is not available, it is possible to create a homology model of the target and other standard models that can be compared based on the experimental structure of the relevant protein. Using the structure of biological targets, interactive graphics and medical chemists’ intuitive design can be used to predict drug candidates with high affinity and selective binding to the target. Various automatic calculation programs can also be used to suggest new drug candidates.

The current structure-based drug design methods can be roughly divided into three categories. The 3D method is to search a large database of small molecule 3D structures to find new ligands for a given receptor, in order to use a rapid approximate docking procedure to find those suitable for the receptor binding pocket. This method is called virtual screening. The second category is the de novo design of new ligands. In this method, by gradually assembling small fragments, a ligand molecule is established within the constraints of the binding pocket. These fragments can be single atoms or molecular fragments. The main advantage of this method is that it can propose novel structures that are not found in any database. The third method is to optimize the known ligand acquisition by evaluating the proposed analogs in the binding cavity.

Bind site ID

Binding site recognition is a step in structure-based design. If the structure of the target or a sufficiently similar homologue is determined in the presence of the bound ligand, the ligand should be observable in that structure, in which case the location of the binding site is small. However, there may not be an allosteric binding site of interest. In addition, only apo protein structures may be available, and it is not easy to reliably identify unoccupied sites that have the potential to bind ligands with high affinity. In short, the recognition of binding sites usually depends on the recognition of pits. The protein on the protein surface can hold molecules the size of drugs, etc. These molecules also have appropriate "hot spots" that drive ligand binding, hydrophobic surfaces, hydrogen bonding sites, and so on.

Drug design is a creative process of finding new drugs based on the knowledge of biological targets. The most common type of drug is small organic molecules that activate or inhibit the function of biomolecules, thereby producing therapeutic benefits for patients. In the most important sense, drug design involves the design of molecules with complementary shapes and charges that bind to their interacting biomolecular targets, and therefore will bind to them. Drug design often but does not necessarily rely on computer modeling techniques. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technology for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, etc., which must be optimized first before the ligand can become safe and effective. drug. These other features are usually difficult to predict and realize through reasonable design techniques. However, due to the high turnover rate, especially in the clinical stage of drug development, in the early stage of the drug design process, more attention is paid to the selection of drug candidates. The physical and chemical properties of these drug candidates are expected to be reduced during the development process. Complications are therefore more likely to lead to the approval of the marketed drug. In addition, in early drug discovery, in vitro experiments with computational methods are increasingly used to select compounds with more favorable ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) and toxicological characteristics. A more accurate term is ligand design. Although the design technique for predicting binding affinity is quite successful, there are many other characteristics, such as bioavailability, metabolic half-life, side effects, iatrogenic effects, etc., which must be optimized first, and then the ligand To become safe and effective.

For drug targets, two aspects should be considered when selecting drug targets:

1. The effectiveness of the target, that is, the target is indeed related to the disease, and the symptoms of the disease can be effectively improved by regulating the physiological activity of the target.

2. The side effects of the target. If the regulation of the physiological activity of the target inevitably produces serious side effects, it is inappropriate to select it as the target of drug action or lose its important biological activity. The reference frame of the target should be expanded in multiple dimensions to have a big choice.

3. Search for biomolecular clues related to diseases: use genomics, proteomics and biochip technology to obtain biomolecular information related to diseases, and perform bioinformatics analysis to obtain clue information.

4. Perform functional research on related biomolecules to determine the target of candidate drugs. Multiple targets or individual targets.

5. Candidate drug targets, design small molecule compounds, and conduct pharmacological research at the molecular, cellular and overall animal levels.

Covalent bonding type

The covalent bonding type is an irreversible form of bonding, similar to the organic synthesis reaction that occurs. Covalent bonding types mostly occur in the mechanism of action of chemotherapeutic drugs. For example, alkylating agent anti-tumor drugs produce covalent bonding bonds to guanine bases in DNA, resulting in cytotoxic activity.

. Verify the effectiveness of the target.

Based on the targets that interact with drugs, that is, receptors in a broad sense, such as enzymes, receptors, ion channels, membranes, antigens, viruses, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, etc., find and design reasonable drug molecules. Targets of action and drug screening should focus on multiple points. Drug intermediates and chemical modification. Combining the development of new drugs with the chemical structure modification of traditional drugs makes it easier to find breakthroughs and develop new antiviral drugs. For example, careful selection, modification and modification of existing related drugs that can successfully treat and recover a large number of cases, elimination and screening of invalid drugs from severe death cases, etc., are targeted, rather than screening and capturing needles in a haystack, aimless, with half the effort. Vaccine design should also be multi-pronged and focused. The broad-spectrum, long-term, safety, efficiency and redundancy of the vaccine should all be considered. In this way, it will be more powerful to deal with the mutation and evolution of the virus. Of course, series of vaccines, series of drugs, second-generation vaccines, third-generation vaccines, second-generation drugs, third-generation drugs, etc. can also be developed. Vaccines focus on epidemic prevention, and medicines focus on medical treatment. The two are very different; however, the two complement each other and complement each other. Therefore, in response to large-scale epidemics of infectious diseases, vaccines and various drugs are the nemesis and killers of viral diseases. Of course, it also includes other methods and measures, so I won't repeat them here.

Mainly through the comprehensive and accurate understanding of the structure of the drug and the receptor at the molecular level and even the electronic level, structure-based drug design and the understanding of the structure, function, and drug action mode of the target and the mechanism of physiological activity Mechanism-based drug design.

Compared with the traditional extensive pharmacological screening and lead compound optimization, it has obvious advantages.

Viral RNA replicase, also known as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is responsible for the replication and transcription of RNA virus genome, and plays a very important role in the process of virus self-replication in host cells, and It also has a major impact on the mutation of the virus, it will change and accelerate the replication and recombination. Because RdRp from different viruses has a highly conserved core structure, the virus replicase is an important antiviral drug target and there are other selection sites, rather than a single isolated target target such as the new coronavirus As with various mutant viruses, inhibitors developed for viral replicase are expected to become a broad-spectrum antiviral drug. The currently well-known anti-coronavirus drug remdesivir (remdesivir) is a drug for viral replicase.

New antiviral therapies are gradually emerging. In addition to traditional polymerase and protease inhibitors, nucleic acid drugs, cell entry inhibitors, nucleocapsid inhibitors, and drugs targeting host cells are also increasingly appearing in the research and development of major pharmaceutical companies. The treatment of mutated viruses is becoming increasingly urgent. The development of drugs for the new coronavirus pneumonia is very important. It is not only for the current global new coronavirus epidemic, but more importantly, it is of great significance to face the severe pneumonia-respiratory infectious disease that poses a huge threat to humans.

There are many vaccines and related drugs developed for the new coronavirus pneumonia, and countries are vying for a while, mainly including the following:

Identification test, appearance, difference in loading, moisture, pH value, osmolality, polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, potency test, sterility test, pyrogen test, bacterial endotoxin test, abnormal toxicity test.

Among them: such as sterility inspection, pyrogen inspection, bacterial endotoxin, and abnormal toxicity inspection are indicators closely related to safety.

Polysaccharide content, free polysaccharide content, and efficacy test are indicators closely related to vaccine effectiveness.

Usually, a vaccine will go through a long research and development process of at least 8 years or even more than 20 years from research and development to marketing. The outbreak of the new crown epidemic requires no delay, and the design and development of vaccines is speeding up. It is not surprising in this special period. Of course, it is understandable that vaccine design, development and testing can be accelerated, shortened the cycle, and reduced some procedures. However, science needs to be rigorous and rigorous to achieve great results. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines are of the utmost importance. There must not be a single error. Otherwise, it will be counterproductive and need to be continuously improved and perfected.

Pre-clinical research: The screening of strains and cells is the basic guarantee to ensure the safety, effectiveness, and continuous supply of vaccines. Taking virus vaccines as an example, the laboratory stage needs to carry out strain screening, necessary strain attenuation, strain adaptation to the cultured cell matrix and stability studies in the process of passaging, and explore the stability of process quality, establish animal models, etc. . Choose mice, guinea pigs, rabbits or monkeys for animal experiments according to each vaccine situation. Pre-clinical research generally takes 5-10 years or longer on the premise that the process is controllable, the quality is stable, and it is safe and effective. In order to be safe and effective, a certain redundant design is also needed, so that the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine can be importantly guaranteed.

These include the establishment of vaccine strain/cell seed bank, production process research, quality research, stability research, animal safety evaluation and effectiveness evaluation, and clinical trial programs, etc.

The ARS-CoV-2 genome contains at least 10 ORFs. ORF1ab is converted into a polyprotein and processed into 16 non-structural proteins (NSP). These NSPs have a variety of functional biological activities, physical and chemical reactions, such as genome replication, induction of host mRNA cleavage, membrane rearrangement, autophagosome production, NSP polyprotein cleavage, capping, tailing, methylation, RNA double-stranded Uncoiling, etc., and others, play an important role in the virus life cycle. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 contains 4 structural proteins, namely spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), envelope (E) and membrane (M), all of which are encoded by the 3'end of the viral genome. Among the four structural proteins, S protein is a large multifunctional transmembrane protein that plays an important role in the process of virus adsorption, fusion, and injection into host cells, and requires in-depth observation and research.

