Restoration works begin on Ciutadella park greenhouse

Restoration works have begun on the greenhouse in Barcelona’s Ciutadella park this week. 

These works are aimed at recovering a site of important cultural and architectural heritage, while also fixing numerous structural problems that have been detected there. 

The ‘Hivernacle’ facility as it is known spans about 1,000 square meters in total and is listed as a Cultural Property of National Interest. It’s made up of three buildings: the central one and two additional ones on either side of it, the Picasso building and the Magnòlies building. 

Nearly €2 million of investment have been allocated to the project and it is expected that the works will last around one year. 

The priority is to restore the main building, which is still used as a greenhouse. It’s planned to restore the interior and exterior of the building and equipping it with a monitored ventilation system and humidifiers.

Ciutadella’s Hivernacle greenhouse was first built for the Universal Exhibition of 1888, which was held in the Catalan capital. Architect Josep Fontserè i Mestres designed a greenhouse for the park to be part of a museum and scientific program and the building was erected with a metal and glass structure.

Barcelona's deputy mayor for ecology, urbanism, and infrastructure, Janet Sanz, regarded the project "very important" for the city, and said it will prevent the Hivernacle from being lost. 

"It is included in the strategy of restoration and enhancement of the heritage with a clear intention: for citizens to use it again fully," she explained.