Urban parks often serve as cities’ green lungs, but some go far beyond the typical
combination of lawns and playgrounds to create truly extraordinary public spaces.
From abandoned railway lines transformed into elevated gardens to underwater
parks where fish swim among art installations, these 19 remarkable parks challenge
our understanding of what public spaces can be.
Whether repurposed from industrial sites, carved into underground caverns, or
designed with peculiar artistic visions, these parks offer unique experiences that set
them apart from traditional city green spaces.
The High Line, New York City, USA
This elevated park, built on an abandoned railway line, winds through Manhattan’s
west side like a ribbon of green floating above the streets. Native wildflowers push
through preserved rail tracks, while glass-walled amphitheaters provide unique views
of city life below.
You’ll find site-specific art installations changing seasonally, and wooden loungers mounted on wheels that recall the park’s railroad history. Local food vendors operate from converted railway cars, offering authentic New York street food with a creative twist.
Underwater Park of Jeju, South Korea
Located off the coast of Jeju Island, this submerged sculpture park creates an
otherworldly experience for snorkelers and divers. Massive stone statues inspired by
the island’s ancient mythology stand sentinel on the seafloor while schools of colorful
fish weave between them.
The sculptures change appearance throughout the day as sunlight filters through the water at different angles. Local dive shops offer special night tours when the sculptures are illuminated from below.
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Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Dominated by massive ‘Supertrees’ reaching heights of 164 feet, this futuristic park
combines nature with cutting-edge technology. The artificial trees serve as vertical
gardens covered in exotic plants while also collecting solar energy and harvesting
rainwater.
At night, the structures come alive with synchronized light shows set to music. The park’s climate-controlled conservatories house plants from every continent, including a cloud forest complete with the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.
Parco dei Mostri, Bomarzo, Italy
Known as the ‘Park of Monsters,’ this 16th-century garden features massive stone
sculptures of mythological creatures and grotesque faces emerging from the earth.
Commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini, the park was designed to shock and
amaze visitors with its surreal sculptures and optical illusions.
The leaning house creates disorienting experiences for those who step inside, while the massive stone monster’s mouth serves as a picnic area. Local guides share the fascinating stories behind each bizarre creation.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Paris, France
Built on a former quarry and execution ground, this dramatic park features a temple
perched atop a 50-foot cliff overlooking an artificial lake. A suspension bridge
designed by Gustave Eiffel allows visitors to access the temple while enjoying
vertiginous views.
Hidden grottos and waterfalls create mysterious spaces throughout the park, while preserved quarry walls reveal the site’s geological history. Local Parisians prefer this park to the more touristy Luxembourg Gardens for its unusual terrain and dramatic vistas.
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Superkilen, Copenhagen, Denmark
This mile-long urban park celebrates global diversity through objects collected from
60 different countries. A bright red square features Chinese exercise equipment and
Moroccan fountains, while a black market space includes a giant white octopus slide
from Japan.
The green zone contains hills that are perfect for picnicking, among palm trees from China and benches from Brazil. Each object in the park includes a small plaque explaining its origin and cultural significance.
Namba Parks, Osaka, Japan
This remarkable rooftop garden spans several buildings, creating an eight-level
natural canyon in the heart of the city. Terraced gardens feature seasonal flowers
and trees, while waterfalls cascade down multiple levels.
Small gardens tucked into unexpected corners provide quiet retreats from urban life, and the winding paths create a sense of exploration. Local office workers use the park’s quiet spaces for outdoor meetings and lunch breaks.
Ciudad del Arte, Mexico City, Mexico
This surreal sculpture park features massive hands emerging from the ground, giant
musical instruments that play with the wind, and interactive art pieces that respond to
visitors’ movements. Created by various Mexican artists, the park serves as an
outdoor gallery where children are encouraged to climb and play with the artwork.
Local musicians often perform impromptu concerts using the park’s sound
sculptures. The on-site café serves traditional Mexican snacks with artistic
presentations inspired by the surroundings.
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Freeway Park, Seattle, USA
Built over an active interstate highway, this concrete jungle creates a peaceful urban
retreat despite its unusual location. Brutalist concrete formations create artificial cliffs
and canyons, while waterfalls mask the sound of traffic below.
The park’s angular design includes hidden plazas and unexpected viewpoints that make visitors forget they’re standing above six lanes of traffic. During winter, the concrete structures create dramatic ice formations that transform the space into a frozen landscape.
Parkland Float, Melbourne, Australia
This unique park appears to hover above the city streets, supported by massive steel
columns designed to look like tree trunks. The undulating landscape features native
Australian plants and provides unexpected views of the city skyline.