1S protein is composed of S1 and S2 subunits, and each subunit can be further divided into different functional domains. The S1 subunit has 2 domains: NTD and RBD, and RBD contains conservative RBM. The S2 subunit has 3 structural domains: FP, HR1 and HR2. The S1 subunit is arranged at the top of the S2 subunit to form an immunodominant S protein.

The virus uses the host transmembrane protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and the endosomal cysteine ​​protease CatB/L to enter the cell. TMPRSS2 is responsible for the cleavage of the S protein to expose the FP region of the S2 subunit, which is responsible for initiating endosome-mediated host cell entry into it. It shows that TMPRSS2 is a host factor necessary for virus entry. Therefore, the use of drugs that inhibit this protease can achieve the purpose of treatment.

mRNA-1273

The mRNA encoding the full length of SARS-CoV-2, and the pre-spike protein fusion is encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles to form mRNA-1273 vaccine. It can induce a high level of S protein specific antiviral response. It can also consist of inactivated antigens or subunit antigens. The vaccine was quickly approved by the FDA and has entered phase II clinical trials. The company has announced the antibody data of 8 subjects who received different immunization doses. The 25ug dose group achieved an effect similar to the antibody level during the recovery period. The 100ug dose group exceeded the antibody level during the recovery period. In the 25ug and 100ug dose groups, the vaccine was basically safe and tolerable, while the 250ug dose group had 3 levels of systemic symptoms.

Viral vector vaccines can provide long-term high-level expression of antigen proteins, induce CTLs, and ultimately eliminate viral infections.

1, Ad5-nCov

A vaccine of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein expressed by recombinant, replication-deficient type 5 adenovirus (Ad5) vector. Load the optimized full-length S protein gene together with the plasminogen activation signal peptide gene into the E1 and E3 deleted Ad5 vectors. The vaccine is constructed by the Admax system derived from Microbix Biosystem. In phase I clinical trials, RBD (S1 subunit receptor binding domain) and S protein neutralizing antibody increased by 4 times 14 days after immunization, reaching a peak on 28 days. CD4+T and CD8+T cells reached a peak 14 days after immunization. The existing Ad5 immune resistance partially limits the response of antibodies and T cells. This study will be further conducted in the 18-60 age group, receiving 1/3 of the study dose, and follow-up for 3-6 months after immunization.

DNA vaccine

The introduction of antigen-encoding DNA and adjuvants as vaccines is the most innovative vaccine method. The transfected cells stably express the transgenic protein, similar to live viruses. The antigen will be endocytosed by immature DC, and finally provide antigen to CD4 + T, CD8 + T cells (by MHC differentiation) To induce humoral and cellular immunity. Some specificities of the virus and the new coronavirus mutant are different from general vaccines and other vaccines. Therefore, it is worth noting the gene expression of the vaccine. Otherwise, the effectiveness and efficiency of the vaccine will be questioned.

Live attenuated vaccine

DelNS1-SARS-CoV2-RBD

Basic influenza vaccine, delete NS1 gene. Express SARS-CoV-2 RBD domain. Cultured in CEF and MDCK (canine kidney cells) cells. It is more immunogenic than wild-type influenza virus and can be administered by nasal spray.

The viral genome is susceptible to mutation, antigen transfer and drift can occur, and spread among the population. Mutations can vary depending on the environmental conditions and population density of the geographic area. After screening and comparing 7,500 samples of infected patients, scientists found 198 mutations, indicating the evolutionary mutation of the virus in the human host. These mutations may form different virus subtypes, which means that even after vaccine immunization, viral infections may occur. A certain amount of increment and strengthening is needed here.

Inactivated vaccines, adenovirus vector vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, attenuated influenza virus vector vaccines, etc. According to relevant information, there are dozens of new coronavirus vaccines in the world, and more varieties are being developed and upgraded. Including the United States, Britain, China, Russia, India and other countries, there are more R&D and production units.

AZ vaccine

Modena vaccine

Lianya Vaccine

High-end vaccine

Pfizer vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech

A large study found that the vaccine developed by Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.

The vaccine is divided into two doses, which are injected every three weeks.

This vaccine uses a molecule called mRNA as its basis. mRNA is a molecular cousin of DNA, which contains instructions to build specific proteins; in this case, the mRNA in the vaccine encodes the coronavirus spike protein, which is attached to the surface of the virus and used to infect human cells. Once the vaccine enters the human body, it will instruct the body's cells to make this protein, and the immune system will learn to recognize and attack it.

Moderna

The vaccine developed by the American biotechnology company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is also based on mRNA and is estimated to be 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Like Pfizer's vaccine, this vaccine is divided into two doses, but injected every four weeks instead of three weeks. Another difference is that the Moderna vaccine can be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius instead of deep freezing like Pfizer vaccine. At present, the importance of one of the widely used vaccines is self-evident.

Oxford-AstraZeneca

The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is approximately 70% effective in preventing COVID-19-that is, in clinical trials, adjusting the dose seems to improve this effect.

In the population who received two high-dose vaccines (28 days apart), the effectiveness of the vaccine was about 62%; according to early analysis, the effectiveness of the vaccine in those patients who received the half-dose first and then the full-dose Is 90%. However, in clinical trials, participants taking half doses of the drug are wrong, and some scientists question whether these early results are representative.

Sinopharm Group (Beijing Institute of Biological Products, China)

China National Pharmaceutical Group Sinopharm and Beijing Institute of Biological Products have developed a vaccine from inactivated coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The inactivated coronavirus is an improved version that cannot be replicated.

Estimates of the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19 vary.

Gamaleya Institute

The Gamaleya Institute of the Russian Ministry of Health has developed a coronavirus vaccine candidate called Sputnik V. This vaccine contains two common cold viruses, adenoviruses, which have been modified so that they will not replicate in the human body; the modified virus also contains a gene encoding the coronavirus spike protein.

New crown drugs

There are many small molecule antiviral drug candidates in the clinical research stage around the world. Including traditional drugs in the past and various drugs yet to be developed, antiviral drugs, immune drugs, Gene drugs, compound drugs, etc.

(A) Molnupiravir

Molnupiravir is a prodrug of the nucleoside analog N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

The positive rate of infectious virus isolation and culture in nasopharyngeal swabs was 0% (0/47), while that of patients in the placebo group was 24% (6/25). However, data from the Phase II/III study indicate that the drug has no benefit in preventing death or shortening the length of stay in hospitalized patients.

Therefore, Merck has decided to fully advance the research of 800mg molnupiravir in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

(B) AT-527

AT-527 is a small molecule inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase, jointly developed by Roche and Atea. Not only can it be used as an oral therapy to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but it also has the potential as a preventive treatment after exposure.

Including 70 high-risk COVID-19 hospitalized patients data, of which 62 patients' data can be used for virological analysis and evaluation. The results of interim virological analysis show that AT-527 can quickly reduce viral load. On day 2, compared with placebo, patients treated with AT-527 had a greater decline in viral load than the baseline level, and the continuous difference in viral load decline was maintained until day 8.

In addition, compared with the control group, the potent antiviral activity of AT-527 was also observed in patients with a baseline median viral load higher than 5.26 log10. When testing by RT-qPCR to assess whether the virus is cleared,

The safety aspect is consistent with previous studies. AT-527 showed good safety and tolerability, and no new safety problems or risks were found. Of course, there is still a considerable distance between experiment and clinical application, and a large amount of experimental data can prove it.

(C) Prokrutamide

Prokalamide is an AR (androgen receptor) antagonist. Activated androgen receptor AR can induce the expression of transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2). TMPRSS2 has a shearing effect on the new coronavirus S protein and ACE2, which can promote the binding of viral spike protein (S protein) to ACE, thereby promoting The virus enters the host cell. Therefore, inhibiting the androgen receptor may inhibit the viral infection process, and AR antagonists are expected to become anti-coronavirus drugs.

Positive results were obtained in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial. The data shows that Prokalutamide reduces the risk of death in severely ill patients with new coronary disease by 92%, reduces the risk of new ventilator use by 92%, and shortens the length of hospital stay by 9 days. This shows that procrulamide has a certain therapeutic effect for patients with severe new coronary disease, which can significantly reduce the mortality of patients, and at the same time greatly reduce the new mechanical ventilation and shorten the patient's hospital stay.

With the continuous development of COVID-19 on a global scale, in addition to vaccines and prevention and control measures, we need a multi-pronged plan to control this disease. Oral antiviral therapy undoubtedly provides a convenient treatment option.

In addition, there are other drugs under development and experimentation. In dealing with the plague virus, in addition to the strict control of protective measures, it is very important that various efficient and safe vaccines and various drugs (including medical instruments, etc.) are the ultimate nemesis and killer of the virus.

(A) "Antiviral biological missiles" are mainly drugs for new coronaviruses and mutant viruses, which act on respiratory and lung diseases. The drugs use redundant designs to inhibit new coronaviruses and variant viruses.

