Water irresistibly attracts people. It does not matter if it is natural water or from sources in markets or pools with fountains in parks: there is always something in the water, you meet, you are and enjoy the peace, the soft splash or the cooling that it offers in the summer . The water in the Reserve Park, which is a good kilometer south of the old town, is no exception. The park itself is one of the best examples of well-maintained green spaces in Lima. The exuberant plantation is broken by architectural curiosities and a sophisticated system of thirteen pools. This makes it the largest fountain complex in the world in a public park, and ranks second after the Machu Picchu list of the most popular visitor sites in Peru. The Reserve Park was inaugurated in 1929. It got its name in honor of the civil reserve army that entered into battle with Chile on January 15, 1881.
Architecture in the park
Architectural elements in Art Deco style, typical of the first third of the 20th century, give the park an almost fairytale touch. There is, for example, the Gran Logia, an Italian-style portico with round arches and columns that seems to be in the right place between the rows of fountains and flower beds. By contrast, Casa Sabogal, a building inspired by Inca architecture, recalls the history of Peru before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century. In addition to buildings, the park also houses smaller architectural elements and sculptures by Peruvian artists, such as the Fuente de los Ñocos, a fountain with the sculpture of a child playing with marbles. With this mix of cultures that have existed and flowed in Peru, the park also has historical significance. However, he was not always maintained in the decades after its creation, the buildings neglected and decayed. However, in the last two decades of the 20th century, much energy was invested in the restoration of parks and buildings. As part of this renovation, in 2007 the Circuito Magico del Agua was set up, the magical water features in the park that attract many visitors and are among Lima’s biggest attractions.
Circuito Magico del Agua: plays of water and light
It is not an exaggeration to say that the most important element of the parks that are worth visiting are the pools and the fountains. This is where the mysterious name of the Magic Water Circuit comes into play: the thirteen electronically controlled interactive sources are included in an audiovisual laser show for half an hour at night. There is the Fountain of Fantasy, the Fountain of the Rainbow or a tunnel of water 35 meters long by which you can walk. All of them shine in different colors, letting the water flow to the rhythm of classical and classical music, or the movements detected by a sensor that the visitor flows. A large hydraulic system keeps all this going. The highlight is the Magic Fountain, whose jet of water rises 80 meters in the air. On a water screen, a show of 95 meters in length is projected. The list of what remains to be seen and experienced, could continue here, but it is better to go there and get an idea, because this mixture of music, water, colors and the large number of people who see the show is difficult to represent Authentic way The park is open from Tuesday to Sunday and holidays from 15:00 to 22:30. Of course, it is also worth seeing in the light of day, but the characteristics of the water impress especially after dark.
