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- Get to know the city
Get to know the city
I Ensanche
In the early 20th century Pamplona needed to open up its walls to allow the city to grow, and this led to the emergence of the ‘primer ensanche’ (literally, ‘first extension’). Nowadays it is a good shopping area, with big brand names along Carlos III or Conde Oliveto such as Zara, Mango, Promod, Cortefiel; prestigious designer shops include Carolina Herrera, Roberto Verino, Max Mara or Purificación García, as well as a large number of exclusive boutiques. Some of the most select jewellers are also located in this part of the city.
Leisure
The I Ensanche has many cafeterias and bars, giving the area a lively atmosphere during shopping hours. Later in the evening disco bars (in Olite, Amaya and Teobaldos streets) keep the atmosphere going until the small hours. Some of the city's best restaurants are also found here: Rodero, Don Pablo, Enekorri or Josetxo. You can also enjoy shows and theatre in the classic Teatro Gayarre (www.teatrogayarre.com, tel. 948 220 139) or the recently opened Baluarte and the latest films in the Saide multiscreen cinemas (www.saide.es, tel. 948 222 228).
El Baluarte
www.baluarte.com, information: 948 066 066
Inaugurated in Autumn 2003, the Congress Centre and Auditorium of Navarra is one of the largest in Spain . A symbol of modernity, it was designed by the Navarrese architect Patxi Mangado.
Plaza de Toros
With capacity for 19,529 spectators, it is the second largest bullring in Spain . Bullfights are only held during San Fermínes; the rest of the year it is home to events such as rock concerts or a Christmas market. Outside, at the start of the promenade that bears his name (Paseo de Hemingway), there is a monument to Ernest Hemingway, the man who made San Fermines internationally famous through his novel Fiesta (The Sun Also Rises).
Paseo de Sarasate and the Palacio de Navarra
The twenty-five-metre high monument to the Fueros (Charter of Navarre) towers over the Paseo de Sarasate, commemorating the defence of the laws of Navarre . At the other end stands the regional Parliament building (previously the Courts of Justice) and behind the monument is the Palacio de Navarra, more commonly known as the "Diputación" (Territorial Administration), a 19th-century building whose garden contains the tallest tree in the city: a 37-metre-high sequoia. The tree is around 150 years old. Other notable buildings on the Paseo de Sarasate are Correos (main Post Office) and the Bank of Spain.
Ciudadela and Vuelta del Castillo
Work on the construction of the Citadel began in 1571 during the reign of Felipe II. It was initially built for defensive purposes but is now the ‘green heart' of Pamplona ( 280,000 m 2 of parkland), where hundreds of people jog, stroll or play football every day. The old military buildings in the Citadel now belong to the city and are used for exhibitions. It hosts a range of cultural activities, especially in the summer. Opposite the closest entrance to the city centre stands the Baluarte Congress Centre and Auditorium.
Parque de la Taconera
These romantic gardens built in the French style are the oldest in Pamplona ; they appeared on maps as early as 1719 as a tree-covered area. The park is surrounded by a section of the city walls and its moat houses a ‘mini-zoo' whose main attraction is the deer. It also contains ornamental elements such as a bust of the musician Hilarión Eslava and statues of the famous opera singer Julián Gayarre and the ‘Mari Blanca', a Gothic arch and the Portico of San Nicolás, built in 1666.
Parque de la Media Luna
This Park was designed by the architect Victor Eúsa, whose work is mainly found in the Primer Ensanche area, e.g. the Seminary, near the park, the Casino Eslava, several schools and large houses. This beautiful park covering 67,000 m 2 has some of the best views of the city: the profile of the Cathedral rising above the city walls, the meanders of the river Arga and the market gardens that line its banks. There is also a children's playground, a small roller-skating rink and a pleasant café terrace.
