Balboa Park

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Balboa Park

The Balboa Park is the largest public park of the city of San Diego , California ( USA ). The park covers an area of ​​4.9 km² and is home to a large number of cultural institutions and museums. The world famous San Diego Zoo is also in the immediate vicinity . The park is named after the Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa .

history

The park was founded in 1868 near what was then Newtown (now Downtown San Diego). In the first decades of its existence, the park remained little more than an undeveloped green space. Over time, however, on the initiative of the botanist and landscape architect Kate Sessions (1857–1940), some gardens and buildings were created on the site. The gardens were mostly founded and maintained by private initiatives. Every year various companies donate trees and other plants to beautify the park.

Panama-California Exhibition: 1910–1916

The exhibition was intended to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal and open its doors in 1915. San Diego was chosen because it was the first US port city north of the Panama Canal. Exhibition planning began in 1909, and Balboa Park was quickly chosen as the location.

It was decided that the buildings should reflect the early history of San Diego and Bertram Goodhue was chosen as the lead architect . Goodhue, who was enthusiastic about this idea, took the opportunity and created a fantasy city with ornate buildings. Presented in this way, the exhibition stood out from most previous exhibitions, which were built in the neoclassical style . The current appearance of the Balboa Park originates for the most part from this time.

On December 22, 1977, Balboa Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District . It was also recognized as a National Historic Landmark .

Web links

Commons : Balboa Park  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ History of Balboa Park ( Memento of the original from July 19, 2011 on WebCite ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (engl.)  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.balboapark.org
  2. ↑ Entry in the National Register Information System . National Park Service , accessed May 20, 2016
  3. ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: California. National Park Service , accessed July 23, 2019.

Coordinates: 32 ° 43 '52.82 "  N , 117 ° 8' 42.58"  W.