Valencia

Valencia (officially in Valencian: València, AFI: [vaˈɫensia]) is a municipality and a city in Spain, capital of the homonymous province and of the Valencian Community. With a population of 801,545 inhabitants (2020), which rises to 1,581,057 inhabitants (2020) if its urban space is included, it is the third most populous city and metropolitan area in Spain, behind Madrid and Barcelona.

Valencia was founded by the Romans as a colony in the year 138 B.C. C., being consul Tenth June Gross Galician, and was called Valentia Edetanorum. After the Roman and Visigoth periods, in the year 711, the Muslims occupied the city contributing their language, religion and customs, as well as the implementation of irrigation systems and the introduction of new crops. In 1238, the Christian King Jaime I of Aragon reconquered the city, and distributed the lands among the nobles who helped him conquer it, as is attested in the Llibre del Repartiment, as well as creating a new law for the city, the Fueros de Valencia, which were extended to the rest of the kingdom of Valencia. In the 18th century, Felipe V repealed the fueros as punishment for the kingdom of Valencia for siding with the Austrians in the war of succession Spanish. In 1982 Valencia was established as the capital of the current Valencian Community, as stated in the Statute of Autonomy.

The city is located on the banks of the Turia River, on the Levantine coast of the Iberian Peninsula, right in the center of the Gulf of Valencia, although at the time the Romans founded it, it was located on a fluvial island in the Turia, about four kilometers away from the sea. About ten kilometers south of the city is the Albufera de Valencia, which has been owned by the Valencia City Council since 1911 when it bought it from the Crown of Spain for 1,072,980.41 pesetas. The Albufera is one of the lakes largest in Spain, since it has about 2,100 hectares, to which must be added an extension of 14,100 hectares of marsh dedicated to rice cultivation. Due to its cultural, historical and ecological value, it was the first natural park declared by the Generalitat Valenciana in 1986.

Currently the city's economy is centered on services, since close to 84% of the employed active population belongs to the service sector. However, the city maintains an industrial base, with a percentage of the employed population of 5.5%. On the other hand, agricultural activities, even having a relatively minor importance with only 1.9% of the active population employed, survive in the municipal area with a total of 3973 hectares, which are mostly occupied by crops of orchard and citrus.

Its historic center is one of the largest in Spain, with approximately 169 hectares, and thanks to its historical and monumental heritage and its various scenic and cultural spaces, it is one of the cities with the highest influx of national and international tourism. international from all over the country. Among its most representative monuments are the Miguelete, the Cathedral, the Torres de Serranos and Quart, the Lonja de la Seda, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1996, and the City of Arts and Sciences. It should also be noted that the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia is the most important pictorial museum in the Valencian Community, being the second art gallery in Spain due to its relevance, as is the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM), which has The objective is to investigate and disseminate the art of the XX century, or the Valencian Museum of Illustration and Modernity, a space of civic interaction and reflection on the problems and physiognomy of today's society.

Due to its long history, this is a city with innumerable festivals and traditions, including the Fallas, which were declared festivals of international tourist interest on January 25, 1965 and Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Humanity by UNESCO on November 30, 2016, and the Tribunal de las Aguas, also declared in 2009 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In addition to this, Valencia has been, and is currently, the scene of various events world events that have contributed to shaping the city and giving it international projection, such as the 1909 Regional Exhibition, the 32nd and 33rd America's Cup of Sailing, the Formula 1 European Grand Prix, the Tennis Open 500, and the Equestrian Global Champions Tour.

Since 2015, the mayor has been Joan Ribó, from Compromís, who became mayor thanks to the Nau government Pact, signed by his formation with the PSPV and València en Comú. In 2019, Joan Ribó i Canut won the elections and was re-elected mayor.

Toponymy

The place name of «Valencia» derives from the Latin term Valentia Edetanorum that the Romans gave it when they founded it. This name can be translated as 'Courage (or strength) in the land of the edetanos' (or simply as 'Courage of the Edetanos'), and is part of the custom, already practiced in Italy in the century II a. C., to found colonies with allegorical place names of military virtues. the bank of the Turia river, while they reserved the term بلنسية (Balansīa) for the entire taifa of Valencia. In the time of Abd al-Aziz the city recovered for itself the name of Balansīa, which would become Valencia in Spanish.

In 2016, the Plenary of the City Council unanimously agreed to recover a municipal decree not made official in 1996, by which the appropriate procedures were initiated to make the official name in Valencian official, València, as the only official form, a change that took place after the respective approvals of various government institutions, including the Valencian Academy of Language, which considered that the appropriate spelling from the historical and linguistic point of view of Valencia was with "e". open, although the recommended pronunciation for Valencians is with a closed "e". On February 14, 2017, the change of name of the municipality of Valencia to exclusively in Valencian, a fact that was made official after its publication in the BOE.

Throughout history the city has received various nicknames, such as the City of a Thousand Towers, over the centuries XVII and XVIII, the Capital of Turia or the Cap i Casal. Also for several centuries and until recent times it was known as Valencia del Cid.

