Parque de Pradolongo

Parque de Pradolongo is a large city park in Madrid, located in the Usera district between the Orcasitas sports centre and the 12 de Octubre hospital. Covering close to 73 hectares, it ranks as the fourth-largest park in the Spanish capital, behind only Casa de Campo, El Retiro and Parque del Oeste.

How did this park come to be?

Back in the 1970s, the land now occupied by Pradolongo was covered by informal shanty settlements. The park emerged as part of the 1979 Plan Actuación Sur, a scheme to redevelop Madrid's southern districts that required buying out and clearing numerous plots. What makes its story unusual is that the layout wasn't dictated from a planning office: a year earlier, in 1978, representatives of the neighbourhood associations of Almendrales, Meseta de Orcasitas, Usera and Zofio jointly drew up a list of needs the future green space should meet. The park opened in 1983, inaugurated by Madrid's then-mayor Enrique Tierno Galván. Because of this grassroots process, Pradolongo is often described as the city's first "democratic" park — its design responded to what local residents actually wanted rather than to a top-down architectural vision.

What is there to see?

At the heart of the park lies an artificial lake, around which its most attractive section unfolds. North of the water sits a botanical garden dedicated to Alejandro Malaspina, the Spanish Enlightenment-era navigator and naturalist. Its geometrically arranged flower beds group plants by botanical family, making it a rewarding stop for anyone curious about flora, and equally pleasant for a quiet stroll away from the city noise.

On the eastern side of the park stands a building that catches the eye of even casual walkers: the Maris Stella church, nicknamed by locals "Iglesia Rota" — the "broken church." Its stark, unusual silhouette stands in contrast to the surrounding greenery and has become one of the visual landmarks of the whole Usera district.

How do you get to Parque de Pradolongo?

The park sits in southern Madrid, in the Usera district, right next to the Orcasitas sports centre and the 12 de Octubre hospital, both useful landmarks when planning a route. Given its size — nearly 73 hectares — it's worth setting aside enough time for a longer walk or a bike ride to take in both the lake area and the botanical garden, plus the church ruin on the opposite side of the park.

When is the best time to visit?

As with most large green spaces in Madrid, spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons to visit, with milder temperatures and the botanical garden at its most colourful thanks to flowering beds. Midday heat in summer can be intense, so an early morning or late afternoon visit is a better option during the hottest months.

Frequently asked questions

Is Parque de Pradolongo a big park? Yes — at nearly 73 hectares, it's the fourth-largest park in Madrid, after Casa de Campo, El Retiro and Parque del Oeste.

What is the "Iglesia Rota"? It's the local nickname for the Maris Stella church, standing in the eastern part of the park; its stark, unconventional architecture earned it this informal name among residents.

Does the park have a botanical garden? Yes, north of the lake there is a botanical garden dedicated to Alejandro Malaspina, with flower beds organised by plant family.

Why is the park called "democratic"? Because its late-1970s design process involved genuine input from local neighbourhood associations, which defined residents' needs before construction even began.