(B) "New Coronavirus Epidemic Prevention Tablets" mainly use natural purified elements and chemical structure modifications.

(C) "Composite antiviral oral liquid" antiviral intermediate, natural antiviral plant, plus other preparations

(D) "New Coronavirus Long-acting Oral Tablets" Chemical modification of antiviral drugs, multiple targets, etc.

(E) "New Coronavirus Inhibitors" (injections) are mainly made of chemical drug structure modification and other preparations.

The development of these drugs mainly includes: drug target screening, structure-activity relationship, chemical modification, natural purification, etc., which require a lot of work and experimentation.

Humans need to vigorously develop drugs to deal with various viruses. These drugs are very important for the prevention and treatment of viruses and respiratory infectious diseases, influenza, pneumonia, etc.

The history of human development The history of human evolution, like all living species, will always be accompanied by the survival and development of microorganisms. It is not surprising that viruses and infectious diseases are frequent and prone to occur. The key is to prevent and control them before they happen.

This strain was first discovered in India in October 2020 and was initially called a "double mutant" virus by the media. According to the announcement by the Ministry of Health of India at the end of March this year, the "India New Coronavirus Genomics Alliance" composed of 10 laboratories found in samples collected in Maharashtra that this new mutant strain carries E484Q and L452R mutations. , May lead to immune escape and increased infectivity. This mutant strain was named B.1.617 by the WHO and was named with the Greek letter δ (delta) on May 31.

Shahid Jamil, the dean of the Trivedi School of Biological Sciences at Ashoka University in India and a virologist, said in an interview with the Shillong Times of India that this mutant strain called "double mutation" is not accurate enough. B. 1.617 contains a total of 15 mutations, of which 6 occur on the spike protein, of which 3 are more critical: L452R and E484Q mutations occur on the spike protein and the human cell "Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2)" receptor In the bound region, L452R improves the ability of the virus to invade cells, and E484Q helps to enhance the immune escape of the virus; the third mutation P681R can also make the virus enter the cell more effectively. (Encyclopedia website)

There are currently dozens of antiviral COVID-19 therapies under development. The large drugmakers Merck and Pfizer are the closest to the end, as expected, a pair of oral antiviral COVID-19 therapies are undergoing advanced human clinical trials.

Merck's drug candidate is called monupiravir. It was originally developed as an influenza antiviral drug several years ago. However, preclinical studies have shown that it has a good effect on SARS and MERS coronavirus.

Monupiravir is currently undergoing in-depth large-scale Phase 3 human trials. So far, the data is so promising that the US government recently pre-ordered 1.7 million courses of drugs at a cost of $1.2 billion. If everything goes according to plan, the company hopes that the drug will be authorized by the FDA for emergency use and be on the market before the end of 2021.

Pfizer's large COVID-19 antiviral drug candidate is more unique. Currently known as PF-07321332, this drug is the first oral antiviral drug to enter human clinical trials, specifically targeting SARS-CoV-2.

Variant of Concern WHO Label First Detected in World First Detected in Washington State

B.1.1.7 Alpha United Kingdom, September 2020 January 2021

B.1.351 Beta South Africa, December 2020 February 2021

P.1 Gamma Brazil, April 2020 March 2021

B.1.617.2 Delta India, October 2020 April 2021

Although this particular molecule was developed in 2020 after the emergence of the new coronavirus, a somewhat related drug called PF-00835231 has been in operation for several years, targeting the original SARS virus. However, the new drug candidate PF-07321332 is designed as a simple pill that can be taken under non-hospital conditions in the initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

"The protease inhibitor binds to a viral enzyme and prevents the virus from replicating in the cell," Pfizer said when explaining the mechanism of its new antiviral drug. "Protease inhibitors have been effective in the treatment of other viral pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, whether used alone or in combination with other antiviral drugs. Currently marketed therapeutic drugs for viral proteases are generally not toxic Therefore, such molecules may provide well-tolerated treatments against COVID-19."

Various studies on other types of antiviral drugs are also gaining momentum. For example, the new coronavirus pneumonia "antiviral biological missile", "new coronavirus prevention tablets", "composite antiviral oral liquid", "new coronavirus long-acting oral tablets", "new coronavirus inhibitors" (injections), etc., are worthy of attention. Like all kinds of vaccines, they will play a major role in preventing and fighting epidemics.

In addition, Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionoyoshi Pharmaceutical is currently conducting a phase 1 trial of a protease inhibitor similar to SARS-CoV-2. This is called S-217622, ​​which is another oral antiviral drug, and hopes to provide people with an easy-to-take pill in the early stages of COVID-19. At present, the research and development of vaccines and various new crown drugs is very active and urgent. Time does not wait. With the passage of time, various new crown drugs will appear on the stage one after another, bringing the gospel to the complete victory of mankind.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. The Delta mutant strain has quickly become the most prominent SARS-CoV-2 strain in the world. Although our vaccine is still maintained, it is clear that we need more tools to combat this new type of coronavirus. Delta will certainly not be the last new SARS-CoV-2 variant we encountered. Therefore, it is necessary for all mankind to persevere and fight the epidemic together.

Overcome illness and meet new challenges. The new crown epidemic and various mutated viruses are very important global epidemic prevention and anti-epidemic top priorities, especially for the current period of time. Vaccine injections, research and development of new drugs, strict prevention and control, wear masks, reduce gatherings, strictly control large gatherings, prevent the spread of various viruses Masks, disinfection and sterilization, lockdown of the city, vaccinations, accounting and testing are very important, but this does not mean that humans can completely overcome the virus. In fact, many spreading and new latently transmitted infections are still unsuccessful. There are detections, such as invisible patients, asymptomatic patients, migratory latent patients, new-onset patients, etc. The struggle between humans and the virus is still very difficult and complicated, and long-term efforts and exploration are still needed, especially for medical research on the new coronavirus. The origin of the disease, the course of the disease, the virus invaded The deep-level path and the reasons for the evolution and mutation of the new coronavirus and the particularity of prevention and treatment, etc.). Therefore, human beings should be highly vigilant and must not be taken lightly. The fierce battle between humans and various viruses must not be slackened. Greater efforts are needed to successfully overcome this pandemic, fully restore the normal life of the whole society, restore the normal production and work order, restore the normal operation of society, economy and culture, and give up food due to choking. Or eager for success, will pay a high price.

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Compilation postscript

Once Fang Ruida's research literature on the new crown virus and mutant virus was published, it has been enthusiastically praised by readers and netizens in dozens of countries around the world, and has proposed some amendments and suggestions. Hope to publish a multilingual version of the book as an emergency To meet the needs of many readers around the world, in the face of the new crown epidemic and the prevention and treatment of various mutant viruses, including the general public, college and middle school students, medical workers, medical colleagues and so on. According to the English original manuscript, it will be re-compiled and published. Inconsistencies will be revised separately. Thank you very much.

Jacques Lucy, Geneva, Switzerland, August 2021

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Leader mondial, scientifique, scientifique médical, virologue, pharmacien et professeur Fangruida (F.D Smith) sur l'épidémie mondiale et l'ennemi juré et la prévention des nouveaux coronavirus et virus mutants (Jacques Lucy 2021v1.5)

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L'ennemi juré et le tueur du nouveau coronavirus et des virus mutés - Développement conjoint de vaccins et de médicaments (Fangruida) Juillet 2021

* La particularité des nouveaux coronavirus et des virus mutants * Le large spectre, la haute efficacité, la redondance et la sécurité de la conception et du développement du nouveau vaccin contre le coronavirus, Redondance et sécurité

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Cascada de la Font del Gat.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

La font del Gat.

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

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The Font del Gat.

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

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La Font del Gat.

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

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Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. In many contexts, potato refers to the edible tuber, but it can also refer to the plant itself. Common or slang terms include tater, tattie and spud. Potatoes were introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish. Today they are a staple food in many parts of the world and an integral part of much of the world's food supply. As of 2014, potatoes were the world's fourth-largest food crop after maize (corn), wheat, and rice.

Wild potato species can be found throughout the Americas, from the United States to southern Chile. The potato was originally believed to have been domesticated independently in multiple locations, but later genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species traced a single origin for potatoes. In the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia, from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex, potatoes were domesticated approximately 7,000–10,000 years ago. In the Andes region of South America, where the species is indigenous, some close relatives of the potato are cultivated.

Following millennia of selective breeding, there are now over 1,000 different types of potatoes. Over 99% of presently cultivated potatoes worldwide descended from varieties that originated in the lowlands of south-central Chile, which have displaced formerly popular varieties from the Andes.

The importance of the potato as a food source and culinary ingredient varies by region and is still changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe, especially eastern and central Europe, where per capita production is still the highest in the world, while the most rapid expansion in production over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia, with China and India leading the world in overall production as of 2014.

Being a nightshade similar to tomatoes, the vegetative and fruiting parts of the potato contain the toxin solanine and are not fit for human consumption. Normal potato tubers that have been grown and stored properly produce glycoalkaloids in amounts small enough to be negligible to human health, but if green sections of the plant (namely sprouts and skins) are exposed to light, the tuber can accumulate a high enough concentration of glycoalkaloids to affect human health.