Symbols

From the conquest of the city by James I until the reign of Peter the Ceremonious, the city used as its own weapons a shield alluding to its location, "a walled city on waves". This emblem appears represented on one of the first municipal seals (1312) and on the coat of arms carved on the Gothic door of the cathedral. However, as far back as the XIV century, Valencia used the royal arms as currency, since King Peter the Ceremonious in recognition of to the resistance offered by Valencia to Pedro the Cruel of Castilla during the War of the Two Pedros (1356-1365), he granted the city of Valencia the right to use the royal arms of Aragon and the royal crown on its coat of arms and flag. In addition to this, as a symbol of the city's loyalty in the face of the two sieges suffered in the war with Castile, the king added an "L" (for loyalty) to the left and right of the shield, stamped with the royal crown. Thus, the municipal council (Consell municipal) fixed the composition of the coat of arms as early as 1377:

Original:
"E es cert quel senyal per los molts alts Reys darago atorgat e confermat a la dita Ciutat era e es lur propri senyal Reyal de bastons o barres grogues e verlles. [...] [L]o molt alt senyor Rey ara Regnant per son propri motiu e sa mera liberalitat tenint se aixi com fon sa merce per molt servit de la dita Ciutat senyaladament en la guerra de Castella prop passada specialment en los dos Setges e pus principalment en lo segon e derrer daquells tengut

Translation:
"And it is true that the sign by the very high Kings of Aragon granted and confirmed to the City was and is its own Royal sign of yellow and red sticks or bars. [...] The very high Lord King now reigning for his own initiative and his mere generosity, thus considering His Merced how it was well served by the city markedly in the recent war of Castile, especially in the two sieges and more mainly in the second and last of those made on it [Valencia] by the King of Castile added the crown to that signal»

Consells Manual of 1377 (Archivo Histórico Municipal de Valencia, years 1375-1383, n. 17, sig. A)

Shield

The current coat of arms derives from the royal arms of Aragon, although later new elements have been incorporated, such as the bat, lo rat penat in Valencian, an evolution of a wyvern, which it also appears on the coat of arms of the Generalitat Valenciana, and which was incorporated into the emblem of the city in 1503. The bat was already used in some cases and was associated with some myths of the conquest of Valencia by James I, although this it was not official until the 17th century. The last element that was incorporated into the shield is due to Fernando VII, who granted two laurel branches as a reward for the resistance of the city during the War of Independence.

Currently the shield has the following emblazoned: «In losanjado shield, field of gold with four sticks of gules, two L's crowned as tenants and in the lower part two laurel branches. At the bell, open royal crown surmounted by a bat, seen from the front and with outstretched wings, saber».

Flag

The so-called Real Señera, Señera Coronada, or Señera tricolor, is the same flag as that of the Valencian Community. The origin of this flag comes from a heraldic banner, that is, a shield, which evolved until it took the form of a flag, with a crown on the bars of the kings of the Crown of Aragon. In this way, currently the flag of the city is established as follows: «The Flag of Valencia is the traditional "señera& #3. 4; made up of four red bars on a yellow background, crowned by having the title of Kingdom and a blue stripe next to the pole”.

Geography

Valencia and its environment view by the satellite Sentinel-2 of the Copernicus Programme of the European Space Agency

The city of Valencia is located on the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula, on the great alluvial plain of the Júcar and Turia rivers, right in the center of the Gulf of Valencia. The primitive city was located about four kilometers from the sea, on a fluvial island in Turia. The closest mountains to the city are some of the last foothills of the Iberian system in the Valencian Community, such as the Cabeçol of El Puig and the Sierra Calderona, about 12 km and 25 km north of the city respectively.

Valencia has traditionally been the capital of the extinct historical and natural region of Huerta de Valencia, a region that in 1989 was disintegrated to form the regions of Huerta Norte, Huerta Sur, Huerta Oeste and the city of Valencia, thus remaining constituted as the only city-region of the Valencian Community, known as the "City of Valencia". In this way, the region of Valencia extends only to the city, its districts, and the Albufera lake. The "City of Valencia" limits to the north with the regions of Huerta Norte and Campo de Turia, to the east with the Mediterranean Sea, to the south with the regions of Huerta Sur and Ribera Baja, and to the west with the region of Huerta Oeste.

Northwest: Burjasot, Godella, Rocafort and Bétera	North: Moncada, Alfara del Patriarch, Vinalesa, Bonrepós and Mirambell, Tabernes Blanques and Alboraya	Northeast: Alboraya and the Mediterranean Sea
West: Paterna, Cuart de Poblet, Mislata and Chirivella		This: Mediterranean Sea
Southwest: Picaña, Silla, Albal, Catarroja, Masanasa and Alfafar	South: Paiporta, Benetúser, Alfafar, Sedaví, Sollana and Sueca	Sureste: Mediterranean Sea

The Rafalell-Vistabella exclave borders Massamagrell, Massalfassar and the Mediterranean Sea.

The exclave of Mauella i Tauladella borders Museros, Albuixech and Albalat dels Sorells.

The Cases de Bàrcena exclave borders Foios, Meliana, Almàssera, Bonrepós i Mirambell and Vinalesa.

Urban panorama of Valencia. On the left of the image are the tower of France and the CC. Aqua, in the center the City of Arts and Sciences, and in the background the port and the Mediterranean sea

Topography

Satellite photograph of the Valencian central depression

The city of Valencia is located in the center of the Valencian depression, to the south of the Iberian sector. This plain is the largest plain in the entire Spanish Mediterranean basin, and is located in the center of the Valencian Community. The depression limits with the Sierra Calderona to the north, with the mountains of the Serranía del Turia to the northwest, with the Sierra de las Cabrillas to the west, with the Caroig massif to the southwest and with the Serra de Corbera and the Mondúver to the south.

Its origin is due, firstly, to the process of subsidence of the Gulf of Valencia, which began about 6 million years ago, and secondly, to the process of silting up the area due to the sedimentary contribution of the Palancia rivers, Turia and Júcar, as well as the Carraixet and Poyo ravines. This process was accelerated by the low erosive action of the sea, and in recent times by anthropic action, since man has accelerated the clogging process of wetlands through selective siltation.

