Grab the family and pile in the Ford. Now head to downtown St. Louis where two blocks have been transformed into a breathtaking oasis and one of the coolest urban landscapes you will ever see.
Framed by office towers, the two formerly vacant blocks have metamorphosed into Citygarden — a vibrant and serene blending of lush plantings and internationally renowned sculpture with delights of water, stone, architecture and design.
Surrounded by no fences or gates, and with no admission fee, Citygarden is completely open and accessible to the public 365 days a year. There is nothing quite like it in the downtown of any American city.
Citygarden features two dozen works of modern and contemporary sculpture by some of the world’s most highly regarded artists. They include Fernand Leger, Mark di Suvero, Keith Haring, Martin Puryear, Jim Dine, Tony Smith, and Aristide Maillol.
The landscaping features imaginative uses of water and stone that play off of the region’s chief natural feature, its great rivers; Citygarden is in the shadow of the Gateway Arch and within walking distance of the Mississippi River. The landscaping also features diverse, lush plantings, selected and arranged both to complement the sculpture and to provide a beauty and power of their own. A strong emphasis on native plants and six rain gardens, among other features, locate the garden in the horticultural vanguard.
In addition to its sculpture and magnificent plantings, the garden features remarkable hardscape, including a 550-foot long arcing limestone wall enclosing a large video wall for video art and movies; a glass-walled café; and a stunning, serpentine “meander wall” capped in polished granite. Its water features include a six-foot waterfall and a spray plaza, where 102 nozzles will shoot water as much as seven feet into the air in thousands of patterns and colors — and where children can play.
Citygarden is located in downtown St. Louis, between 8th Street to the east and 10th Street to the west, and Chestnut Street to the north and Market Street to the south. Depending on when you visit parking can be tight, so maybe you should leave the Flex at home and bring the Ford Focus.
