Jardines de Santa Margarita

The Santa Margarita Gardens occupy the “plots of Murga”, also known as Cruz del Rollo. They are situated next to the sign that indicates the end of the town of Linares. The lands were included in the urban layout of the city in 1878, along with those of Paseo de Linarejos. The plots of Murga, located opposite the then newly built bullring, belonged to the Marquis of Linares until 1882, date on which they were offer for the construction of the gardens. The Marchioness requested that these gardens be named Santa Margarita after the mother of her husband, the Marquis of Linares.

Francisco Casado y Gómez, municipal architect, executes the initial project in 1889. The gardens were inaugurated in June1890, for the relaxation and leisure of the area's inhabitants.

In 1954 the first of its reforms takes place to align the gardens with the houses on the right bank of the upward path of the promenade. The project is completed in 1956. In this refurbishment , the fountain as monument to the Marquis of Linares was built with the busts of José Murga Reolid and Raimunda Osorio, carved by Victor de los Ríos, presiding the entrance to the gardens. The centre hosts the “La Rosaleda” bar-ambigú, which brought the gardens to life during the warm summer nights. After its loss, a new one has recently been placed, with the same name, reminiscent of it.

In 2005 the last completed construction is approved in the gardens of Santa Margarita, for building the underground parking. These works are completed at the end of 2007.

En 2008, the bust tribute to Manuel Rodríguez or “Manolete” was placed in the gardens, which since 1972 had been located at Calle Lope de Vega, next to the bullring. As an anecdote, one of the original pines, now of magnificent size, still remains.