Not all of the depression is a perfect plain, since the extremely flat areas closest to the coast are connected to extensive inland foothills, such as Pla de Cuart or Campo de Liria. It should also be noted that the plain is dotted with small hills that break the unity, such as the Cabeçol of El Puig, the Santos de Sueca mountain, the Perenchisa de Torrente mountain range or the mountain of Las Zorras from Cullera. The highest altitude in the municipality of 104 meters is found in Horteta. Thus, the traditional landscapes of this relief unit are the cultivated fields of the orchard and wetlands, such as the Valencia lagoon and the Rafalell and Vistabella and Moro marshes.

Hydrography

Acequia de Mestalla en el Turia

The river that runs through the city is the Turia. This is a river on the Mediterranean side of the Iberian Peninsula, which originates in the San Juan de los Montes Universales mountain range, in the municipality of Guadalaviar (Teruel), and after 280 km flows north of the Valencian beach of Pinedo. Its floods are famous, especially that of October 14, 1957, known as the great flood of Valencia, which with a flow of 3,700 m³/s flooded a large part of the city of Valencia, causing a large amount of material and personal damage.

This fact led to the creation of a project to divert said channel and avoid subsequent flooding, likewise it sought to generate new infrastructures for the growth of the city. This project materialized with the construction of a new channel diverting it to the south of the city, known as Plan Sur; said channel is apparently dry, because only flow runs through it during floods, since ordinary flows are used for the irrigation of the vega de Valencia in the intakes of the ditches from the dam of the Repartiment. The old channel that passes through the downtown area of the city has become a recreational-cultural space, the Turia garden.

Throughout history, Turia water has been used to irrigate cultivated fields, for which a complex irrigation network was developed, whose fundamental axis are the ditches of the Vega de Valencia. These ditches take their water from the last flows of the river, downstream of the dam of the Moncada ditch. Finally, the runoff and excess water from the Turia are used for the Oro ditch and the irrigation of Francos and Marjales de Valencia.

The eight ditches are, on the right bank: the Quart ditch, from this ditch then the Benàger i Faitanar ditch, which also has the category of mother ditch; the Mislata ditch; the Favara ditch; and the Rovella ditch. And on the left bank: the Tormos ditch; the Mestalla ditch; and the Rascanya ditch.

Climate

Valencia has a mild Mediterranean climate with slightly rainy winters and hot and dry summers. According to the criteria of the Köppen climate classification, Valencia has a transition climate between the Mediterranean (Csa) and warm semi-arid (BSh) climates. The average annual temperature is 18.4 °C.

The climate of Valencia presents warm summers and mild winters. January is the coldest month, with average maximum temperatures of 16-17 °C and minimum temperatures of 7-8 °C. Snowfall and subzero temperatures are extremely rare within the urban core, and often make headlines due to their rarity. The warmest month is August, with average high temperatures of 30-31 °C and low temperatures of 21-23 °C C and a moderately high relative humidity. The daily thermal amplitude is reduced due to the maritime influence: around 9 °C on average. In the same way, the annual thermal amplitude is small due to the influence of the sea, being between 9 and 10 °C.

Annual rainfall is between 450 and 500 mm, with marked minimums in summer (from June to August) especially in July with an average of about 8 mm; and maximum in the autumn months, especially in September and October (the average reaching somewhat below 80 mm in October) due to the effect of the cold drop, which has come to accumulate more than 150 mm in one day on several occasions, causing flooding. The average annual humidity is relatively high due to the influence of the sea, standing at around 65% and varying little throughout the year.

The following table shows the climatological values in the reference period 1981-2010 of the AEMET observatory located in Jardines del Real (Valencia), at 11 masl. The extreme values are from the period 1981-2015.

Average climatic parameters of Observatory of Valencia (Jardines del Real) (11 msnm) (Reference period: 1981-2010. Extremes 1966-2018)
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	26.6	29.0	33.2	35.2	42.0	38.2	41.8	43.0	38.4	35.8	32.0	25.2	43.0
Average temperature (°C)	16.4	17.1	19.3	20.8	23.4	27.1	29.7	30.2	27.9	24.3	19.8	17.0	23.0
Average temperature (°C)	11.8	12.5	14.4	16.2	19.0	22.9	25.6	26.1	23.5	19.7	15.3	12.6	18.4
Temp. medium (°C)	7.1	7.8	9.6	11.5	14.6	18.6	21.5	21.9	19.1	15.2	10.8	8.1	13.8
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	-6.5	-7.2	-0.4	1.0	5.0	8.5	11.6	12.5	8.0	4.1	-0.8	-2.8	-7.2
Total precipitation (mm)	37.1	35.9	33.4	37.9	39.2	22.3	7.8	20.2	69.7	77.0	46.6	48.0	474.9
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	4.4	3.9	3.6	4.8	4.3	2.6	1.1	2.4	5.0	5.0	4.3	4.8	46.3
Hours of sun	171.4	170.6	214.7	233.7	258.5	275.7	314.5	288.1	234.5	202.2	166.7	155.2	2695.6
Relative humidity (%)	64	64	63	62	65	66	67	68	67	67	66	65	65
Source: State Meteorology Agency

Here are some weather records recorded at the AEMET observatory located in Jardines del Real (Valencia), considered from 1937 for temperature and precipitation and from 1945 for wind. The absolute maximum temperature record is 43 °C recorded on August 27, 2010, and the minimum of –7.2 °C recorded on February 11, 1956. The maximum rainfall in one day is 262.6 mm recorded on 17 November 1956, and the maximum gust of wind is 117 km/h recorded on February 25, 1989.

