Once upon a time… and so it is today… We visited one of the places in Zaragoza that is unjustly forgotten by visitors to the city. Discover the Water Park (Parque del Agua) and the former Zaragoza Expo site.
In December 2004, Zaragoza was awarded the contract to host the World Expo 2008, which took place from mid-June to mid-September under the theme “Water and Sustainable Development”.
Of course, in addition to the necessary infrastructure, a large exhibition center was also created. The countries set up their pavilions on around 25 hectares. There were exhibitions on the theme of water and millions of people visited the Zaragoza Expo site and hopefully had a great time.
But as after every Expo, the city is left with the question “What do we do with the site now?”. First of all, many of the countries dismantle their pavilions and sometimes put them up again somewhere else. A very good example is in Prague. Here, the Expo 1958 pavilion was rebuilt in Letná Park and is still in use today. However, some of the buildings remain standing forever and, above all, the infrastructure remains in the city.
The issue of infrastructure has still not been fully resolved in Zaragoza. There are still huge areas that were once used as parking lots. These are still available as parking spaces today, but in my opinion they are completely oversized unless a major event is taking place. Other specially created measures such as bridges are of course still in use today.
Tour of the Zaragoza Expo site
We took a tour of the former Zaragoza Expo site and current water park to see what it looks like today. The site is located in a bend of the River Ebro and is divided into two areas by a main road. One area where the pavilions mainly stood and the area that today forms the actual water park.
Our walk started at Zaragoza train station. From there, a bridge leads over the busy main road. From there you can see one of the former parking lots, which is now relatively deserted.
Walking along the road on the way to one of the city’s most impressive buildings, we pass a half-ruined building open to one side. This seems to have been the terminus of a feeder line, which allowed visitors to reach the entrance to the site more quickly. Later, we discovered another building on the opposite side of the park in a parking lot, which confirmed our suspicions.
Shortly before we reach our first port of call, we meet Albert Einstein. His monument stands on one of the wide access paths that have been laid out for the world exhibition. It was created in his honor on the centenary of his birth.
Bridge pavilion in Zaragoza
Our first port of call is one of the most beautiful bridges I have ever seen. To be precise, it is a bridge pavilion.
The bridge pavilion connects the urban area with the water park, the former exhibition grounds. The impressive structure was created by one of the most outstanding architects of our time, Zaha Hadid. Her trademark are curved, somewhat futuristic-looking forms. We have already seen other buildings such as the Phaeno in Wolfsburg and the London Aquatics Centre and are always impressed by the unusual design language.
During the World Expo, the bridge pavilion hosted the exhibition “Water, a unique resource”. Today, the bridge is still used for an exhibition and as a venue for events. However, if you “only” want to cross the Ebro, you can use one of the bridge levels free of charge during opening hours.
We reached the bridge shortly before 10 a.m. and it was still closed. Time enough to take a closer look at the structure. The bridge is 275 meters long and has several levels. Inside, a good 7000 m² of exhibition space has been created. The outer skin of the bridge consists of triangular glass fiber reinforced concrete panels. It is said that 29,000 panels were used, whose different shades of gray are reminiscent of the scales of a fish. The curved diamond shape and the reflections of the river water give the structure an additional shimmer.
Once you step through the entrance door, you find yourself in a curved tube from which there are entrances to other levels or areas with a conference room, for example. Some of the areas can only be visited for a fee and include the “Mobility City”, an exhibition about the future of mobility. However, if, like us, you only want to cross the river, you can do so free of charge and also enjoy seeing a small part of the exhibition. I found it very exciting!
Once you reach the other side of the bridge, you are already standing in a large square in the middle of the former Expo grounds. We decide to first explore the somewhat smaller area where the pavilions stood during the Expo and then visit the water park.
Palacio de Congresos
The first thing I notice is the unusual construction of the congress center. The building, which was also built for Expo Zaragoza and was one of the most important venues, is still used for various events today. Inside there is a large exhibition hall, meeting rooms and a large auditorium for conferences.
The undulating architecture and jagged roof design are particularly striking. The sloping arrangement of the transparent surfaces means that daylight always shines into the building during the day. This greatly reduces the need for electric light.
In front of the congress building is an 11-meter-high sculpture consisting of letters joined together. It is possible to stand in the middle of the figure, which looks like a human toros. As I look up there, I have the feeling that I am surrounded by words, perhaps even a poem. However, I couldn’t tell whether the letters really made a word or any other sense.
From the Palacio de Congresos, we continue walking across large concrete areas. There are colorful circles and lines painted on them and in some places we discover signs pointing to the pavilion that once stood there. There are also some buildings that appear to have been empty for some time, secured by construction fences. It’s a shame really, because at first glance I find them visually very exciting.
We were also able to walk a short distance along the river and enjoy the very natural stretch of riverbank here.
Acuario fluvial – the aquarium
A river aquarium was also created for the Zaragoza Expo site. Here, life in and around rivers was presented in one of the largest freshwater aquariums in the world. The Nile, Amazon, Mekong, Darling River and Ebro rivers were selected as examples. Each of these rivers is located on a different continent and offers a unique river landscape.
The aquarium not only exhibits fish, but also vertebrates such as reptiles (caimans, snakes, turtles, varans), mammals (otters), amphibians (frogs) and invertebrates (anemones, corals). The largest tank is 9 meters deep and over 45 meters long. There are a total of 70 fish tanks with around 350 different species.
There was a lot going on in front of the building. Numerous school and kindergarten groups were waiting for the opening and used the time to run and play on the extensive grounds.
Spanish Pavilion (Pabellón de España)
Today, the Pabellón de España still stands on the grounds. The building by Patxi Mangado has received numerous awards. The architect attached great importance to the use of sustainable materials and a bioclimatic construction.
From the outside, it is modeled on the poplar forest on the banks of the Ebro. The columns, which remind me more of bamboo poles, encase the glass surfaces of the front of the building and provide shade for the interior. I read that rainwater is used to air-condition the building.
Zaragoza Expo site: Pabellón de Aragón
Behind the very modern justice building, I discover another building that was constructed for the Expo 2008 world exhibition in Zaragoza. Unfortunately, it was unused at the time of our visit.
The Aragón Pavilion presented the Spanish region of Aragón, in which Zaragoza is located. The 25-metre-high pavilion is shaped like a wicker basket, which is typical of the region. This look is achieved through the use of interwoven glass and micro-concrete panels made of white glass fibers. The wickerwork is opaque at the bottom and becomes increasingly transparent as it rises. In this way, the construction allows plenty of daylight into the interior spaces.
I find it particularly impressive that the building stands on three pillars. This creates an open space between the ground and first floor, which was used for events during the Expo.
On the way back to the large square in front of the congress center, we pass several buildings that are now used by various companies and a vocational school.
We then reach a bridge that takes us over the main road into the second part of the site, the water park.
Water Tower (Torre del Agua)
At the end is the 76 meter high water tower, the landmark of the Expo in Zaragoza.
The tower looks almost like an office building and is shaped like a drop of water when viewed from above. In the tower, visitors could see the exhibition “Water for Life” (Agua para la vida), explore a fog labyrinth and see a sculpture that looked like a bursting drop of water called SPLASH. But the highlight was definitely the viewing platform from which you could enjoy the park grounds and Zaragoza from above.
I had assumed that the water tower was really a building with rooms. Inside, however, there is only a large open space in which a ramp spirals upwards.
Unfortunately, the tower was closed when we visited. I would have loved to enjoy the view from the top. So we continued on to the water park.
Enjoying nature in the city
The water park is a park criss-crossed by smaller watercourses, which has now become a recreational area for the entire region. Covering more than 120 hectares, it is the largest urban park in Zaragoza.
However, before we really get to the countryside, we discover a whitewater course for paddlers, but unfortunately without water. I found it very interesting to see the course of the route and the built-in obstacles.
In the water park, we walked along man-made canals. There are elms, willows and poplars to the right and left. There are landscaped gardens and we watched a school class being guided around the grounds by a ranger and learning about the local flora and fauna.
Unfortunately, some of the signs along the paths are apparently still “remnants” of the old Zaragoza Expo site. So we followed a sign that was supposed to lead to a riding area. The path ended at a no longer usable paddock without horses and it didn’t look as if there had been any animals there recently. Other signs lead, for example, to the small beach on the Ebro, to an event venue or to a mini golf course where you can have a good coffee.
Today, the water park is not only a leisure area, but also has another use. If the Ebro should ever carry too much water, the area can be flooded, thus protecting the city from flooding.
Puente del Tercer Milenio
Our walk across the Expo 2008 site and the water park ends with another bridge. We crossed the 6-lane Third Millennium Bridge, which was built for the Expo. This connects the Delicias and La Amozara districts with the Actur-Rey Fernando quarter.
The bridge structure is said to be the largest concrete tied-arch bridge in the world. The lanes are separated in the middle by a central reservation with light poles. A pedestrian and cycle path runs along both sides. This is located in a tube that is open on one side to protect it from the wind.
Unfortunately, the material is not transparent and so we were only able to enjoy a view of the bridge pavilion from the very beginning of our walk.
Visitor information
Address
Avenida de Ranillas 109 Saragossa, Spanien
Opening hours
Opening Hours
The park area is open throughout the day.
Entrance fees
Admission Fee
The grounds can be visited free of charge. Only those who want to go to the aquarium, for example, have to pay the entrance fee charged there.
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