Parque Agustín Jeréz

Parque Agustín Jeréz is a small, quiet park in Melilla, the Spanish enclave on the northern coast of Africa, tucked into the Hipódromo district right behind the local police headquarters. Covering only around 4,800 square meters, it's one of those pockets of the city where traffic noise gives way to palm shade and the sound of water.

How do you get there?

The park is bordered by three streets — Méndez Núñez, Gravina, and Bustamante — each leading straight to one of its entrances. Until 2013 the grounds were enclosed by a wall and railing, which kept access limited. City authorities then removed the fencing entirely, opening the park fully to residents and visitors, so walking its paths no longer means hunting for a gate. It makes an easy short stop for anyone exploring Hipódromo, a neighborhood set apart from Melilla's historic center but worth a look for its early 20th-century buildings.

Where does the park's name come from?

The story starts in the early 1930s, when engineer Emilio Muñoz ordered a group of palm trees planted to help offset air pollution coming from the nearby iron-ore processing facilities of the Compañía Española de Minas del Rif. Over the years the palm grove kept growing, and in the 1980s it gained further species transplanted from Plaza de San Lorenzo. The park was formally inaugurated in 1992 and named after Agustín Jerez, an employee of that same mining company who spent his own free time tending the palms long before the site became an official park. It was largely his care that kept the trees alive and turned them into a recognizable feature of the neighborhood.

What will you see inside?

The layout is geometric: a square plot cut by two paths that cross to form an X, splitting the space into four symmetrical sections. Plants are the main draw — tall royal palms, candelabra-shaped succulents, exotic "false banana" plants, and rose bushes together make up a mix of ornamental species rarely found elsewhere in Melilla. Decorated benches line the paths, and the park also holds a monument marking its history. Water features, in the form of small fountains and pools, have long been the park's second signature element alongside the palms.

When is the best time to visit?

The park is open year-round, and since the fence came down in 2013 there are no set opening hours restricting entry. Given its compact size and intimate feel, quieter times of day — early morning or late afternoon — work best, when the palms cast the most shade and the paths are less crowded. This is a spot for a brief pause rather than a full day out, so it pairs well with a longer walk through the surrounding Hipódromo district.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is Parque Agustín Jeréz? The park covers roughly 4,800 square meters and follows a square layout with two paths crossing in an X shape.

Where does the park's name come from? It honors Agustín Jerez, an employee of the Compañía Española de Minas del Rif who privately cared for the palm grove for years before the site officially became a park in 1992.

Is there an entrance fee? No — the park is free and open to the public; since the surrounding fence was removed in 2013, it can be entered at any time.

Besides the plants, what else is worth seeing? Alongside the royal palms and exotic ornamental species, look out for the decorated benches and the monument located within the park that commemorates its history.