The best public parks in the world combine beautiful landscaping with architectural and cultural attractions, such as concert venues, open-air theaters, fountains, pavilions, gardens, and more. Historically speaking, public parks are a relatively new phenomenon, as the most elaborate and extraordinary gardens were long reserved for the aristocracy. In the early 1880s, some urban planners began to put forth the democratic idea that cities should have parks that were free and open to everyone, not just high society. AD surveyed 11 public parks worthy of any bucket list, some of which were born as public parks and some that were originally private gardens later opened to the public.
