If
you are visiting Valencia for the first time or you've heard
about this great city, the first thing that will call your attention
is the incredible light that reaches every corner, the great
weather lasting all year long, or the friendly nature of its
people. All this is true, as is the fact that together with
Barcelona, these two cities are the most important on the Spanish
Mediterranean coast, and within the last few years, Valencia
has grown tremendously.
But perhaps what might surprise you even more is its incredible
diversity. Moving from one area of the city to another means
being surrounded by completely different urban landscapes; so
much so that you might even think you're in a different city
altogether.
The Center
A good point to start a sightseeing trip through the city
is without a doubt the historic center of town. The Ayuntamiento
(Town council) and Correos (Main Post Office) buildings stand
out as some impressive buildings worth visiting. If you head
towards the Plaza de la Reina, this large square introduces
you into an older part of town with turn-of-the-century buildings
and just beyond that, the historic Old Quarter and the Barrio
del Carmen neighborhood. Some of the buildings in this area
date from the period of Arab domination of the city and others
incorporate the old walls into their structure. The palaces
in this part have been restored and turned into luxury restaurants
or official government buildings. A walk along the narrow,
cobble-stoned streets will give you a flavor for the past,
combined with the modernity that the many bars, cafes and
clubs of this area have to offer.
University Area
The new Town Council was built in this area as was Calatrava
bridge. The latter is an example of the innovative architecture
found in Valencia. It joins the two shores of the Turia river
bed which has now been turned into a fantastic garden and
recreational area running through the entire city. This area
in fact, is almost like a triangle of modernity between Alameda-Blasco
Ibánez-Avenida de Aragón streets where you'll
also find a good part of the university campus in the city.
It is also where you'll find modern glass skyscrapers, some
of the best restaurants, pubs and night clubs in the city,
together with the best parks and gardens, such as the Jardines
del Real o 'Viveros', Jardines de Monforte, or the Alameda.
It is here in front of the river Turia that you will find
the Palau de la Música, with its huge glass dome and
main venue in the city for concerts and all sorts of cultural
events.
Cánovas
Classicism, harmony, good taste, luxury shops and restaurants,
without a doubt, that is what you will find in the Cánovas
area and its streets lined with turn-of-the-century buildings.
This is the traditional residential area for the Valencian
bourgeoisie, and nowadays home to some of the best clubs and
high standard, quality restaurants in the city. Bordering
on the old quarter, you'll find Colón street, which
has some of the most elegant boutiques and shops in the city,
and of course, the Corte Inglés department store.
The Beaches
We cannot end without talking about the most characteristic
feature of this city, which gives it colour and life: the
Mediterranean, of course. That inseparable part of our culture
is very easily reached, and if you get to it by walking along
the Avenida del Puerto, your efforts will be rewarded. This
last avenue is lined with typical and traditional restaurants,
some of them with the honour of having been visited by Hemingway
on one of his visits to Valencia. Others more recently opened
are a display of modern Valencian design, a city with a reputation
for great creators.
The city's coast consists of three beaches: Las Arenas, la
Malvarrosa and Alboraya, in addition to the Cabañal
neighbourhood, where the city's fishermen once lived. If you
are fit enough, try to walk along all three in just one morning.
If not, just enjoy the landscape and the sea breeze while
sipping on a refreshing drink in any of the open air terraces
facing the sea.
This is Valencia in very general terms, but if you decide
to get to know it on your own, you will discover lots of details,
beautiful plazas and charming neighbourhood that will probably
have you back here again and again to try to find even more.
History of Valencia
Tracing the historical origins of Valencia will take you back
in time to 138 B.C. when the Romans, after the Second Punic
War, set foot in this land and founded the city they called
"Valentia". Not much is left from this period, although
some archaeological remains have been found in the Plaza de
la Almoina. In nearby Sagunto, a historical town just a few
kilometres from the city center, you will find, however, fantastic
ruins, including a Roman theatre.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, came the barbarians and
later, the Visigoths. Both left their mark on the city. Not
much is known about the Visigothic period, although, once
again in the Plaza de la Almoina, archaeologists have found
the remains of a funerary Visigothic chapel. During their
reign, there were countless battles and terrible periods of
economic strife which, together with an outbreak of the plague,
led social havoc. This situation was taken advantage of by
the Moors, who occupied the territory peacefully in 709 A.D.