Natural hazards

Rio Turia overflowing in the city of Valencia (1957)

The main natural risk suffered by the city of Valencia was flooding, since throughout history the Turia river caused several overflows and very serious flooding in the city. Among all these overflows of the Turia, the most serious was the one that occurred on October 14, 1957 with the Great Flood of Valencia, when rainfall exceeding 300 mm occurred in a large part of the Turia hydrographic basin (361 mm in Bejís, although this population is located in the Palancia river basin), which originated two flood waves over Valencia, the first of 2700 m³/s and an average speed of 3.25 m/s; and the second, more violent, of 3700 m³/s and 4.16 m/s. These flood waves flooded most of the Valencian capital, causing the death of more than 80 people, as well as considerable material damage.

After this flood, it was planned to divert the Turia riverbed to the south of Valencia, with the project called Plan Sur. This project provided the river with a drainage capacity of 5,000 m³/s, in addition to other minor works to regulate the river. Given the delay in receiving aid from the government after the flood, Mayor Tomás Trénor Azcárraga confronted Francisco Franco, who dismissed him. However, with his behavior, the mayor achieved his objective, since after his criticism, aid to the city was expedited and work began on the diversion of the Turia.

Another risk that usually affects the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula is heat waves and cold waves. Valencia suffers every year in the summer months several alerts for heat waves, which according to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) are a period of at least 3 days with abnormally high temperatures. These heat waves can cause so-called heat strokes, even causing deaths. On the contrary, in the winter months the danger comes from cold waves, since temperatures can occasionally drop below 0 °C. This is due to the irruption of icy air currents from the Arctic or Siberia in the Valencian territory. The main consequences of cold waves are roadblocks due to ice sheets or the danger of hypothermia for homeless people.

The seismic risk also affects Valencia, since the city is located in an area of moderate seismic danger. Throughout history, Valencia has suffered several earthquakes, one of the strongest being the one registered on September 16, 2003, which had a magnitude of 4.2 on the Richter scale, although that was not the most intense., since in the years 1823 and 1904 the city also suffered two earthquakes of intensity 5. It should be noted that throughout the years 2010 and 2011 there were 16 earthquakes, although all of them of low intensity, with magnitudes between 1, 5 and 2.8 on the Richter scale.

Flora

Saler Dehesa Forest

Valencia is located in the thermo-Mediterranean bioclimatic zone, so its climax vegetation is the Mediterranean forest, while the maquis occurs in those areas where the arboreal vegetation has disappeared. Due to the anthropization of the environment, in the Nitrophilous plant species predominate in most of the municipal area, with the exception of those that occur around the coastal wetlands (Albufera and Marjal de Rafalell and Vistabella) and riverbeds.

The main tree species that can be found in the Mediterranean forest spaces that remain in the municipal area of Valencia (mainly in the Dehesa del Saler) are the holm oak, the Aleppo pine and the tamarisk, while the shrub species, which occur in the undergrowth or in maquis areas, are mastic, juniper, kermes oak, myrtle, thyme, gorse, rosemary, satureja and heart of palm.

On the other hand, the tree species associated with the riparian forest (bed of the Turia) are willows, alders, poplars or poplars, ash trees, elms and tamarisks, while the shrub species associated with this type of forest are among others the rushes, the reeds, the cattails, the oleanders and the brambles. Around the wetlands and ditches there are several communities of marsh vegetation, which sink their roots into fresh water or wet mud, such as reeds, cattails, mansiegas and reeds.

In the dunes closest to the sea, the presence of «pioneer species» stands out. Some of these species are typical of mobile dunes, such as the reed or the sea bell, and the others are typical of fixed dunes, such as the buckthorn or the mastic. Finally, in the malladas of the dunes there are some succulent species, such as salty grass or salicornia.

Wildlife

Royal storks and anades in the reservation Racó de l'Olla

The Valencian territory has a great biodiversity, which is greater around the Albufera de Valencia, where the La Granja de El Saler Fauna Recovery Center is located. Some species of fish are present in the municipal area of Valencia are the fartet and the samarugo, endemic species of the Valencian Community, as well as the eel, the mullet and the sea bass, of special economic importance.

The extraordinary wealth of poultry in the Valencian territory can be observed by the great variety of species that exist in the municipal area of Valencia, where you can find various types of ducks, such as the red duck with up to 10,000 specimens, the common shoveler with up to 20,000 specimens or the mallard. The colonies of herons are also notable, being able to review the cattle egret, the squacco egret or the royal heron. Finally, the presence of species such as the common tern, the Sandwich tern, the common stilt, the marbled teal or the seagull is also noteworthy.

With regard to the mammals that can be found in the territory of Valencia, the rodent species stand out, such as the brown rat, the water rat, the field mouse or the Moorish mouse. Although some groups of shrews, foxes and bats can also be found (the cave bat, the tailed bat, etc.).

In the municipality of Valencia there are also some species of amphibians, such as the common midwife toad, the common toad, the natterjack toad, the spotted toad, the spurred toad, the speckled toad, the gallipato and the common green frog. As well as several types of reptiles, such as lizards and lizards (the Iberian lizard, the ocellated lizard, the Iberian skink, the red-tailed lizard and the long-tailed lizard), snakes (the blind shingles, the ladder snake, the horseshoe snake, bastard snake, and long-nosed viper), geckos (coastal gecko and common gecko), and tortoises or turtles (European turtle and leper turtle).

Natural spaces

The city of Valencia has in its municipal area several places and natural spaces of special ecological, cultural and landscape importance, which owe their current state to a large extent to the action of man.

