Kungsparken is located in the city centre and is the oldest park in Malmö.
The canal separates Kungsparken from the Palace Park, with which it forms a continuous park area.
Kungsparken land was built before the 1660s, but it was demolished to create a free field of fire from the fortress. When Kungsparken was built between 1869 and 1870, it was on land that it was included in the fortifications around Malmohus Castle. Danish landscape architect Ove Heg Hansen was hired to prepare a proposal for a romantic park; he was inspired by the English style of the park, which was designed in the 18th century in response to the French Baroque garden.
In 1872 a park was opened, which from the very beginning was called Palace Park. The name Kungsparken comes from King Oscar II, who opened a restaurant there in 1881 in connection with a large agricultural meeting in Malmö. The park was then renamed King Oscar's Park, which was later shortened to King Oscar's Park.
Kungsparken has an area of 8.4 hectares.
The cast-iron fountain, installed in the middle of the park in 1882, is the heart of the park. In the park there is also a statue of Gustav Ridberg (1835-1933), who was a royal artist.
Right next to the fountain is the Grotto, which is a popular attraction. The decoration in the cave has been changed. For example, it was painted with frescoes and a fountain with drinking water. In 1987, the cave was modernized. It was crowned with the snake head of Ormet, which throws a narrow stream of water out of the mouth. The water is collected in a granite barrel above the ground. The artistic theme is Eddan's story about Loki's punishment for Baldr's murder. The artist was landscape architect Monica Gora, who won the Stone Prize in 1988.
The park has 120 species of trees from three continents. In connection with the Bo 86 construction exhibition, which was organized in Malmö, a comprehensive planting of trees was carried out. During the exhibition in Kungsparken, a number of ideological gardens with different themes were also presented.
The main renewal of the shrub population was done in 1988 in the western part of the park. In the canal, next to the cast-iron fountain, a relatively large stock of lime plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons was created.
After several years at university, the Cosmopol Casino opened in 2001, the second Swedish casino in the Kungsparken restaurant.
In September 2006 it was decided to carry out an overhaul of Kungsparken. SEK 11 million will be invested in the park in stages until 2010.
