Botanical Garden of Valencia edit
The Botanical Garden of the University of Valencia (Catalan: Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València) is a botanical garden located at El Botànic neighbourhood of Valencia, Spain. The garden depends administratively on the University of Valencia.
History edit
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There are documented records of medicinal plants since 16th century, always regarding medical education in the university, practised since 1462. The earliest reference dates from 1499, when the chair in “simple drugs or herbs” was being planned, naming many professors to it 1501. It was always linked to medicine, treating “herbs” in its medicinal side. In 1548 a chair of “practices” was created and a short time later (1560) the teachings in anatomy and “simple drugs or herbs” were definitely separated in independent departments. In1567 the “Jurats” (members of the foral government) of the City of Valencia appointed Joan Plaça as doctor of medicine with the obligation to botanizing -collecting species- and give him “a garden where those plants needed for teaching will be planted”. Later, in 1631, several episodes related with these orchards of medical herbs and the doctors and chairmen in charge are recorded, but without any assured continuity.
In 1733 the University considered the possibility of creating an enclosure provided by the city, but it wouldn’t be done until 1757 when dean Lores proposed directly the creation of a comprehensive and complete botanical garden (with an orchard, a museum, a teaching and conference space, and adjacent services, etc.) located near the Albereda. In 1778 the city approved this proposal, but it would not be until twenty years later that it could be held.
It becomes clear that this understanding of a more systematic forward-looking botanical garden, took shape in parallel to the development of the study of Botany as a science separated from Medicine. A science consolidated in the 18th century, by the enlightened reformism, interested in the land's richness and in improving the cultivation techniques. IN 1767 Gregori Maians claims the garden to be responsibility of the Professor of Botany, but without neglecting plants of interest to Medicine and, in 1786, the University of Valencia agreed to change the school curriculum with the Professorship of Botany separated from the Professorship of Medicine, and gave greater urgency to the necessity of a Botanical Garden.
The Valencian entity named “Reial Societat Econòmica d’Amics del País de València" [nota 1], interested in crop improvements, also wanted to contribute together with the City Hall to make this scientific endowment a reality, by providing lands for the location of the Albereda, a poplar grove in Valencia. In addition, the society pointed out that the ludic aspect should be introduced in order to complement the instructive and utility aspects. In this way, the garden could serve at the same time, “for the decor, beauty, and recreation of the public promenade”.
But this conjunction would not be so easy, because the other parties wanted to emphasize their respective priorities. The scientific and teaching party (the University) was focused on a representative systematic repertoire of the botanical sphere, whereas the most utilitarian party (the Economic Society) was applied to the agriculture. Eventually, the city gave the promised ground to the University in 1798, but soon the plantings were suspended, apparently due to the poor quality of the soil and the inconveniences caused to the adjacent promenade of the Albereda. As a new and definitive location, in 1802 the city offered an orchard that could be irrigated in the traditional way, by border irrigation, directly from the Rovella irrigation channel. It was called the Tramoieres and it was located at the street Carrer de Quart, in front of the convent of Saint Sebastian Minims and close to the Túria, which became the present Botanical Garden.
The University placed the famous botanist Vicente Alfonso Lorente in charge of the new facility and provided him with the means to develop it. The trapezoidal ground of about four hectares would receive the nurseries on a checked system, known as the Linné system, without neglecting the provision of herbaria, premises for the chair of Botany, chamber for the gardeners and other outbuildings. The success in his outcome conferred him immediately great renown among the most prestigious botanists, establishing relations particularly with the one in Madrid. This promising start would soon receive the blow of the Napoleonic invasion, especially destructive at the Quart suburb. Lorente also participated in the events and he was imprisoned and sentenced to death. Eventually he wasn't executed thanks to the intervention of the French botanist Léon Dufour.
After the war and Lorente's death in 1813, the garden did not recover until the extensive direction (1829-1867) of Josep Pizcueta, Professor of Medicine, who undertook the reformation and the upgrade as the first in Spain. In response to the Economic Society request, it was innovated with acclimatization experiences of original plants from America. At the same time, the chair of Agriculture was set up, directed by Joaquín Carrascosa. And in a convergence process that would be sanctioned by the Royal Order of 1834, it was ordered to bring together both disciplines, Agriculture and Botany, at the Botanical Garden, which would generate the enlargement of the botanical garden ground.
