Philip V initiated the construction of the Citadel in 1715. Deemed a symbol of repression, it was demolished in the name of Catalan nationalism in the 19C. A public par was built on the site instead. The approach to the park, the Passeig de Sant Joan, is a long avenue, which takes you down from the town-centre to within the park enclosure. It runs straight to the park entrance, marked by the Triumphal Arch, which was the symbolic access point for the World Fair of 1888.