Music Garden

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Lisboa > Odivelas > Odivelas > Bairro Espírito Santo

Location

Situated in the locality of Odivelas, in the municipality of the same name, the Jardim da Música (Garden of Music) is located within the urban area of the Bairro Espírito Santo. This green space, approximately 17,000 square meters in size, occupies the grounds surrounding the building that was once the historic Quinta da Memória and now houses the Town Hall. Its position on a southeast-facing slope offers an interesting perspective on the urban fabric that surrounds it.

From Historic Estate to Contemporary Garden

The identity of the Jardim da Música dates back to the ancient Quinta da Memória, whose origins are lost in the 14th century, when it was part of a royal preserve ceded to the Cistercian Order. The estate's palace was erected in the 18th century but was significantly affected by the 1755 earthquake, leading to its abandonment. The current garden, in turn, is a 21st-century project by landscape architect Jorge Cancela. Its design sought to harmonize elements of a traditional garden with a modern urban context, allowing a fluid transition between distinct landscape areas, such as an orchard, a forest zone, an olive grove, and a field of aromatic herbs.

A Symphony for the Senses

The name "Jardim da Música" is justified by the fact that the space has a sound system that diffuses ambient music throughout the day, providing an immersive and relaxing experience. In addition to the auditory experience, the garden stimulates the other senses with its botanical diversity. Here, one finds a rich collection of plants, including native tree species such as Portuguese oak (Quercus faginea) and Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica), and olive trees, which coexist with jacaranda specimens. The aromatic herb areas, with lavender, rosemary, and thyme, contribute to the fragrance and serene atmosphere of the garden, complemented by extensive lawn areas.

Design Elements and Memory

The design of the Jardim da Música harmoniously integrates architectural and natural elements. A monumental staircase, flanked by jacarandas, is one of the highlights, overcoming the terrain's slope and leading to an open-air amphitheater with five rows of benches, designed to host small performances. Along the path, one can discover a vast paved square, a tranquil triangular-shaped reflective pool, and a wooden pergola that invites repose. Testimonies to the estate's past, such as an old well and a consolidated ruin, along with a small stone aqueduct that once served a large tank, also form part of the scenery, connecting the present to the site's history.

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