The lake of the Albufera of Valencia

Marjal de Rafalell y Vistabella

The Albufera Natural Park

The Albufera Natural Park, with an area of 21,120 ha, was declared as such by the Generalitat Valenciana on July 23, 1986, and since 1990 it has been included in the List of wetlands of international importance for birds established by reason of the Ramsar Convention of February 2, 1971. Since 1992 it has been an LIC zone (Place of Community Importance) and since 1994 it has been included in the ZEPA (Special Protection Zone for Birds) areas. This wet zone is located about 10 km south of the city of Valencia, and comprises a system formed by the Albufera lake, its humid environment, and the coastline adjacent to both.

Rafalell and Vistabella Marsh

The Rafalell and Vistabella marsh, with an extension of 102.92 ha, is one of the last marshes that extended to the north of the Turia river from Alboraya to Sagunto, which is fed by groundwater and irrigation remains. Regarding the vegetation of this wetland, it should be noted that it is dominated by reed beds and rushes, which serve as a refuge for several species of marsh and wader birds, as well as some vestiges of dune vegetation on semi-fixed dunes and of salt marsh vegetation, with species such as the fine limonio or the salicornia. In the marsh there are some ditches and small lagoons with underwater vegetation, such as the goose tongue or the water spike. The fish present in the marsh are eel, sea bass, mugil and silverside, although there are suitable habitats for the reintroduction of endemic Valencian species such as the samarugo, the fartet, the tusk or the ditch prawn.

The garden

The Valencian orchard was born at the time of the Roman Empire, when Valencia was a logistic and wintering center for their campaigns of conquest in Iberia. The Romans introduced new crops, such as cereals, the olive tree and the vine; However, these and due to the conditions of the environment were not sufficiently productive.

Although what we know today as the Valencian orchard developed in the Middle Ages, during the Islamic period. Since the Muslims created an important network of irrigation infrastructures: ditches; weirs; and small dams. This network diverted the strong avenues of the Turia and the ravines, managing to drain large swampy areas and irrigating the fields. At the same time, various activities were carried out along these infrastructures, such as: water mills, where the flow that circulated through the ditches was used; laundries, which served the nearby houses or farmhouses.

Urban beaches

Valencia has two urban beaches of fine golden sand, Playa de las Arenas and Playa de la Malvarrosa, which border on the south with the port of Valencia and on the north with the Patacona de Alboraya beach. They are urban beaches, which have an extensive promenade where there are numerous and spacious premises, which occupy old bathhouses, and offer a wide range of accommodation and local cuisine.

The beaches of the capital located to the south of the Turia do not have such a marked urban character and present a more solitary atmosphere. From the Pinedo beaches, with the Casa Negra sector where nudism is practiced, to the Perellonet or Recatí beach and the Perelló gola, there are more than 15 kilometers of sandy coastline (protected by dunes), which constitute an offer of spacious beaches, surrounded by the Albufera natural park.

History

Old Age

Recently, archaeological remains from the IV centuries BC have been found. C. and III a. C.. These are the oldest testimonies of human presence in the region. Recent investigations have revealed that Valencia and its surroundings, today included within the urban environment, were part of a commercial route for luxury ceramics.

Roman Cornucopia symbolizing Valencia in the Plaza de la Virgen

Roman and Arab walls

Valencia is one of the oldest cities in Spain, as it was founded under the name of Valentia Edetanorum by some two thousand Roman colonists in the year 138 B.C. C., in times of the consul Decimo Junio Bruto Galaico. This was a classically Roman city in its conception, since it was located in a strategic place near the sea, a fluvial island crossed by the Via Augusta, which connected the current Andalusia (Betica) with the capital of the empire (Rome). The main core of the city was located around the current Plaza de la Virgen. There was the forum and the intersection of the Cardo and the Decumano, which were and still are the two main axes of the city. El Cardo corresponds to the current streets Salvador-Almoina and El Decumano to Calle de los Caballeros.

During the war between Gnaeus Pompey the Great and Quintus Sertorius, in the year 75 B.C. C., the city of Valenctia was destroyed, which was not rebuilt until after about fifty years. After this period of neglect, the city recovered its population and began to build large infrastructure works, already in the I century, which led to the city experiencing a period of great urban growth in the middle of the century. Although centuries passed, in the III century, Valencia experienced a new era of decadence. Finally, during the last years of the Roman Empire, in the IV century, the city began to form a primitive Christian community.

Middle Ages

Visigothic era

A few centuries later, coinciding with the first waves of Germanic peoples and with the power vacuum left by the imperial administration, the church took over the reins of the city and Christian worship buildings were replacing the old Roman temples. With the Byzantine invasion of the southwest of the peninsula in 554, the city gained strategic importance, with Visigothic military contingents settling in it. After the expulsion of the Byzantines in 625, a dark period began, poorly known by history and barely documented by archeology, which seems to bear witness to a very low tone of urban life. During the Visigothic period, it was the episcopal seat of the Catholic Church, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Toledo, which included the ancient Roman province of Cartaginense in the Diocese of Hispania.

The Muslim Balansiya

The stage immediately after the Muslim conquest of the year 711, constitutes a dark period of the city of which there is not much information. Despite this, it is known that Abd al-Rahman I (the first emir of Córdoba) ordered the destruction of the city, although several years later Abd Allah al-Balansi, son of Abd al-Rahman I, exercised a kind of autonomous government over the area. valencian. Among his decisions stands out the order to build a luxurious palace on the outskirts of the city, la Russafa, origin of the neighborhood of the same name, and of which no remains have been found so far. At this time the city received the name of Medina al-Turab, city of mud or dust, for a few centuries, due to the state of abandonment in which it was found.