ETYMOLOGY

The English word potato comes from Spanish patata (the name used in Spain). The Spanish Royal Academy says the Spanish word is a hybrid of the Taíno batata (sweet potato) and the Quechua papa (potato). The name originally referred to the sweet potato although the two plants are not closely related. The 16th-century English herbalist John Gerard referred to sweet potatoes as "common potatoes", and used the terms "bastard potatoes" and "Virginia potatoes" for the species we now call "potato". In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two. Potatoes are occasionally referred to as "Irish potatoes" or "white potatoes" in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes.

The name spud for a small potato comes from the digging of soil (or a hole) prior to the planting of potatoes. The word has an unknown origin and was originally (c. 1440) used as a term for a short knife or dagger, probably related to the Latin "spad-" a word root meaning "sword"; cf. Spanish "espada", English "spade" and "spadroon". It subsequently transferred over to a variety of digging tools. Around 1845, the name transferred to the tuber itself, the first record of this usage being in New Zealand English. The origin of the word "spud" has erroneously been attributed to an 18th-century activist group dedicated to keeping the potato out of Britain, calling itself The Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet (S.P.U.D.). It was Mario Pei's 1949 The Story of Language that can be blamed for the word's false origin. Pei writes, "the potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet. The initials of the main words in this title gave rise to spud." Like most other pre-20th century acronymic origins, this is false, and there is no evidence that a Society for the Prevention of Unwholesome Diet ever existed.

CHARACTERISTICS

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens. In general, the tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are mostly cross-pollinated by insects such as bumblebees, which carry pollen from other potato plants, though a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties.

After flowering, potato plants produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing about 300 seeds. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic alkaloid solanine and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true potato seed", "TPS" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. New varieties grown from seed can be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers cut to include at least one or two eyes, or cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Plants propagated from tubers are clones of the parent, whereas those propagated from seed produce a range of different varieties.

GENETICS

There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide. Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. They belong to eight or nine species, depending on the taxonomic school. Apart from the 5,000 cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties. Cross-breeding has been done repeatedly to transfer resistances to certain pests and diseases from the gene pool of wild species to the gene pool of cultivated potato species. Genetically modified varieties have met public resistance in the United States and in the European UnionThe major species grown worldwide is Solanum tuberosum (a tetraploid with 48 chromosomes), and modern varieties of this species are the most widely cultivated. There are also four diploid species (with 24 chromosomes): S. stenotomum, S. phureja, S. goniocalyx, and S. ajanhuiri. There are two triploid species (with 36 chromosomes): S. chaucha and S. juzepczukii. There is one pentaploid cultivated species (with 60 chromosomes): S. curtilobum. There are two major subspecies of Solanum tuberosum: andigena, or Andean; and tuberosum, or Chilean. The Andean potato is adapted to the short-day conditions prevalent in the mountainous equatorial and tropical regions where it originated; the Chilean potato, however, native to the Chiloé Archipelago, is adapted to the long-day conditions prevalent in the higher latitude region of southern Chile.

The International Potato Center, based in Lima, Peru, holds an ISO-accredited collection of potato germplasm. The international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium announced in 2009 that they had achieved a draft sequence of the potato genome. The potato genome contains 12 chromosomes and 860 million base pairs, making it a medium-sized plant genome. More than 99 percent of all current varieties of potatoes currently grown are direct descendants of a subspecies that once grew in the lowlands of south-central Chile. Nonetheless, genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species affirms that all potato subspecies derive from a single origin in the area of present-day southern Peru and extreme Northwestern Bolivia (from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex). The wild Crop Wild Relatives Prebreeding project encourages the use of wild relatives in breeding programs. Enriching and preserving the gene bank collection to make potatoes adaptive to diverse environmental conditions is seen as a pressing issue due to climate change.

Most modern potatoes grown in North America arrived through European settlement and not independently from the South American sources, although at least one wild potato species, Solanum fendleri, naturally ranges from Peru into Texas, where it is used in breeding for resistance to a nematode species that attacks cultivated potatoes. A secondary center of genetic variability of the potato is Mexico, where important wild species that have been used extensively in modern breeding are found, such as the hexaploid Solanum demissum, as a source of resistance to the devastating late blight disease. Another relative native to this region, Solanum bulbocastanum, has been used to genetically engineer the potato to resist potato blight.

Potatoes yield abundantly with little effort, and adapt readily to diverse climates as long as the climate is cool and moist enough for the plants to gather sufficient water from the soil to form the starchy tubers. Potatoes do not keep very well in storage and are vulnerable to moulds that feed on the stored tubers and quickly turn them rotten, whereas crops such as grain can be stored for several years with a low risk of rot. The yield of Calories per acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of maize (7.5 million), rice (7.4 million), wheat (3 million), or soybean (2.8 million).

VARIETIES

There are close to 4,000 varieties of potato including common commercial varieties, each of which has specific agricultural or culinary attributes. Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. In general, varieties are categorized into a few main groups based on common characteristics, such as russet potatoes (rough brown skin), red potatoes, white potatoes, yellow potatoes (also called Yukon potatoes) and purple potatoes.

For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy baking potatoes have more starch (20–22%) than waxy boiling potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped.

The European Cultivated Potato Database (ECPD) is an online collaborative database of potato variety descriptions that is updated and maintained by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency within the framework of the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/GR)—which is run by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).

PIGMENTATION

Dozens of potato cultivars have been selectively bred specifically for their skin or, more commonly, flesh color, including gold, red, and blue varieties that contain varying amounts of phytochemicals, including carotenoids for gold/yellow or polyphenols for red or blue cultivars. Carotenoid compounds include provitamin A alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which are converted to the essential nutrient, vitamin A, during digestion. Anthocyanins mainly responsible for red or blue pigmentation in potato cultivars do not have nutritional significance, but are used for visual variety and consumer appeal. Recently, as of 2010, potatoes have also been bioengineered specifically for these pigmentation traits.

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED POTATOES

Genetic research has produced several genetically modified varieties. 'New Leaf', owned by Monsanto Company, incorporates genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, which confers resistance to the Colorado potato beetle; 'New Leaf Plus' and 'New Leaf Y', approved by US regulatory agencies during the 1990s, also include resistance to viruses. McDonald's, Burger King, Frito-Lay, and Procter & Gamble announced they would not use genetically modified potatoes, and Monsanto published its intent to discontinue the line in March 2001.

Waxy potato varieties produce two main kinds of potato starch, amylose and amylopectin, the latter of which is most industrially useful. BASF developed the Amflora potato, which was modified to express antisense RNA to inactivate the gene for granule bound starch synthase, an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of amylose. Amflora potatoes therefore produce starch consisting almost entirely of amylopectin, and are thus more useful for the starch industry. In 2010, the European Commission cleared the way for 'Amflora' to be grown in the European Union for industrial purposes only—not for food. Nevertheless, under EU rules, individual countries have the right to decide whether they will allow this potato to be grown on their territory. Commercial planting of 'Amflora' was expected in the Czech Republic and Germany in the spring of 2010, and Sweden and the Netherlands in subsequent years. Another GM potato variety developed by BASF is 'Fortuna' which was made resistant to late blight by adding two resistance genes, blb1 and blb2, which originate from the Mexican wild potato Solanum bulbocastanum. In October 2011 BASF requested cultivation and marketing approval as a feed and food from the EFSA. In 2012, GMO development in Europe was stopped by BASF.

In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by J.R. Simplot Company, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less acrylamide when fried than conventional potatoes; the modifications do not cause new proteins to be made, but rather prevent proteins from being made via RNA interference.

HISTORY

The potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BC. It has since spread around the world and become a staple crop in many countries.

The earliest archaeologically verified potato tuber remains have been found at the coastal site of Ancon (central Peru), dating to 2500 BC. The most widely cultivated variety, Solanum tuberosum tuberosum, is indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago, and has been cultivated by the local indigenous people since before the Spanish conquest.

According to conservative estimates, the introduction of the potato was responsible for a quarter of the growth in Old World population and urbanization between 1700 and 1900. In the Altiplano, potatoes provided the principal energy source for the Inca civilization, its predecessors, and its Spanish successor. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, part of the Columbian exchange. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. The potato was slow to be adopted by European farmers, but soon enough it became an important food staple and field crop that played a major role in the European 19th century population boom. However, lack of genetic diversity, due to the very limited number of varieties initially introduced, left the crop vulnerable to disease. In 1845, a plant disease known as late blight, caused by the fungus-like oomycete Phytophthora infestans, spread rapidly through the poorer communities of western Ireland as well as parts of the Scottish Highlands, resulting in the crop failures that led to the Great Irish Famine. Thousands of varieties still persist in the Andes however, where over 100 cultivars might be found in a single valley, and a dozen or more might be maintained by a single agricultural household.

PRODUCTION

In 2016, world production of potatoes was 377 million tonnes, led by China with over 26% of the world total (see table). Other major producers were India, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia.

