One of the few parks close to the city center, Columbia Park is only a five minute walk from the city center and is an ideal place to spend some relaxing time after a tiring shopping trip. The park sits atop a former stronghold of the city's gigantic fortifications built in the 17th century by the famous French builder Sebastian de Vauban, and the park's elevated position on the foundation of the bastion is a reminder of the site's past.