Bolívar Park 2.63

The Park of Bolívar or Bolívar Park, as it is popularly known, is an urban park in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia. The park was inaugurated in 1892 and named in honor of the liberator Simón Bolívar. In 1923, an equestrian statue was erected in the center of the park, designed by the Italian sculptor Giovanni Anderlini and cast by the Italian sculptor Eugenio Maccagnani.The park occupies two blocks, with approximately 14,400 m2 in area divided between green and paved areas. Its varied landscaping includes native trees. This urban space, replete with historical and cultural symbolism, is considered a symbol of the city itself. It is a main meeting place used by the city's different generations. Around the park are located several cultural sites of the city: at the north side the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín, and at the southeastern coast is the Lido Theater, run by Ballet Folklórico de Antioquia. Also worthy of appreciation are nearby old houses, in the former luxury residential sector of the city center. On the first three Sundays of each month at 11:15 a.m. the Banda Sinfónica Universidad de Antioquia holds their traditional Sunday open-air concert. The first Saturday of each month, the park hosts the traditional San Alejo market.