From 14 June to 14 September 2008 Zaragoza hosted the International Exposition on the theme "Water and sustainable development". Over a hundred countries and international organisations took part and about 5.6 million people visited. It was an opportunity to transform a bend of the Ebro, the Ranillas meander, and to give the city new infrastructure, from the Delicias high-speed station to the tram and new bridges.
Landmark buildings
- The Bridge Pavilion, designed by Zaha Hadid: a covered pedestrian bridge over the Ebro, shaped like a gladiolus, which housed an exhibition and links the site to the opposite bank.
- The 76-metre Water Tower by Enrique de Teresa, shaped like a drop, with the large Splash sculpture inside and a viewing platform.
- The Spanish Pavilion by Francisco Mangado, a forest of ceramic columns that cool the air, an example of bioclimatic architecture.
- The wicker-basket-shaped Aragon Pavilion and the Congress Centre.
- The River Aquarium by Álvaro Planchuelo, one of Europe's largest freshwater aquariums, with fish and habitats from the great rivers of the world: the Nile, Mekong, Amazon, Murray-Darling and Ebro.
After the Expo
Like many expositions, Zaragoza's left a mixed legacy: some buildings stood empty for a long time. Today the area, called Parque Empresarial Dinamiza and Expo Sur, houses offices, the law courts, the Congress Centre, the aquarium, a business centre and an auditorium, and the Water Tower and Bridge Pavilion open on some occasions. The great positive legacy is the Luis Buñuel Water Park, over a hundred hectares of parkland along the Ebro, with lagoons, cycle paths, a rowing channel, a rafting course, river beaches and a golf course, much loved by locals.
Getting there
The Expo site is near Delicias station and can be reached by bus from the centre or on foot and by bike along the Ebro. See also festivals and fun in Zaragoza.