Orihuela, Parks, squares and an unusual lamp-post!

Glorieta,Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Santiago, Plaza Monserrate and Plaza Carmen

Any walk through the old part of Orihuela will take you from one historical monument to another, from churches to palaces to museums, but interspersed among all the fascinating are numerous parks and squares. This not only provides a picturesque setting for much of the architecture, but also gives you an opportunity to rest your legs as you trek around the city!

The largest park in Orihuela is the Glorieta, on the southern side of the river, just across the main bridge (Calle Loaces and Calle Calderón Barca). The park is dedicated to the writer Gabriel Miró, who studied at the Colegio de Santo Domingo between 1887 and 1892, and whose statue can be found among the greenery.

The variety of trees and plants in this spacious park make it an attractive place to take a break from a hard day’s sightseeing, and there are plenty of cafés around the north-western corner for those in need of refreshments.

Within the old centre there are also countless squares such as the Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Santiago, Plaza Monserrate and Plaza Carmen, all with statues and or fountains in the centre.

The Plaza Carmen is particularly beautiful, with the two fountains providing an oasis of calm right in the city centre, next to the Ayuntamiento and the Convento del Carmen.

Close by is the Iglesia de Santiago with a calm and cooling pine-lined  plaza in front of it, and just a minute's walk away from that the elegant pebbled plazas behind the church dedicated to Justa and Rufina, sculptured trees creating symmetry and shade. In the centre of the Plaza Monserrate is a statue of José María Muñoz, who donated the square to the Town Hall in the late 19th century.

Just to the south of the river is the Plaza Nueva, a small park with an unusual lantern or lamp-post in the centre.

This modernist lantern is similar in style to the highly decorated wrought iron structures found in the Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, and was erected in the 1920s, not long after many of the grand houses in the area close to the river. In total it includes eight lamps, and provides an interesting distraction (and welcome seating around the base!) during a stroll around Orihuela.