NUTRITION

A raw potato is 79% water, 17% carbohydrates (88% is starch), 2% protein, and contains negligible fat (see table). In an amount measuring 100 grams, raw potato provides 322 kilojoules (77 kilocalories) of energy and is a rich source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C (23% and 24% of the Daily Value, respectively), with no other vitamins or minerals in significant amount (see table). The potato is rarely eaten raw because raw potato starch is poorly digested by humans. When a potato is baked, its contents of vitamin B6 and vitamin C decline notably, while there is little significant change in the amount of other nutrients.

Potatoes are often broadly classified as having a high glycemic index (GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a low-GI diet. The GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on the cultivar or cultivar category (such as "red", russet, "white", or King Edward), growing conditions and storage, preparation methods (by cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole), and accompanying foods consumed (especially the addition of various high-fat or high-protein toppings). In particular, consuming reheated or cooled potatoes that were previously cooked may yield a lower GI effect.

In the UK, potatoes are not considered by the National Health Service (NHS) as counting or contributing towards the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables, the 5-A-Day program.

COMPARISON TO OTHER STAPLE FOODS

This table shows the nutrient content of potatoes next to other major staple foods, each one measured in its respective raw state, even though staple foods are not commonly eaten raw and are usually sprouted or cooked before eating. In sprouted and cooked form, the relative nutritional and anti-nutritional contents of each of these grains (or other foods) may be different from the values in this table. Each nutrient (every row) has the highest number highlighted to show the staple food with the greatest amount in a 100-gram raw portion.

TOXICITY

Potatoes contain toxic compounds known as glycoalkaloids, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is found in other plants in the same family, Solanaceae, which includes such plants as deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), as well as the food plants eggplant and tomato. These compounds, which protect the potato plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, flowers, sprouts, and fruits (in contrast to the tubers). In a summary of several studies, the glycoalkaloid content was highest in the flowers and sprouts and lowest in the tuber flesh. (The glycoalkaloid content was, in order from highest to lowest: flowers, sprouts, leaves, skin, roots, berries, peel [skin plus outer cortex of tuber flesh], stems, and tuber flesh.)

Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber. Cooking at high temperatures—over 170 °C—partly destroys these compounds. The concentration of glycoalkaloids in wild potatoes is sufficient to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloid poisoning may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps, and, in severe cases, coma and death. However, poisoning from cultivated potato varieties is very rare. Light exposure causes greening from chlorophyll synthesis, giving a visual clue as to which areas of the tuber may have become more toxic. However, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other.

Different potato varieties contain different levels of glycoalkaloids. The Lenape variety was released in 1967 but was withdrawn in 1970 as it contained high levels of glycoalkaloids. Since then, breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar. Breeders try to keep glycoalkaloid levels below 200 mg/kg). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, they can still approach solanine concentrations of 1000 mg/kg. In normal potatoes, analysis has shown solanine levels may be as little as 3.5% of the breeders' maximum, with 7–187 mg/kg being found. While a normal potato tuber has 12–20 mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green potato tuber contains 250–280 mg/kg and its skin has 1500–2200 mg/kg.

GROWTH AND CULTIVATION

SEED POTATOES

Potatoes are generally grown from seed potatoes, tubers specifically grown to be free from disease and to provide consistent and healthy plants. To be disease free, the areas where seed potatoes are grown are selected with care. In the US, this restricts production of seed potatoes to only 15 states out of all 50 states where potatoes are grown. These locations are selected for their cold, hard winters that kill pests and summers with long sunshine hours for optimum growth. In the UK, most seed potatoes originate in Scotland, in areas where westerly winds prevent aphid attack and thus prevent spread of potato virus pathogens.

PHASES OF GROWTH

Potato growth is divided into five phases. During the first phase, sprouts emerge from the seed potatoes and root growth begins. During the second, photosynthesis begins as the plant develops leaves and branches. In the third phase, stolons develop from lower leaf axils on the stem and grow downwards into the ground and on these stolons new tubers develop as swellings of the stolon. This phase is often, but not always, associated with flowering. Tuber formation halts when soil temperatures reach 27 °C; hence potatoes are considered a cool-season, or winter, crop. Tuber bulking occurs during the fourth phase, when the plant begins investing the majority of its resources in its newly formed tubers. At this phase, several factors are critical to a good yield: optimal soil moisture and temperature, soil nutrient availability and balance, and resistance to pest attacks. The fifth and final phase is the maturation of the tubers: the plant canopy dies back, the tuber skins harden, and the sugars in the tubers convert to starches.

CHALLENGES

New tubers may start growing at the surface of the soil. Since exposure to light leads to an undesirable greening of the skins and the development of solanine as a protection from the sun's rays, growers cover surface tubers. Commercial growers cover them by piling additional soil around the base of the plant as it grows (called "hilling" up, or in British English "earthing up"). An alternative method, used by home gardeners and smaller-scale growers, involves covering the growing area with organic mulches such as straw or plastic sheets.

Correct potato husbandry can be an arduous task in some circumstances. Good ground preparation, harrowing, plowing, and rolling are always needed, along with a little grace from the weather and a good source of water. Three successive plowings, with associated harrowing and rolling, are desirable before planting. Eliminating all root-weeds is desirable in potato cultivation. In general, the potatoes themselves are grown from the eyes of another potato and not from seed. Home gardeners often plant a piece of potato with two or three eyes in a hill of mounded soil. Commercial growers plant potatoes as a row crop using seed tubers, young plants or microtubers and may mound the entire row. Seed potato crops are rogued in some countries to eliminate diseased plants or those of a different variety from the seed crop.

Potatoes are sensitive to heavy frosts, which damage them in the ground. Even cold weather makes potatoes more susceptible to bruising and possibly later rotting, which can quickly ruin a large stored crop.

PESTS

The historically significant Phytophthora infestans (late blight) remains an ongoing problem in Europe and the United States. Other potato diseases include Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, black leg, powdery mildew, powdery scab and leafroll virus.

Insects that commonly transmit potato diseases or damage the plants include the Colorado potato beetle, the potato tuber moth, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), the potato aphid, beet leafhoppers, thrips, and mites. The potato cyst nematode is a microscopic worm that thrives on the roots, thus causing the potato plants to wilt. Since its eggs can survive in the soil for several years, crop rotation is recommended.

During the crop year 2008, many of the certified organic potatoes produced in the United Kingdom and certified by the Soil Association as organic were sprayed with a copper pesticide to control potato blight (Phytophthora infestans). According to the Soil Association, the total copper that can be applied to organic land is 6 kg/ha/year.

According to an Environmental Working Group analysis of USDA and FDA pesticide residue tests performed from 2000 through 2008, 84% of the 2,216 tested potato samples contained detectable traces of at least one pesticide. A total of 36 unique pesticides were detected on potatoes over the 2,216 samples, though no individual sample contained more than 6 unique pesticide traces, and the average was 1.29 detectable unique pesticide traces per sample. The average quantity of all pesticide traces found in the 2,216 samples was 1.602 ppm. While this was a very low value of pesticide residue, it was the highest amongst the 50 vegetables analyzed.

HARVEST

At harvest time, gardeners usually dig up potatoes with a long-handled, three-prong "grape" (or graip), i.e., a spading fork, or a potato hook, which is similar to the graip but with tines at a 90° angle to the handle. In larger plots, the plow is the fastest implement for unearthing potatoes. Commercial harvesting is typically done with large potato harvesters, which scoop up the plant and surrounding earth. This is transported up an apron chain consisting of steel links several feet wide, which separates some of the dirt. The chain deposits into an area where further separation occurs. Different designs use different systems at this point. The most complex designs use vine choppers and shakers, along with a blower system to separate the potatoes from the plant. The result is then usually run past workers who continue to sort out plant material, stones, and rotten potatoes before the potatoes are continuously delivered to a wagon or truck. Further inspection and separation occurs when the potatoes are unloaded from the field vehicles and put into storage.

Immature potatoes may be sold as "creamer potatoes" and are particularly valued for taste. These are often harvested by the home gardener or farmer by "grabbling", i.e. pulling out the young tubers by hand while leaving the plant in place. A creamer potato is a variety of potato harvested before it matures to keep it small and tender. It is generally either a Yukon Gold potato or a red potato, called gold creamers or red creamers respectively, and measures approximately 2.5 cm in diameter. The skin of creamer potatoes is waxy and high in moisture content, and the flesh contains a lower level of starch than other potatoes. Like potatoes in general, they can be prepared by boiling, baking, frying, and roasting. Slightly older than creamer potatoes are "new potatoes", which are also prized for their taste and texture and often come from the same varieties.

Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Skin-set is the process by which the skin of the potato becomes resistant to skinning damage. Potato tubers may be susceptible to skinning at harvest and suffer skinning damage during harvest and handling operations. Curing allows the skin to fully set and any wounds to heal. Wound-healing prevents infection and water-loss from the tubers during storage. Curing is normally done at relatively warm temperatures 10 to 16 °C with high humidity and good gas-exchange if at all possible.

STORAGE

Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of decomposition, which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area is dark, ventilated well and, for long-term storage, maintained at temperatures near 4 °C. For short-term storage, temperatures of about 7 to 10 °C are preferred.

