Santa Cruz Park or Mermaid Garden

Category: Nature > Park

District: Coimbra > Coimbra > Coimbra > Sé Nova

Location and Importance

- Located in the parish of Sé Nova, Santa Cruz, Almedina and São Bartolomeu, in Coimbra.

- Classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1970.

History

- Originally given to the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine in 1131.

- Transformed into a leisure space in the 18th century by D. Gaspar da Encarnação.

- Includes a playing field and a baroque garden for rest and meditation.

Park Features

Main Entrance

, Located in Praça da República.

, Decorated with three statues symbolizing Faith, Charity and Hope.

, Ends in an impressive waterfall.

Fountains and Sculptures

, Fonte da Nogueira with a statue of a triton spouting water from a fish.

, Popularly called Jardim da Sereia (Mermaid Garden) due to this fountain.

Tiles

, Tile panel in Alameda de Santo Agostinho depicting Saint Augustine.

Flora

- Large trees such as White Cedar, Himalayan Cedar, Norfolk Pine, Brazil Pine and Chinese Arborvitae.

- Species of maples such as Sycamore, River Maple and Boxelder Maple.

- Other exotic plants such as Oleander, Azalea, Privet and Cherry Laurel.

- Shrubs such as Elderberry and Laurel.

- Herbaceous plants such as Acanthus, Herb Robert, Bluebell, Dandelion and Climbing Vetch.

- Plants in the cracks of walls and rocks such as liverworts, selaginella, hart's-tongue fern and polypody.

- Ivy among the trees, highlighting Hedera helix.

Fauna

- Birds such as blackcap, robin, great tit and the emblematic blackbird.

- Small streams that shelter fire salamanders, palmate newts and midwife toads.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parque_de_Santa_Cruz

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt