The Méndez Núñez Gardens are gardens in the city, located between Los Cantones and the port. They are dedicated to the sailor Casto Méndez Núñez, hero of the First Pacific War.
Until the mid-19th century, the only landscaped area in La Coruña was the bastion of San Carlos. With Celedonio de Uribe's project to enlarge the port, an area reclaimed from the sea appeared called the Relleno. This area was landscaped at the proposal of the municipal architect José María Noya1 following the design of Narciso García de lana Torre.
In 1868 the public alameda was created, which on 8 May 1871 was given the name of Méndez Núñez. The garden was gradually improved thanks to donations from citizens and illustrious figures such as Modesta Goicouría.
During the 19th century, kiosks for refreshments and fairs were also installed, the first of which was designed by Faustino Domínguez Domínguez in 1877. In order to hold dances, a music box was inaugurated in 1884, and from 1896 onwards, statues were placed to recognise certain public figures.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the construction of fixed kiosks began.
The gardens are divided into three areas:
The palm promenade.
The central tree grove, where the calendar and the floral clock are located.
The rose garden.
In terms of botany, the gardens are home to a wide variety of species, including two groups of Canary Island palm trees that have been recognised as unique trees in Galicia.
On the other hand, among the architectural elements of the gardens, the following stand out:
The Palco de la Música, which was designed by the municipal architect Juan de Ciórraga in 1884, based on one of the proposals of the English company Walter MacFarlam & Co. of Glasgow.89 The current box is a replica built in 1985.
The Teatro Colón, by Jacobo Rodríguez-Losada Trulock (1945).
The Hotel Atlántico, where the Casino Atlántico is located, was built over the old Hotel Atlantic (1923), which in turn was built over the Salón Cine Coruña.
The Kiosco Alfonso (1912-13), a modernist building by Rafael González Villar, today an exhibition hall.
The Terraza, designed by Antonio de Mesa and Pedro Marino (1921-1922), replaced the original building that was moved to Sada in 1921.
The Atalaya building (1933), in the rationalist style.11 Designed by Antonio Ternero, it originally housed the toilets, a storeroom and a children's library.
The "Copacabana" kiosk-bar (1984), designed by the architect Xosé Manuel Casabella, received a runner-up prize in the first edition of the COAG architecture awards.