On the other hand, temperatures below 4 °C convert the starch in potatoes into sugar, which alters their taste and cooking qualities and leads to higher acrylamide levels in the cooked product, especially in deep-fried dishes. The discovery of acrylamides in starchy foods in 2002 has led to international health concerns. They are believed to be probable carcinogens and their occurrence in cooked foods is being studied for potentially influencing health problems.

Under optimum conditions in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to 10–12 months. The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first drying surface moisture; wound healing at 85% to 95% relative humidity and temperatures below 25 °C; a staged cooling phase; a holding phase; and a reconditioning phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed. Mechanical ventilation is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

When stored in homes unrefrigerated, the shelf life is usually a few weeks.

If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, trimming or peeling those green-colored parts is inadequate to remove copresent toxins, and such potatoes are no longer edible.

YIELD

The world dedicated 18.6 million ha in 2010 for potato cultivation. The average world farm yield for potato was 17.4 tonnes per hectare, in 2010. Potato farms in the United States were the most productive in 2010, with a nationwide average of 44.3 tonnes per hectare. United Kingdom was a close second.

New Zealand farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 and 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes potatoes per hectare.

There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between 38–44 tonnes per hectare. China and India accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, and had yields of 14.7 and 19.9 tonnes per hectare respectively. The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over 400 million tonnes of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, can be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world.

USES

Potatoes are prepared in many ways: skin-on or peeled, whole or cut up, with seasonings or without. The only requirement involves cooking to swell the starch granules. Most potato dishes are served hot but some are first cooked, then served cold, notably potato salad and potato chips (crisps). Common dishes are: mashed potatoes, which are first boiled (usually peeled), and then mashed with milk or yogurt and butter; whole baked potatoes; boiled or steamed potatoes; French-fried potatoes or chips; cut into cubes and roasted; scalloped, diced, or sliced and fried (home fries); grated into small thin strips and fried (hash browns); grated and formed into dumplings, Rösti or potato pancakes. Unlike many foods, potatoes can also be easily cooked in a microwave oven and still retain nearly all of their nutritional value, provided they are covered in ventilated plastic wrap to prevent moisture from escaping; this method produces a meal very similar to a steamed potato, while retaining the appearance of a conventionally baked potato. Potato chunks also commonly appear as a stew ingredient. Potatoes are boiled between 10 and 25 minutes, depending on size and type, to become soft.

OTHER THAN FOR EATING

Potatoes are also used for purposes other than eating by humans, for example:

Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit.

They are also used as fodder for livestock. Livestock-grade potatoes, considered too small and/or blemished to sell or market for human use but suitable for fodder use, have been called chats in some dialects. They may be stored in bins until use; they are sometimes ensiled. Some farmers prefer to steam them rather than feed them raw and are equipped to do so efficiently.

Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.

Maine companies are exploring the possibilities of using waste potatoes to obtain polylactic acid for use in plastic products; other research projects seek ways to use the starch as a base for biodegradable packaging.

Potato skins, along with honey, are a folk remedy for burns in India. Burn centres in India have experimented with the use of the thin outer skin layer to protect burns while healing.

Potatoes (mainly Russets) are commonly used in plant research. The consistent parenchyma tissue, the clonal nature of the plant and the low metabolic activity provide a very nice "model tissue" for experimentation. Wound-response studies are often done on potato tuber tissue, as are electron transport experiments. In this respect, potato tuber tissue is similar to Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli: they are all "standard" research organisms.

Potatoes have been delivered with personalized messages as a novelty. Potato delivery services include Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud.

WIKIPEDIA

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.

Els Jardins de Laribal

És una de les perles del Parc de Montjuïc i passejar-s'hi és una autèntica delícia. La vegetació riquíssima, juntament amb l'aigua que baixa per cascades i llisca delicadament pel mig d'amples baranes, els bancs de rajola i les placetes, creen un conjunt de bellesa excepcional. Aquest és un lloc per estar-s'hi, per contemplar-lo i per anar descobrint els mil detalls que el configuren, amb una harmonia difícil de superar.

Els Jardins de Laribal, de gran valor històric, estan configurats per terrasses, camins, placetes, bassinyols i una vegetació esponerosa i consolidada. Una sèrie de terrasses superposades estan unides entre elles per camins i dreceres de fort pendent, amb trams d'escales intercalats amb un disseny sempre diferent. Pèrgoles de maó vist, pedra i pilars blancs, ombregen les àrees més planeres. La vegetació, és majoritàriament exòtica, rica i variada en espècies.

Jardins mediterranis

Aquests jardins, inclosos dins del recinte de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, van obtenir una gran anomenada. Els seus autors, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier i Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, van crear un nou estil paisatgístic d'arrel mediterrània.

La vegetació preexistent -des de plantes autòctones fins als arbres fruiters del passat agrícola de la muntanya-, es va integrar en els jardins amb un concepte de jardineria renovador i original, que segueix lliurement la inspiració dels antics jardins àrabs i dels "cármenes" de Granada, amb una gran presència de rajoles ceràmiques, aigües ornamentals i el conreu de plantes de flor en testos situats en baranes i ampits.

Les escales del Generalife

L'aigua és l'essència del jardí, amb estanys i estanyols. Per connectar la part superior del parc amb els Jardins Amargós -actualment Jardins del Teatre Grec-, Forestier va fer una escala inspirada en la dels jardins del Generalife, amb cascades als passamans, estanyols amb brolladors als replans i bancs d'obra per reposar i gaudir de la fresca i el so de l'aigua.

Els jardins de la font del Gat

Unes pèrgoles mirador porten d'uns jardins als altres, units per eixos de rampes, escales i cascades que desemboquen a la font del Gat, des de la qual es poden contemplar unes magnífiques vistes de Barcelona.

Ocupen el pendent que va des de la part més alta dels Jardins Laribal fins al passeig de Santa Madrona, i integren la popular font del Gat i un edifici del segle dinou. Es tracta d'un conjunt de camins, terrasses i racons que s'adapten al relleu del terreny amb escales, rampes i una cascada monumental amb quatre seccions separades per camins i canals, que van connectant els diferents trams.

Tot està cobert d'una espessa fronda mediterrània i d'arbres fruiters, com ara nesprers i figueres, i palmeres d'enormes capçades. Si ens ho mirem des de baix, a tocar del pg. de Santa Madrona, uns xiprers altíssims situats a l'inici de la cascada accentuen la verticalitat del conjunt.

El roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de xiprers, amb una petita font al centre, marca l'inici d'un recorregut que, sota una pèrgola amb pilars de terracota, porta a un pati ovalat i reclòs, també envoltat de xiprers: és el roserar de la Colla de l'Arròs.

El jardí es configura en diversos plans, amb aire de pati, que estan vorejats per vorades, també de xiprer, i rengleres de troanes. En diversos parterres rectangulars hi ha plantades varietats antigues de rosers. Al centre destaca un bassinyol quadrangular amb rajols esmaltats, presidit a la part de dalt per Estival, un nu femení de marbre que contempla el roserar i, més enllà, Barcelona.

La plaça del Claustre

És a tocar del passeig de Santa Madrona i, de fet, es tracta del Jardí de Sant Miquel, on destaquen tres grans plàtans ja existents abans que Forestier dissenyés els jardins. Al fons, els murs del que fou una antiga pedrera confereixen a aquesta part dels jardins Laribal un aire reclòs i claustral. D'aquí el seu nom. A la dreta, un passadís comunica amb els Jardins del Teatre Grec.

Vegetació

La vegetació madura i mediterrània dóna sentit als jardins. Així, hi ha, entre d'altres espècies, pins blancs (Pinus halepensis), pins pinyers (Pinus pinea), llorers (Laurus nobilis), tarongers amargs (Citrus aurantium) i xiprers (Cupressus sempervirens).

Les escales del Generalife estan envoltades per grans acàcies (Robinia pseudoacacia) i arbustos com la troana (Ligustrum lucidum) i el pitòspor (Pittosporum tobira), una espècie arbustiva molt abundant als jardins, juntament amb el baladre (Nerium oleander) i l'evònim del Japó (Evonymus japonicus).

En testos de terracota, llueixen les elegants fulles de saló (Aspidistra elatior) i els geranis (Pelargonium sp.), i cobrint les pèrgoles, anglesines (Wisteria sinensis) i Rosa banksiae. En diferents llocs dels jardins hi ha plantes aromàtiques, com l'espígol (Lavandula angustifolia) i el romaní (Rosmarinus officinalis), i espècies entapissants com l'heura (Hedera helix)

Els Jardins de Laribal també hi ha pins australians (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptus (Eucalyptus globulus), xiprers de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedres de l'Himàlaia (Cedrus deodara) i, a la plaça del Claustre, tres grans exemplars de plàtan (Platanus X hispanica).

Art i arquitectura

L'escultura és notable en aquests jardins, tant per la seva qualitat com per la seva bellesa. Presidint el roserar hi ha Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina asseguda d'estil art déco feta de marbre.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), és un altre nu femení, en aquest cas de bronze, i representa una noia jove recollint-se els cabells en una trena. És en una placeta ombrívola, molt a prop de les escales que comuniquen amb altres nivells dels jardins.

