Parc de la Ciutadella

Barcelona's citadel was constructed in 1714 by Philip V of Spain after a 13-month siege during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was the largest fortress in Europe at the time and a substantial part of the La Ribera district was destroyed to make space for it, leaving many homeless. Hundreds of Catalans were forced to work on its construction and the rest of the city had to pay for it through a new tax. The fortress was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, eventually becoming a park in 1872 designed by Josep Fontsére. It was later redesigned for the 1888 Exposición Universal de Barcelona, marking the city's transformation into a modern cosmopolitan center.

The Cascada, which means waterfall or cascade in Spanish, is situated at the northern end of the park, opposite the lake. It was originally unveiled in 1881 without sculptures or intricate details, but received criticism from the press. As a result, a fountain and minor attributes were added, which took six years to construct from 1882 to 1888. The monument was then displayed at the Universal Exhibition and has not been modified since. Josep Fontserè and Antoni Gaudí, an unknown architecture student at the time, collaborated on its construction. Fontserè loosely modeled it after the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Two huge crab claws serve as stairs to access a small podium in the center of the monument, with a sculpture of Venus standing on an open clam in front of it. The cascade is split into two levels, with a path leading from the podium to the Feminine Sculpture and the park's northeastern corner. Following the path down the stairs leads to the fountain's pond and the southern tip of the monument.

The Barcelona Zoo was established in 1892 in the Ciutadella Park, using empty buildings from the 1888 Universal Exposition. Its first animals were donated by Lluís Martí i Codolar, and today it boasts one of the largest animal collections in Europe. The zoo's mission is to conserve, research, and educate, with over 50,000 children visiting annually. One famous resident was Snowflake, an albino gorilla who lived there from 1966 to 2003. Along with regular visits, the zoo offers guided tours, workshops, field trips, and zoology courses for adults. Education is a top priority, especially for schoolchildren.

The Museum of Natural Sciences in Barcelona comprises a zoology and geology museum, along with other science facilities. The Geology Museum and Zoology Museum were previously administered by the city, but are currently closed for redevelopment. The Castle of the Three Dragons was originally built as an exhibition for the 1888 Universal Exhibition in Barcelona and later served as the Zoology Museum. It housed exhibits on the animal kingdom, urban birds, and an apiary, with a goal of promoting education on nature and stimulating informed debate on environmental issues. The Geology Museum featured permanent exhibitions on mineralogy, petrology, and paleontology, and was created from the collection of scientist Francisco Martorell i Peña.

In 1918, a bronze sculpture depicting a young man with raised arms was commissioned to honor Catalan volunteers killed in battle. The sculpture was created by Josep Clarà, and its progress was recorded in municipal records. By 1923, the monument was finished, but the project was put on hold due to political changes in Spain. The Franco regime prohibited public celebrations of Catalan identity, so the sculpture's unveiling was postponed for thirteen years. Originally intended for Lesseps Square, the sculpture was ultimately placed in Ciutadella Park, where it remains today.

During Francoist Spain, the sculpture was subject to censorship and damage. It was hidden by a screen during the Eucharistic Congress in 1952 and had its arms cut off later that year. The sculpture was restored, but a vine leaf was added to conceal the young man's genitals. The sculptor expressed displeasure with this treatment.

In 2023, the vine leaf was removed, restoring the sculpture to its original form. It has been relocated to the shallow bank of the lake, where it can be appreciated as Clarà intended.