Jardines de la Galera, Badajoz, Spain

The gardens in Jardines de la Galera date back to the 10th century from the Aftasids period. They are nestled between the Torre de Espantaperros and the Chemin de ronde, within the Alcazaba of Badajoz. Many Alhambran ruins still exist within the gardens, and have been open to the public since 2007 after the site was restored after being closed for more than thirty years.

The etymology of the gardens stems from the fact that the gardens provided a respite for prisoners sentenced to the gallows in Seville. Plant species extant in the gardens include cinnamomum camphora, dichondra repens, ceiba speciosa, and trees of the myrtle, laurel, orange, lemon, and pomegranate.

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Miscellaneous historic sites in Spain

User Reviews

Claudia Ortoll (2 years ago)
Neither fu nor fa. Well-kept garden, I wouldn't walk forty minutes just to see it again. There are a billion gardens like this, nothing special.

Severiano Teodoro Gadea (2 years ago)
Beautiful gardens, but with dirt in some places indicating that cleaning services have not been there for a long time.

Francisco Solís Núñez (3 years ago)
La Galera was a women's prison in the 16th century. It has also served as City Hall. The gardens that are on its boundaries are very beautiful and are right in the same structure.

David (3 years ago)
Beautiful entrance to the fortress. Nicely equipped with various types of plants and otherwise just beautifully done. Easy to find and there is plenty of parking. You simply have to see it and I can only recommend it to everyone.

Jose R. Canovas (6 years ago)
Surprising and beautiful garden at the foot of the Torre de Espantaperros, an ideal place to walk where you can breathe peace, tranquility and calm. From here you can see beautiful views of the city. I had no reference to the existence of such a garden, but I highly recommend your visit.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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The Church of the Holy Cross

The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).

The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.

The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.

The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.

Jardines de la Galera

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