The greatest boom in the city began with the Taifa kingdoms (XI century), one of which was the From Valencia. The city grew, and in the time of Abd al-Aziz (XI century) a new wall was built, of which still remains all over Ciutat Vella. The Castilian nobleman Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (El Cid Campeador) entered Valencia, leaving the city in the hands of Christian troops between 1094 and 1102, establishing an independent lordship in Valencia. After the Cid's death, his wife Jimena, who became Lady of Valencia, managed to defend the city with the help of her son-in-law Ramón Berenguer III for a while. But in May 1102, faced with the impossibility of defending the principality, the Cid's family and people left Valencia with the help of Alfonso VI, but not before looting and burning the city. Thus, Valencia was conquered the next day again by the Almoravids, who restored the Muslim cult.

The decline of Almoravid power coincided with the rise of a new North African dynasty, the Almohads, who took control of the peninsula from the year 1145, although their entry into Valencia was stopped by Ibn Mardanis, monarch of Valencia and Murcia, until the year 1171, when the city finally fell into the hands of the North Africans.

The Christian Reconquista

Successful entry of Jaime I in Valencia

In 1238, the city was conquered by James I with the help of troops from the military orders. After the Christian victory, the Muslim population was expelled and the city was divided among those who had participated in the conquest, as evidenced by the Llibre del Repartiment. James I granted the city new laws, the Fueros de Valencia (els Furs), which years later he extended to the entire kingdom of Valencia. From this moment on, a new historical stage began in the city thanks to a new society and a new language, which laid the foundations of the Valencian people as they are known today.

According to the data on the capitulation of the city, the kingdom of Valencia had a population of 120,000 Muslims, 65,000 Christians and 2,000 Jews, and thanks to the capitulation and the pacts that led to it, the majority of the Valencian population was able to continue in their lands. Thus, according to the Arab historian Hussein Mones of the University of Cairo, these were the words that King Zayan said to Jaime I at the moment he handed over the keys to the city:

In the city of Valencia they live Muslims, noble people of my people, together with Christians and Jews. I hope you will govern them so that they will continue to live in the same harmony and work this noble earth together. Here, during my reign, Holy Week processions came out and the Christians professed their religion freely, as our Koran recognizes Christ and the Virgin. I hope you grant the same treatment to the Muslims of Valencia.

The city fell into serious trouble in the middle of the 14th century. On the one hand, the black plague of 1348 and the successive epidemics of the following years, which decimated the population, and on the other hand, a series of wars and revolts followed, such as the War of the Union, a citizen revolt against excesses of the monarchy headed by Valencia as the capital of the kingdom, as well as the War with Castile, which forced the hasty construction of a new wall to contain, on two occasions (in 1363 and 1364), the Castilian attack. In these years the coexistence between the three communities that occupied the city (Christian, Jewish and Muslim) was quite conflictive. The Jews, installed around Calle de la Mar, had progressed economically and socially, and their neighborhood gradually expanded the limits at the expense of the adjoining parishes. For their part, the Muslims who remained in the city after the conquest were installed in a Moorish quarter next to the current Mosen Sorell market. In 1391 an uncontrolled mob assaulted the Jewish quarter, which meant the virtual disappearance of this community and the forced conversion of its members to Christianity. In 1456, again a popular riot also attacked the Moorish quarter, although its consequences were of lesser importance.

The Century of Valencian Gold

Tirant lo Blanch

The 15th century was a time of economic, cultural and artistic heyday for the city. Throughout this century there was also a demographic growth that made Valencia the most populated city in the Crown of Aragon. The local industry (with textiles in the lead) reached a great development, being the silk industry the which generated significant economic activity. At this time the Taula de canvis, a municipal bank to support commercial operations, was also created. At the end of the century, the Lonja de la Seda y de los Mercaderes was erected. The city became a commercial emporium that attracted merchants from all over Europe.

This economic boom was reflected on the artistic and cultural level. Some of the most emblematic buildings of the city were built during this period, such as the Torres de Serranos (1392), the Lonja (1482), the Miguelete or the Chapel of the Kings of the Santo Domingo convent. In painting and sculpture, the Flemish and Italian tendencies had an influence on some artists such as Lluís Dalmau, Gonçal Peris or Damian Forment. In literature, under the protection of the court of Alfonso the Magnanimous, written production flourished, by authors such as Ausias March, Roig de Corella or Isabel de Villena. Around 1460 Joanot Martorell wrote Tirant lo Blanch, an innovative novel of chivalry that influenced numerous later authors, from Cervantes to Shakespeare. Also at this time, between 1499 and 1502, the University of Valencia was founded under the name of Estudi General.

Modern Age

Valencia with the Austrias

The peace of the Germansby Marcelino de Unceta

Following the discovery of America, the European economy was oriented towards the Atlantic to the detriment of the Mediterranean. Despite the dynastic union with Castile, the exploitation of the Mediterranean remained in the hands of the former Crown of Aragon, that is, Valencians, Catalans and Majorcans, while the conquest and exploitation of America was an exclusive matter for Castile. Faced with this, Valencia entered into an acute economic crisis, which soon manifested itself with the rebellion of the Germanías (1519-1522), a social revolt against the nobility that had fled the city in the face of a plague epidemic in 1519. The leaders of the insurrection were cruelly repressed by Viceroy Germana de Foix, which led to the acceleration of the authoritarian centralization of Carlos I.

