The new Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles Garden was officially opened this Saturday, December 14th, a large green and leisure space located in the heart of Portimão, which, according to the local authority, “promises to become a reference for socializing and well-being in the city”.
The new garden, which has a 'street workout' area, a small amphitheatre and free Wi-Fi access, includes a special structure where the Manueline stonework from the old Quinta do Morais is on display, and the water wheel and tank that were on site have been restored and are now part of the refurbished space.
The inauguration ceremony held on Saturday featured a performance by musical group "Amenity", made up of students from the Manuel Teixeira Gomes and Poeta António Aleixo Secondary Schools, with open senior gymnastics and yoga classes taking place in parallel, as well as activities specially designed for the little ones, "a lively environment that invites the whole community" says the statement from the municipality.
The garden pays homage to Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles, one of the most prestigious Portuguese landscape architects and an emblematic figure in the defense of environmental sustainability and land use planning, integrating native vegetation with low water requirements.
The project arose following a petition made by students of the Philosophy course at ESMTG, approved in 2023 by the Assembly of the Republic, aiming to create the National Gardens Day on March 25, the date of Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles' birth.
During the speech given at the City Day celebrations last week, the Mayor of Portimão, Álvaro Bila, highlighted the uniqueness of the project, stating that the new green area "will possibly be the only garden built in the center of an Algarve city in the last 50 years."
"The Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles Garden returns a central space to the city, transformed into a place for socializing and leisure, and will be a source of pride for all the people of Portimão", stressed the mayor, who called on the community to participate in its preservation: "At the same time as it pays homage to the memory of Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles, this garden should be an example of care and respect, remaining a true haven of leisure and well-being for all," said the mayor.