In 1843, Pizcueta, assisted by Félix Robillard, replaced the Linnaeus organization because of the nature method of Endlicher and, after the education reform in 1845, he received important resources for plantations and acclimatization constructions, such as a large wooden greenhouse designed by architect Timoteu Calvo, a conservatory and small stoves that, altogether, would accelerate dramatically the success and growth of those. In 1856, the catalogue of the garden was published, with over 6,000 living species and the herbarium.
The construction of the iron and glass greenhouse between the years 1860 and 1862, was a consequence of this impulse. It was designed in 1859 by the prestigious architect Sebastià Monleón. It is considered a building ahead of his time because of the materials used during its construction. Moreover, it was very difficult to build due to not only the technology, but the economy and the execution as well. It measures 24 metres long, 8,25 metres inner diameter and 9 metres high. Moreover, this glass building measures 465 m2 and it's orientated towards meridian. It has a quarter of a circumference form, from the ground to a vertical wall, which build an attached space. Some plants such as Astarapea, Aralia racemosa (Araliaceae), Chorisia speciosa (Malvaceae) or Ficus benjamina (Moraceae) (it can measure more than 5 metres high and that is why there are not a lot of greenhouses where it can fit) inhabit in their dimensions.
The University needed funds to maintain hundreds of exotic exemplars inhabiting there. These funds were also needed to maintain the prestige of the greenhouse thanks to “ the variety of plants that it contains, its luxuriant vegetation which can compete among the best ones of Europe”. Moreover, this building was presented as a prove of keeping abreast of progress and scientific discoveries.
A terraced building with a turret would be added to the wall of the greenhouse during the following years. This building was constructed to put up management and research departments until creating a building persisting nowadays. Unfortunately, other relevant elements such as wooden buildings, primitive shade gardens and greenhouses disappeared over the years. Nevertheless, it is important to highlight that the greenhouse was reconstructed in 1867 thanks to the project of architect Ildefons Fernández Calvache, of which there is graphic proof. These greenhouses were probably replaced by the iron ones during the last quarter of the 19th century.
Afterwards, little greenhouses were built next to the seed nursery under the leadership of Arévalo Baca. In 1888, building works of the biggest greenhouse called “de la bassa” finished. It is called like this because of the proximity of the two elements. It was built taking into account the model of the year 1861.
In 1900, the actual iron greenhouse was inaugurated with a brick structure. It was inspired on the glass canopy railways projected by the versatile architect Mélida Alinar in 1897. The greenhouse completed the enclosure’s endowment and it offers one of the most attractive places.
The incorporation of the botanical garden to the science school was an other relevant historical moment. Moreover, the activities of the School of Botanical Studies and the practical and experimental character of their plantations impulsed by the agricultural boom, increased under the leadership of Rafael Cisternes (1867-1876) and Josep Arévalo Baca (1876-1888).
In 1878 the northern extent took place which set the enclosure we know today, while the contact with respect to the streets Beat Gaspar Bono and Quart does not change until the 21st century. Between 1879 and 1880 the establishment of the school building Sant Josep or the Jesuit Fathers took place.
After the flood of 1957 and thanks to the tenacity of the director Ignacio Docavo, the rescue of the garden and the reconstruction of several degraded buildings took place, between 1962 and 1968, trying to incorporate other elements of interest about the natural science.
Afterwards, having as a director the professor Manuel Costa, comprehensive rehabilitation of the garden (sanitation of the plantations, alternatives of irrigation, care of their squares, etc.) and most characteristic architectural elements (fence of the enclosure, greenhouses, heaters, shade, pavilion) took place. Also, the research building about the expropriated buildings that face the Quart street was built.
Currently, in addition to the preservation of the historic garden, people work in its continuity as a study, research, development and dissemination site of the botanical culture. People research on flora, biosystems and vegetation. It participates in international projects related to vegetable biodiversity and study of native plants. It has a library, a herbarium and a germplasm. It promotes congresses of specialists and informative conferences, meetings and expositions.
Today, the Botanical Garden of the University is a scientific, and teaching, vegetal, architectural and historical space, and it also characterises the urban landscape.
Collections edit
Among its collections stands out:
- Several greenhouses
- Shade
- Aquatic plants
- Succulents
- Aquarium
- Aviary
Equipment edit
In the research building, opened in 2000, there are courses, expositions and conferences throughout the year.
References edit
This text uses as a reference the declaration of Place of Cultural Interest published in BOE nº 275, dated 17 November 2006 (PDF).
External links edit
Info and reports in defence of the Botanical Garden
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