When Islamic culture settled in, Valencia prospered thanks
to a booming trade in paper, silk, leather, ceramics, glass
and silver-work. The architectural legacy from this period
is abundant in Valencia and can still be appreciated today
in the remains of the old walls, the Baños del Almirante
bath house, Portal de Valldigna street and even the Cathedral
and the tower, el Miguelete, which was the minaret of the
old mosque.
After Almanzor's death, the state was divided into various
kingdoms, known as "Taifas". These would soon be
conquered by legendary Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, el "Cid
Campeador" during the Christian re-conquest of Spain.
After "el Cid" died, king James I would be who finally
took over the city for the Catholics in 1238 A.D.
Medieval and Renaissance Valencia
Continuing on this quick journey through time, we reach medieval
Valencia. In the 15th century, the city experienced an unequal
period of prosperity, which, thanks to a rapid development
in agricultural and industrial production, expanded its trade
around the Mediterranean. During the reign of Alfons the Magnanimous,
in fact, Valencia was considered to be one of the richest
capitals in Europe, both for the range of its cultural activities
as well as its financial power.
Unfortunately, there soon came a period of economic and political
turmoil. The financial support provided by Valencian bankers
to the Spanish Crown for the discovery of the Americas, created
serious economic problems in the city, while the upper-classes
lived off their unearned income, not investing in any existing
or new industries. The result of all this instability was
an uprising by local trade unions and the wars known as the
"Guerras de Germanías".
But the worst was yet to come. Total economic collapse would
come when the Moors and Jews were definitively expelled and
the ruling nobility were reaffirmed in their position. During
the War of Spanish Succession between the Hapsburg and Borbon
royal families and their supporters, another conflict erupted
in Valencia between peasants ("maulets") and nobility
("botiflers"). The upper-classes won at the battle
of Almansa in 1707, resulting in a period of severe repression
and the consolidation of a centralist monarchy which meant
a loss of political and cultural autonomy.
The "Ciutat Vella" (Old Quarter, in the local language)
is the historic center of the city and still has marvellous
examples of buildings dating from the Medieval period, such
as part of the walls and the only two remaining gates: the
Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos towers, or the incredible
Lonja de Seda (Silk Market). Even the layout of this part
of Valencia can be traced in large part to this period (Calle
de los Caballeros street, Plaza de Manises, etc.).
The splendour of the Renaissance also left its mark on the
city and perhaps the most beautiful example is the monumental
Real Colegio del Patriarca seminary, which has one of the
most exquisite cloisters from this period.
Blasco Ibáñez's Valencia
The 1800s did not get off to a good start, with terrible
epidemics and the restoration of an absolute monarchy under
Ferdinand VII. However by the turn of the century, Valencia
experienced another surge in economic well-being thanks to
improvements made in agricultural techniques and the export
of citric fruits, wine and rice, as well as new means of transport
and industries.
An important historical reference from this period is Vicente
Blasco Ibáñez, a notable Valencian writer. In
his work, he perfectly describes the land, sea and passions
of the people who lived in Valencia at this time. Blasco Ibáñez
talks of a Valencia full of art and life, welcoming and majestic,
with old palaces (Palacio de Benicarló, Palacio de
Justicia) and elegant mansions, or the religiousness of the
land and the stones of its churches (San Agustín, Santa
Catalina); he also highlights the contrast between the hustle
and bustle of the Estación del Norte train station
or the Central Market, and the open, friendly character of
the seafaring inhabitants along the coast.
Contemporary Valencia
Luckily, there is still a lot of old Valencia to be found
in the city today. Modernity blends in harmoniously with the
historical past, combining technological developments to historical
ways of life. The latest great project, the City of Arts and
Sciences, is perhaps the best reflection of the enterprising
nature of Valencians. Valencia is a city that legends are
made of; it looks to the future expectantly, but is proud
of its past.
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