La tercera escultura també és d'una dona i de Josep Viladomat, que la va fer partint d'un original de Manolo Hugué. Es tracta de Repòs (1925), un nu femení de pedra de mida natural situat en una placeta circular molt a prop de l'entrada que hi ha al costat de la Fundació Joan Miró.

A prop del roserar hi ha una font de ceràmica esmaltada amb motius marins, coronada amb un brollador, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La font del Gat

L'aigua que raja de la font del Gat ho fa des del cap d'un felí, esculpit per Joan Antoni Homs el 1918, que és quan van quedar enllestits els Jardins Laribal. Aquesta font era una de les moltes que aleshores rajava a Barcelona, i el lloc on està situada, molt popular a la ciutat a finals del segle XIX.

Tan popular era la font, que el periodista i autor teatral Joan Amich va escriure una cançó: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que avui encara es canta i que inclou l'estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Història

Al començament del segle passat, la zona que avui ocupen els jardins Laribal era lloc de trobades populars, sobretot a la font del Gat, o de reunions selectes, com ara les que feia la Colla de l'Arròs, un grup entre gastronòmic i polític que va tenir una certa influència a la Barcelona de la darreria del segle XIX i principi del XX, i que es reunia en un petit edifici situat on ara hi ha el Museu Etnològic.

La part alta dels actuals jardins pertanyia a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigiós advocat el nom del qual s'ha perpetuat als jardins. S'hi va fer construir un xalet neoàrab, envoltat d'uns jardins eclèctics, amb grans arbres.

Mort Laribal, el 1908 la finca va ser adquirida per l'Ajuntament, que hi va fundar l'Escola del Bosc, encara existent. Simultàniament, es van iniciar els estudis per urbanitzar i enjardinar la muntanya, amb un projecte global que va ser encarregat inicialment a Josep Amargós.

L'Exposició de 1929

Els Jardins de Laribal, enllestits el 1922, estan vinculats a un esdeveniment posterior: l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Aquest esdeveniment va representar la culminació d'un projecte iniciat l'any 1905 per organitzar a Montjuïc una exposició sobre les indústries elèctriques, l'energia emergent d'aquell temps.

Un dels comissaris de l'Exposició Internacional de Barcelona va ser Francesc Cambó, que va encarregar els treballs d'enjardinament a l'enginyer i paisatgista francès Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Va ser ajudant seu el jove arquitecte Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que el 1917 es convertiria en el director de la Direcció de Parcs Públics i Arbrat, antecedent del Servei de Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, del qual va ser primer responsable i una de les persones determinants en el futur desenvolupament dels espais verds públics de la ciutat.

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These gardens are one of the treasures of the Park of Montjuïc and taking a stroll around them is a real pleasure. The rich plant life, together with the water that flows delicately through the wide handrails; the tiled benches and the small squares all create exceptionally beautiful gardens. It is a place to be, to gaze at and to discover the thousands of details that shape a harmony that is difficult to surpass.

The historically-important Laribal Gardens are sculpted by terraces, pathways, small squares, ponds and lush, established plant life. A series of terraces are linked by paths and steeply sloped shortcuts, with stretches of differently designed stairways interspersed. The flattest areas are afforded shade by exposed brick, stone and white pillar pergolas. The mostly exotic plant life has a rich and varied range of species.

Mediterranean Gardens

These gardens, which were included in the International Exposition of Barcelona (a World's Fair) in 1929, were greatly reputed. The garden's designers, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, created a new style of Mediterranean landscaping.

The pre-existing plant life, from native plants to fruit trees from the mountain's agricultural past, was integrated into the gardens with an original and innovative gardening concept that is openly inspired by the ancient Arabian gardens and from the "Carmenes" in Granada with prominent ceramic tiles, ornamental water features and flowering plants in pots on railings and parapets.

The Stairway of the Generalife Gardens

Water is the essence of this garden, with its large and small ponds. In order to connect the upper area of the park with the Amargós Gardens, now the Teatre Grec Gardens, Forestier designed a stairway inspired by the one in the Generalife Gardens, with waterfalls on the banisters, small ponds with fountains on the landings and benches for relaxing and enjoying the freshness and sound of the water.

The Gardens of the Font del Gat

Viewpoint pergolas link the gardens with ramps, stairs and waterfalls that flow into the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat"), a point at which magnificent views of Barcelona can be enjoyed.

The gardens lie on the slope from the highest point of the Laribal Gardens down to the Passeig de Santa Madrona and include the popular Font del Gat and a nineteenth-century building. There are paths, terraces and corners that adapt to the terrain with stairways, ramps and a monumental waterfall with four sections separated by paths and canals that connect the different areas.

Everything is covered in a thick, Mediterranean foliage, fruit trees such as loquat and fig and enormous palm trees. From the Passeig de Santa Madrona below, some very tall cypresses by the waterfall accentuate its height.

The Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs

A circle of cypress trees with a small fountain in the centre marks the beginning of a path that, beneath a pergola with terracotta pillars, leads to an oval patio surrounded by cypresses. These are the Rose Gardens of the Colla de l'Arròs.

These gardens are arranged on different levels with the feeling of being on a patio, bordered by rows of cypresses and privets. In various rectangular parterres, many diverse old varieties of roses have been planted. At the centre is a square pool with ceramic tiles, dominated by the marble female nude sculpture "Estival", who looks over the rose garden and beyond to Barcelona.

Plaça del Claustre

From the Sant Miquel Garden, next to the Passeig de Santa Madrona, there are three large London Plane trees that existed before Forestier designed the gardens. At the end, the walls of what was once an old quarry gives this part of the Laribal Gardens a confined and cloister-like air. This is where it gets its name. On the right there is a path that connects the gardens with the Teatre Grec Gardens.

Plant Life

The mature and Mediterranean plant life gives the gardens meaning. Among other species there are Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis), Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Bay Laurels (Laurus nobilis), Bitter Orange trees (Citrus aurantium) and Mediterranean Cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens).

The Generalife stairs are surrounded by large Black Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and shrubs such as the Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) and the Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), a species in abundance in the gardens along with the Oleander (Nerium oleander) and the Japanese Spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus).

The elegant leaves of an Aspidistra elatior shine in terracotta pots and Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), Chinese Wisterias (Wisteria sinensis) and Lady Banks' Roses (Rosa banksiae) cover the pergolas. In different areas around the gardens aromatic plants like Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus offcinalis) and climbing plants such as Ivy (Hedera helix) can be found.

In the Laribal Gardens there are also River Oaks (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Tasmanian Blue Gums (Eucalyptus globules), Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and in Plaça del Claustre, three large London Planes (Platanus X hispanica).

Art and Architecture

The sculptures are notable in these gardens, both for their quality and their beauty. There is an Art Deco style marble female nude, "Estival" (1929) by Jaume Otero, that dominates the rose garden.

The "Noia de la trena" (1928) by Joseph Viladomar is another female nude, in this case made of bronze, which represents a young girl plaiting her hair. It is in a small shaded square, close to the stairway that links to other areas of the gardens.

The third sculpture is again of a woman and by Joseph Viladomar and was based on the Manolo Hugué original. "Repòs" (1925) a life-sized female nude made of stone situated in a small square close to the entrance next to the Joan Miró Foundation.

Near the rose garden, there is a glazed ceramic fountain influenced by the sea, crowned by a jet, which was the work of Llorenç Artigas.

The Font del Gat

The water from the Font del Gat ("Fountain of the Cat") pours from a feline head, sculpted by Joan Antoni Homs in 1918, when the Laribal Gardens were being finished. This fountain is one of many that flowed in Barcelona at the time and is situated in a place in the city that was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

The fountain was so popular that the journalist and playwright Joan Amich wrote a song about it: "La Marieta de l'ull viu" that is still sung today and includes the verse: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat..." ("Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl, a girl / Coming down from the cat Fountain / a girl with a soldier...").

History

The area where the Laribal Gardens now lie was a popular meeting place at the beginning of the last century, in particular the Font del Gat, which was also an area for exclusive gatherings, such as those of Colla de l'Arròs, a gastronomic-political group who had a certain influence over Barcelona at the turn of the last century, would meet in a small building situated where the Museu Etnològic (Ethnological Museum) now stands.

The upper part of the current gardens once belonged to Joseph Laribal, an esteemed lawyer whose name the gardens bear. He built a neo-Arabian chalet, surrounded by eclectic gardens, with large trees.

After Laribal died in 1908, the house was acquired by the Town Council, which established the Escola del Bosc, which still exists to this day. Simultaneously, studies began for the development and gardening of the mountain, a comprehensive project that was initially the responsibility of Josep Amargós.

The 1929 World's Fair

Completed in 1922, the Laribal Gardens are linked to a later event: the International Exposition of Barcelona of 1929 (a World's Fair). This event represented the culmination of a project which began in 1905 to organise an exhibition on Montjuïc about the electrical industries, the emerging energy at the time.