The crisis worsened during the 17th century with the expulsion of the Moors and Jews in 1609, which meant almost a third of the entire population of the kingdom. The power of the nobility, increasingly preponderant, caused the ruin of the country and the bankruptcy of the Taula de Canvis in 1613. During the so-called Uprising of Catalonia (1640-1652), Valencia collaborated with the cause of Felipe IV with militias and money, which caused a period of economic hardships accentuated by the arrival of troops from other parts of Spain.

Valencia with the Borbones

Map of Valencia according to Tomás Vicente Tosca (c. 1738)

The decline of the city bottomed out with the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1709), which meant the end of the political and legal independence of the kingdom of Valencia. After the Battle of Almansa (April 25, 1707), Felipe V ordered the repeal of the Valencian Fueros as punishment for the support that the kingdom had provided to Carlos of Austria. As of the Nueva Planta Decrees, the Castilian Jurisdiction governed Valencia. The capital of the kingdom of Valencia passed to Orihuela, as an outrage to the city. Felipe V ordered the Audiencia to meet with Viceroy Cardinal Luis de Belluga, who opposed the change of capital given the proximity of Orihuela as a religious, cultural and now political center to Murcia (capital of his other viceroyalty and of his diocese). Thus, given his hatred of the city of Orihuela, which he bombarded and looted incessantly during the War of Succession, he abandoned the Viceroyalty of Valencia in protest against Felipe V, who finally returned Valencia as the capital.

With the abolition of the Valencian Fueros and the adaptation of the kingdom and its capital to the laws and customs of Castile, the positions of the municipal government ceased to be elective, and began to be directly designated by the monarch, often occupied by foreign aristocrats. Valencia had to get used to being an occupied city, with the presence of troops quartered in the citadel, which was next to the Santo Domingo convent, and in other buildings, such as the Lonja itself, which was a barracks until 1762.

Contemporary Age

Century XIX

The city of Valencia view from the convent of San Pío V

The 19th century began with Spain waging wars with France, Portugal and the United Kingdom. But it was the War of Independence that most affected Valencian lands and specifically the capital.

In the Spanish War of Independence against Napoleon's army —also known as the French War— the First Battle of Valencia occurred on June 28, 1808. You can still see the cannon fire on the Quart and Serranos towers. The city fell into the hands of the troops under the command of Marshal Suchet on January 8, 1812 after a long siege. The occupation lasted until the end of the war in 1814. After the capitulation, the French promoted some reforms in Valencia, which became the capital of Spain when José I transferred the Court here in the summer of 1812.

With the withdrawal of the French, General Elío organized a military revolt in Valencia that served to restore Fernando VII to the throne and begin the absolutist six-year term (1814-1820). In the following years, as a consequence of the legislation supported by the Spanish Constitution of 1812 that ordered the formation of town halls in all those towns that exceeded the minimum number of residents stipulated by law, numerous districts close to the urban center of the city of Valencia in a confusing legal situation are constituted in municipalities, among they Ruzafa and Grao.

Market Square at the beginning of the century XIX in Voyage pittoresque et historique de l'Espagne

Between the years 1850 and 1851 Vicente Rodríguez de la Encina y Falcó de Belaochaga was mayor of the city, he was also the director of the municipal Charity House, and he was a promoter of Banco de Valencia (founded in 1900) and director of the Sociedad Valenciana de Aguas Potables (founded in 1846). During the reign of Isabel II, the title of Duke of Valencia was granted to General Ramón María Narváez, although it was simply a noble title without any jurisdiction.

In the 1840s, gas lighting was introduced and soon after the paving of the streets began, a task that took several years due to the lack of resources of the city council. In 1850 the drinking water network was installed and in 1882 electricity was introduced in the city. In these years the growth of the city was consolidated and a large part of the old walls were demolished.

Canton of Valencia

In 1860 the municipality had 140,416 inhabitants. In 1858 the architects Sebastián Monleón Estellés, Antonino Sancho and Timoteo Calvo designed the General Project for the Ensanche of the City of Valencia, which provided for the demolition of the walls to allow the expansion of the city (a second version was reproduced in 1868). Both projects did not obtain final approval but served as the basis for the growth of the city. Starting in 1866, the old city walls were completely demolished in order to facilitate its urban expansion.

During the cantonal Revolution of 1873, it was articulated in the federal canton of Valencia (proclaimed on July 19 and dissolved on August 7), to which most of the municipalities of the nearby regions adhered. In 1894 the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Valencia was founded.

Centuries XX. and XXI

During the XX century, Valencia remained the third demographic center of Spain, since throughout the century it tripled its population, going from 213,550 inhabitants in the year 1900 to 739,014 in the year 2000. Similarly, during the XX century Valencia was also the third industrial and economic pole in the country, thanks to such important milestones as the creation of the Valencia bank in 1900, the development of the city expansion, the construction of the Central and Colón markets, and the construction of the North railway station, which was completed in 1921. In addition to this, the Valencia of the new century became known with a great event, the Valencian regional exhibition of 1909, which emulated the national exhibitions and universal, held in other cities around the world. This event was promoted by the mercantile university of Valencia, especially by its president, Tomás Trénor y Palavicino, and had the support of the Government and the Crown, since it was inaugurated by Alfonso XIII.

On November 6, 1936, Valencia became the capital of republican Spain at the hands of Francisco Largo Caballero, president of the government. On May 17, 1937, the government passed into the hands of Negrín, and on October 31 of that same year, the government moved to Barcelona.

