The origin of Gonzalez Hontoria’s Park is linked to the Cattle Fair or Market. In early 1902, and being Mayor of the City Mr. Julio Gonzalez Hontoria, the creation of a large playground in the most beautiful environs of the city, known as Instruction Field was proposed.
This new location of the Fair was inaugurated the 14th September, and it still continues nowadays. In January of the following year (1903), grants for individuals and companies were approved to build permanent houses on the grounds of the fair, the first layout of the park was also carried out with two perpendicular axes: the Palms Avenue and Main Street. The fair did not change until 1953, when the New Parade was added parallel to the Main Promenade, which marked the division with the area dedicated to the livestock fair; nevertheless a deeper change took place in 1970, when new streets were opened dividing the New and Main Parades and extending the Palms Avenue to the railroad tracks. In 1987 hedges and shrubs were removed clearing the place. The enclosure of the perimeters was shaped in the 90s, and in 2003 the streets were rearranged by removing River Red Gum and Hybrid Plane and planting new alignments of Fig.
The “First Tree Festival” in the city of Jerez was held on February the tenth 1898, when this place was still known as Instruction Field. During the Tree Festival five hundred American Sycamores were planted by 1000 children of the fourteen schools in the city. The anthem of the Tree was played once the plantation was finished. The Festival was held under the patronage both of the City and the local businesses and institutions.
This park is the largest one in the City and can be divided into two areas:
- Rosaleda’s gardens: with good specimens of Port Jackson fig and hopbush.
- El Bosque’s gardens: classified as unique, Carob tree, River Red Gum, European barberry, Wild date palm and “Mesto” (Quercus x morisii).