Laghetto dell’ Eur. Sunday June 5th 2022
By Alessia
On Sunday morning Gio and I had a late breakfast at White Bakery that was big enough to almost skip lunch. Gio had an approximation of a classic English Breakfast (scrambled eggs, etc…) while I preferred eating some pancakes with yoghurt, strawberries and blueberries and a nice cool glass of orange juice.
We then went to the Central Park of the Lake (Parco Centrale del Lago) in the Eur residential district where the Laghetto dell’Eur (Eur’s Small Lake) is, to have a short stroll and take a few more pictures. This small park in the middle of the EUR neighbourhood houses a lovely artificial lake and is also known for its Sakura trees that were amongst those gifted in 1959 by the Japanese Prime Minister.
In mid-Spring, when the Sakura trees are in bloom, people typically enjoy having picnics beneath the trees and contemplate the Sakura in bloom, which, I am told, is very similar to Japan’s Sakura no Hi (Cherry Blossom Day) Festival.
The Laghetto, as you find it today, is very different from its original incarnation. Conceived for the Universal Exposition of 1942, which never happened due to WWII and its aftermath, the original project was much different and was never completed in its original form. Construction of this small park was concluded in the aftermath of the war.
We enjoyed our short stroll but did not linger because the heat was quickly becoming punishing (35.5 degrees Celsius)