The Parque de la Independencia (Independence Park) is a large public park in Rosario, province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located near the geographical center of the city, its limits defined by Moreno Street and three important avenues: Pellegrini Avenue, Ovidio Lagos Avenue, and 27 de Febrero Boulevard. It has a surface area of 1.26 km² and includes a number of attractions:
The park also hosts three sports clubs:
The Parque de la Independencia was the first park in the city. Its origin lies in four public squares at the intersection of two then newly opened large boulevards, Santafesino and Argentino (today Oroño Boulevard and Pellegrini Avenue). The four-part plaza was named Independencia.
In 1900 the provincial government authorized the municipality, presided by mayor Luis Lamas, to expropriate the lands to create a new park. The plans for the park were drawn by landscape architect Carlos Thays (famous for his work in the Buenos Aires Botanical Garden, among many others). In 1901 the municipality built the internal avenues and roads, an artificial lake and, with the earth removed for the lake, a small artificial hill (even today known as La Montañita, the Little Mountain). That year, also, the First Festival of the Tree took place, and 6,000 trees were planted by students in the park, which was inaugurated on 1 January 1902.