Citygarden Saint Louis
A visit to the new Citygarden reveals the artistic, and green, direction of St. Louis. Entering the three acres of landscape, including sculpture, water, and stone, is a refreshing experience of the sights and sounds of the city. The park, located in the middle of downtown St. Louis, is a transformed space for art, nature, and the community to pleasurably convene. It’s a haven for children to play in the splash plaza on a hot and sunny afternoon; a breath of fresh air during a lunch break; an inspiring atmosphere for all.
Landscape architect Nelson Byrd Woltz successfully created an environmentally friendly space to display sculpture, preserve nature, and incorporate the city’s rich, geographical history. A 
unique aspect to the design of Citygarden is the reference to elements of St. Louis’s natural history. The landscape is divided into three bands, each representing geographic features of the area: the River Bluffs, the Floodplain, and the River Terrace. The extraordinary sculpture garden consists of 23 modern and contemporary sculptures in all, including works by George Rickey, Aristide Maillol, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Mark di Suvero. Visitors can explore the works as they walk along the terrace, wander down the tortuous path, or as some young enthusiasts prefer, climb over the sculptures. On the Eastern end of the 
park is another magnificent sight, the classic view of the Old Court House framed by the Arch.
unique aspect to the design of Citygarden is the reference to elements of St. Louis’s natural history. The landscape is divided into three bands, each representing geographic features of the area: the River Bluffs, the Floodplain, and the River Terrace. The extraordinary sculpture garden consists of 23 modern and contemporary sculptures in all, including works by George Rickey, Aristide Maillol, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Mark di Suvero. Visitors can explore the works as they walk along the terrace, wander down the tortuous path, or as some young enthusiasts prefer, climb over the sculptures. On the Eastern end of the park is another magnificent sight, the classic view of the Old Court House framed by the Arch.
West of the park, Richard Serra’s long standing sculpture, Twain, presents an interesting contrast. Until my visit to Citygarden, I had only seen the venerated Serra sculpture from the street. However, as I walked through the dwarfing interior, I was confronted with graffiti messages reading “get rid of this,” written across the large slabs of steel. Twain, among many of Serra’s other works, is controversial, but walking through this sculpture offers a unique experience with St. Louis’s landscape.
