Tuesday, March 10, 2009

San Diego 1935: Alcazar Gardens.....

The Alcazar Gardens were located on the south side of the California-Pacific International Exposition's Avenida de Palacios, immediately east of the Palace of Science, and occupied the area known as the Montezuma Gardens during the 1915-16 exposition. The colorful gardens were patterned after those within the enclosure of the Royal Alcazar in Seville, Spain; and featured large boxwood hedge-framed planter-beds, divided by three paved cross-avenues. At the two intersections of the avenues were situated low polychrome tile-covered fountains, each featuring a decorative fountain-head which spurted water into a shallow tile-lined basin. Four tile-covered benches were located at right-angles surrounding each fountain; and a Roman-style pergola, remaining from the Montezuma Gardens, stood at the west end of the garden. Along the garden's south side were situated two prominent Spanish Renaissance-style gateways, both leading to pathways surrounding a spacious lawn overlooking Palm Canyon, which was spanned by a rustic wooden bridge. At the Alcazar Garden's south-west corner was a smaller gateway. This gateway opened to a path leading to a curved rustic pergola overlooking Cabrillo Canyon, situated along the west side of the exposition grounds.

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