Interactive light installations respond to movement throughout the park after dark, creating magical nighttime experiences. Local artists use the space for performances and installations that play with the park’s floating design.
Devil’s Glen Park, Dublin, Ireland
Built in an abandoned quarry, this park features walls covered in commissioned
street art that changes annually through a rotating artist program. The quarry’s
industrial elements have been preserved and repurposed as climbing walls and
viewing platforms.
A series of suspended walkways allows visitors to view the art from different angles and heights. Local climbing clubs use the converted quarry walls for practice and competitions.
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Underground Gardens, Toronto, Canada
Located beneath the city’s financial district, this network of connected indoor gardens
provides a tropical escape during harsh Canadian winters. LED growing lights and
advanced hydroponic systems support lush vegetation year-round, while water
features help maintain humidity levels.
The park includes meditation spaces and walking paths that allow office workers to experience nature regardless of weather conditions. Local urban farming initiatives use parts of the space to grow fresh produce for nearby restaurants.
The Lost Gardens, Mumbai, India
Built within the ruins of abandoned textile mills, this park preserves industrial
archaeology while creating new green spaces. Old machinery serves as climbing
structures covered in flowering vines, while former loading docks have become
community gathering spaces.
The park includes an organic farm that supplies local restaurants and teaches traditional farming techniques. Evening light shows illuminate the preserved industrial structures in creative ways.
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Vertical Forest Park, Shenzhen, China
This innovative park spirals up the exterior of several connected skyscrapers,
creating a green ribbon that wraps around the buildings. Elevated walkways allow
visitors to explore multiple levels of gardens while enjoying unique city views.
The park uses advanced irrigation systems that recycle rainwater and maintain the
vertical gardens. Local botanists study the park’s unique ecosystem, which has
attracted various bird and insect species to the urban environment.
Sound Garden, Berlin, Germany
This experimental park features installations that transform environmental sounds
into music. Wind-powered sculptures create ever-changing melodies, while
pressure-sensitive paths generate tones as visitors walk.
Rain collectors turn precipitation into percussion performances through carefully designed channels and chimes. Local composers often incorporate the park’s natural music into their performances during special events.
Floating Gardens, Rotterdam, Netherlands
This series of connected platforms float on reclaimed harbor water, rising and falling
with the tides. Each floating section contains different types of water-purifying plants
that help clean the harbor while creating beautiful garden spaces.
Transparent walkways allow visitors to observe the underwater portions of the garden’s ecosystem. Local environmental groups monitor the park’s impact on water quality
and marine life.
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Ice Park, Reykjavik, Iceland
This winter wonderland features sculptures created from geothermally controlled ice
that maintain their form year-round through innovative cooling systems. Light
installations within the ice create colorful displays that change throughout the day
and seasons.
Visitors can explore ice caves and tunnels while learning about Iceland’s unique geological features. Local artists contribute new ice sculptures regularly, ensuring the park’s appearance evolves continuously.
Butterfly Maze, Singapore
This living labyrinth consists of flowering walls that attract thousands of butterflies,
creating an ever-changing natural maze. Different sections feature plants that attract
specific butterfly species, while educational displays explain their life cycles and
migration patterns.
The maze’s layout changes seasonally as different plants bloom and new butterfly species arrive. Local lepidopterists conduct research and lead guided tours explaining the complex relationships between plants and butterflies.
Las Pozas, Xilitla, Mexico
Deep in the Mexican jungle lies a surrealist park filled with towering concrete
structures that seem to defy both gravity and logic. Created by eccentric artist
Edward James, this 80-acre site features spiral staircases that lead nowhere, giant
concrete flowers that bloom eternally, and doorways that open into the jungle
canopy.
Natural waterfalls and pools weave through the architectural elements, creating a dreamlike fusion of nature and surrealist art. Local guides share fascinating stories about James’s vision and the decades-long construction process that transformed this remote rainforest into one of the world’s most unusual parks.
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Experience Beyond the Ordinary
These 19 extraordinary parks demonstrate how creative thinking can transform
urban spaces into magical environments that challenge our expectations of public
green spaces. Each location offers unique experiences that combine natural
elements with innovative design, proving that parks can be both functional and
fantastical.
Whether you’re interested in art, ecology, technology, or simply seeking unusual
experiences, these parks provide compelling destinations that will change how you think about urban green spaces. The next time you visit any of these cities, take time
to explore these remarkable parks – you might just discover your new favorite way to
experience nature in an urban setting.
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