One of the commissioners at the International Exhibition of Barcelona was Francesc Cambó, who was responsible for the gardening and engineering work and the work of the French landscape architect Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. His assistant was the young architect Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who, in 1917, became the director of the Public and Wooded Parks Board, the predecessor of the Parks and Gardens Service of Barcelona, of which he was mainly responsible and one of the key people in the development of green spaces in the city.

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Es una de las perlas del Parque de Montjuïc y pasearse por ellos es un autentica delicia. La riquísima vegetación, junto con el agua que baja por cascadas y se escurre delicadamente en medio de amplias barandillas, los bancos de ladrillo y las placetas, crean un conjunto de una belleza excepcional. Es un lugar en el que estar, para contemplarlo e ir descubriendo los miles de detalles que lo configuran, con una armonía difícil de superar.

Los Jardines de Laribal, de gran valor histórico, están formados por terrazas, caminos, placetas, pequeños estanques y una vegetación lozana y consolidada. Una serie de terrazas sobrepuestas están unidas entre si por caminos y atajos de gran pendiente, con tramos de escaleras intercalados de diseño siempre diferente. Pérgolas de ladrillo visto, piedra y pilares blancos dan sombra a las zonas más llanas. La vegetación, exótica en su mayoría, es rica y variada en especies.

Jardines mediterráneos

Estos jardines, incluidos en el recinto de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929, obtuvieron una gran reputación. Sus autores, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier y Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí, crearon un nuevo estilo paisajístico de raíz mediterránea.

La vegetación preexistente, desde plantas autóctonas hasta árboles frutales del pasado agrícola de la montaña, se integró en los jardines con un concepto de jardinería renovador y original, que sigue libremente la inspiración de los antiguos jardines árabes y de los "cármenes" de Granada, con una gran presencia de azulejos de cerámica, aguas ornamentales y el cultivo de plantas de flor en macetas colocadas en barandillas y alféizares.

Las escaleras del Generalife

El agua es la esencia del jardín, con pequeños y grandes estanques. Para conectar la parte superior del parque con los Jardines Amargós, actualmente Jardines del Teatre Grec, Forestier diseñó una escalera inspirada en la de los jardines del Generalife, con cascadas en los pasamanos, estanques con fuentes en los rellanos y bancos de piedra para reponerse y disfrutar del frescor y el sonido del agua.

Los jardines de la Font del Gat

Unas pérgolas mirador llevan de unos jardines a otros, unidos por ejes de rampas, escaleras y cascadas que desembocan en la Font del Gat desde donde se pueden contemplar unas magníficas vistas de Barcelona.

Ocupan la pendiente que va desde la parte más alta de los jardines Laribal hasta el paseo de Santa Madrona e integran la popular Font del Gat y un edificio decimonónico. Se trata de un conjunto de caminos, terrazas y rincones que se adaptan al relieve con escaleras, rampas y una cascada monumental con cuatro secciones separadas por caminos y canales, que van conectando los diferentes tramos.

Todo está cubierto por un espeso follaje mediterráneo y árboles frutales, como nísperos e higueras y palmeras de enormes copas. Si lo miramos desde abajo, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, vemos que los altísimos cipreses situados al inicio de la cascada acentúan la verticalidad del conjunto.

La rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

Una glorieta de cipreses, con una pequeña fuente en el centro, marca el inicio de un recorrido que, debajo de una pérgola con pilares de terracota, conduce a un patio ovalado y recluido también rodeado de cipreses: la rosaleda de la Colla de l'Arròs

El jardín se configura en diferentes planos, con aire de patio, que están rodeados de cipreses e hileras de aligustres. En diferentes parterres rectangulares se han plantado antiguas variedades de rosales. En el centro destaca un pequeño estanque cuadrangular con azulejos esmaltados, presidido en la parte superior por Estival, una escultura de un desnudo femenino en mármol que contempla la rosaleda y, más allá, Barcelona.

La plaza del Claustre

De hecho se trata del jardín de Sant Miquel, junto al paseo de Santa Madrona, en el que destacan tres grandes plataneros que ya existían antes de que Forestier diseñara los jardines. Al fondo, los muros de lo que antes había sido una antigua cantera confieren a esta parte de los jardines Laribal un aire recluido y claustral. Y de aquí viene su nombre. A la derecha encontramos un corredor que comunica con los jardines del Teatre Grec.

Vegetación

La vegetación madura y mediterránea da sentido a los jardines. Así, entre otras especies, hay pinos carrascos (Pinus halepensis), pinos piñoneros (Pinus pinea), laureles (Laurus nobilis), naranjos amargos (Citrus aurantium) y cipreses (Cupressus sempervirens).

Las escaleras del Generalife están rodeadas de grandes acacias (Robinia pseudoacacia) y arbustos como el aligustre (Ligustrum lucidum) y el pitosporo (Pittosporum tobira), una especie de arbusto muy abundante en los jardines, junto con la adelfa (Nerium oleander) y el evónimo del Japón (Evonymus japonicus).

En macetas de terracota lucen las elegantes hojas de salón (Aspidistra elatior) y los geranios (Pelargonium sp.), al tiempo que las glicinias (Wisteria sinensis) y los rosales de Banksia (Rosa banksiae) cubren las pérgolas. En diferentes lugares de los jardines encontramos plantas aromáticas, como la lavanda (Lavandula angustifolia), el romero (Rosmarinus officinalis) y otras especies tapizantes como la hiedra (Hedera helix).

En los jardines de Laribal también encontramos pinos australianos (Casuarina cunninghamiana), eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus), cipreses de Lambert (Cupressus macrocarpa), cedros del Himalaya (Cedrus deodara) y, en la plaza del Claustre, tres grandes ejemplares de platanero (Platanus X hispanica).

Arte y arquitectura

En estos jardines la escultura es notable, tanto por su calidad como por su belleza. Presidiendo la rosaleda tenemos el Estival, de Jaume Otero (1929), una figura femenina sentada, de estilo art decó y realizada en mármol.

La Noia de la trena, de Josep Viladomat (1928), es otro desnudo femenino, en este caso de bronce, que representa una joven que se recoge el pelo en una trenza. Se encuentra en una placeta sombría muy cerca de las escaleras que comunican con los otros niveles de los jardines.

La tercera escultura también es de una mujer y de Josep Viladomat, que la realizó en base a un original de Manolo Hugué. Se trata de Repòs (1925), un desnudo femenino de piedra, a tamaño natural, situado en una placeta circular muy cerca de la entrada que hay al lado de la Fundació Joan Miró.

Cerca de la rosaleda se encuentra una fuente de cerámica esmaltada con motivos marinos, coronada con un surtidor, obra del ceramista Llorenç Artigas.

La Font del Gat

El agua de la Font del Gat mana desde la cabeza de un felino, esculpido por Joan Antoni Homs en 1918, año en el que se terminaron los jardines Laribal. Esta fuente era una de las muchas que manaban en aquellos momentos en Barcelona y, el lugar en el que se encuentra era muy popular en la ciudad a finales del siglo XIX.

La fuente era tan popular que el periodista y autor teatral Joan Amich escribió una canción: "La Marieta de l'ull viu", que todavía hoy se canta e incluye la estrofa: "Baixant de la font del Gat, / una noia, una noia, / baixant de la font del Gat / una noia amb un soldat...".

Historia

A principios del siglo pasado, en la zona que hoy ocupan los jardines Laribal se celebraban encuentros populares, sobre todo en la Font del Gat, o reuniones selectas, como las que hacía la Colla de l'Arròs, un grupo medio gastronómico medio político que tuvo una cierta influencia en la Barcelona del final del siglo XIX y principio del XX y que se reunía en un pequeño edificio situado donde ahora se encuentra el Museo Etnológico.

La parte alta de los actuales jardines pertenecía a la finca de Josep Laribal, un prestigioso abogado cuyo nombre se ha perpetuado en los jardines. Allí se hizo construir un chalet neoárabe, rodeado de unos jardines eclécticos, con grandes árboles.

Tras la muerte de Laribal en 1908, la finca fue adquirida por el Ayuntamiento que fundó en ella la Escola del Bosc, que todavía existe. Simultáneamente, se iniciaron los estudios para urbanizar y enjardinar la montaña, con un proyecto global que inicialmente se encargó a Josep Amargós.

La Exposición de 1929

Los jardines de Laribal, terminados en el 1922, también están vinculados con un acontecimiento posterior: la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona de 1929. Este acontecimiento representó la culminación de un proyecto iniciado en 1905 para organizar en Montjuïc una exposición sobre las industrias eléctricas, la energía emergente de aquel momento.

Uno de los comisarios de la Exposición Internacional de Barcelona fue Francesc Cambó, que encargó los trabajos de ajardinamiento al ingeniero y paisajista francés Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier. Su ayudante fue el joven arquitecto Nicolau M. Rubió i Tudurí, que en 1917 se convertiría en el director de la Dirección de Parques Públicos y Arbolado, antecedente del Servicio de Parques y Jardines de Barcelona, del que fue el primer responsable y una de las personas determinantes en el futuro desarrollo de los espacios verdes públicos de la ciudad.