The Park that was Almost a Slaughter House

Sometimes the simplest things are the most enjoyable, like taking a stroll through a city park in the sunshine to be in nature.

We found this really nice park in Rotterdam that was located on the west end of the city right next to the Euromast tower.

The tower can be seen all throughout the space, which isn't surprising given its height.

Taking the walk was one of the last things that we did in town before leaving. I think it was a good way to say goodbye to the city.

We often make a point of finding parks or public gardens to walk through when we travel anywhere and this one was well worth it. Parks and gardens and anything involving nature are always welcomed and I think they really add a lot of enjoyment and pleasure to any major city.

The greenspace of this park was quite beautiful really, with the trees almost fully budded or just starting to. Rotterdam is quite a bit further North than France so they were a little behind in spring from where we were at the time, in the South.

It was still quite lovely though with the sun out.

Officially the park doesn't have a title but unofficially it's known as Het Park.

You're probably thinking that I'm going to tell you that the man in the statue was named Het.

But no, that was just a decoy. We just stumbled upon the statue and I don't know anything about it.

I don't know the story of the parks name either.

One interesting fact that I read though was that the land was originally intended to be a slaughter house but the people of the Delfshaven neighborhood protested the plan and declared that the space should be made into a public promenade.

In the end the city sided with the people and Het Park was born.

Personally I think they made the right decision. The other option probably would have given the entire city a much different sort of vibe.

The park is a great spot to view the Euromast tower or to just walk through on your way to see it. It also has quite a few art installations and statues scattered throughout, which are fun to see when you stumble upon them.

There are plenty of water features around as well, which make it appear larger and more natural.

Overall we really enjoyed our walk through the area that day and thought it was a nice break from the bustle of the city.

One last thought to all the city planners out there, if you have a choice between putting a large greenspace in your downtown or a slaughter house, please always go with the greenspace. The people will definitely appreciate it more.

Well thats it for now. Until next time, thanks for stopping by.