The Palace of Generality is the icon of the recovery of self-government in the Community

On January 13, 1937, the first official bombardment of the city of Valencia since the republican government resided there was carried out from a fascist Italian navy ship. From that day on, the bombardments intensified and occurred in several occasions, arriving at the end of the war to the 442 bombardments on the city. These bombings left 2,831 injured and 847 dead, although it is estimated that the number of fatalities was higher, since the previous data are those recognized by the Franco government.

As a result of the great flood in Valencia in 1957, a new channel was built for the river, on the outskirts of the city, so that the old channel could be converted into a playful and landscaped area. In the early sixties The economic recovery began, and Valencia experienced spectacular population growth due to immigration and the execution of important urban and infrastructure works.

With the advent of democracy, the old kingdom of Valencia was established as an autonomous community, the Valencian Community, and established in its Statute of Autonomy that the capital was Valencia. Despite this, on the night of February 23, 1981 there was a coup attempt, led by Jaime Milans del Bosch in Valencia, which failed. Democracy led to the recovery of the Valencian language and culture, although a certain amount of social tension around the symbols (known as the Battle of Valencia).

During the first 25 years of democracy, Valencia has undergone great development, mainly due to emblematic works such as the Palacio de la Música, the Palacio de Congresos, the metro, the City of Arts and Sciences, by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, the MuVIM, the IVAM, etc. Thanks to these works, as well as the progressive rehabilitation of the Ciutat Vella, every day the city attracts more and more tourists.

Demographics

The registered population in the municipality of Valencia is 800,215 inhabitants (INE 2020), while its metropolitan area has 1,581,057 inhabitants (INE 2020). The Valencia metropolitan area is made up mainly of municipalities located in the Orchard of Valencia; some localities such as Mislata are completely conurbated to the city, while the rest are located in a first or second metropolitan ring. The municipalities of the metropolitan area that stand out for their population are Torrente with 83,962 inhabitants, Paterna with 70,195 inhabitants, Mislata with 44,320 inhabitants and Burjasot with 38,024 inhabitants (INE 2020).

Graphic of demographic evolution of Valencia between 1787 and 2020

Source: Spanish National Statistical Institute - Graphical development by Wikipedia.

Throughout the XX century, the city has multiplied its initial population by three and a half, with peak periods population growth in the years 1930-1940 and the 1960s. The 1990s were years of demographic stability due to the drop in the rural exodus, which was a fundamental factor of growth in previous decades, as well as the reduction of the birth In the 2000s, the strong external migratory flows that Spain received once again caused a positive migratory dynamic, which began to stabilize and even become negative with the economic crisis of 2008.

According to the 2009 gazetteer, the population of the municipality is distributed among the population entities, as shown below:

Residential buildings in Valencia

The progressive increase in life expectancy and the reduction in fertility have been reflected in an age pyramid that narrows at the base and widens at the top, with an increasing weight of older generations age. However, the city's population continues to be relatively young, with 25% of its workforce in the 15-29-year-old generation, and 29% in the 30-49-year-old generation.

It should also be noted that 13.9% of the population registered in the municipality is of foreign nationality (INE 2011), coming mainly from South America (40.3% of foreigners registered), followed by those originating from other European countries (30.9%), African countries (13.3%), Asian (11.3%), Central American (3.1%), North American (1.0%), and finally those from Oceania (0.1%). The foreign nationalities with the greatest presence in the city are Ecuadorian (12,358 registered), Bolivian (12,176 registered) and Romanian (11,568 registered).

Administration and politics

Capital

Since its foundation, Valencia has been the capital of the Taifa of Valencia, of the Kingdom of Valencia, of the Second Spanish Republic and of the current Valencian Community. Due to this, in recent years work is being done on the drafting of the Municipal Charter of Valencia, which would have the rank of regional norm, and would regulate the management, organization and powers of the capital of the Community to help clarify and delimit the powers of the City Council, as well as to establish the budgetary economic endowment to carry them out.

Palacio de Batlia, headquarters of the Valencian Parliament

In Valencia there are four levels of public administrations, which have different responsibilities and powers. On the one hand, there is the Valencia City Council, which is the body with the greatest powers and public officials in the city, since it regulates the daily life of citizens, and important issues such as urban planning, transport, tax collection municipal authorities, the management of road safety through the local police, the maintenance of public roads (paving, cleaning...) and gardens. It is also responsible for the construction of municipal facilities such as nurseries, sports centers, libraries, residences for the elderly, among others.

The Diputación de Valencia also has its headquarters in the city, in the Palacio de Batlia, located in Plaza de Manises. This is the public body with the least powers in the city, despite this it is in charge of managing the interests emblematic establishments such as the Casa de Misericordia, the La Beneficencia Cultural Center and the Sala Parpalló, the Bullfighting Museum, the MuVIM and the General Hospital, among others.

Temple Palace, headquarters of the Government Delegation

The administration in charge of the autonomous government of the Valencian Community is the Generalitat Valenciana, which has the headquarters of its institutions in Valencia, such as the Valencian Courts, located in the Plaza de San Lorenzo in Valencia, the palace of the Generalitat (headquarters of the Generalitat Valenciana), located in Plaza de Manises, or the Fuentehermosa Palace (headquarters of the Generalitat's presidency), located on Calle Caballeros. The Generalitat has broad powers over the management of the city, from education, social affairs, traffic, economic policies, trade, etc. It is also responsible for the construction of facilities such as hospitals, schools, universities, residences for the elderly, etc.

Finally, the General State Administration, which deals with issues such as security (National Police and Army Corps), Justice, port and airport management, Renfe trains, and the coasts, among most outstanding competitions. These competitions are coordinated by the Government Delegate in the Valencian Community and the sub-delegate of the Valencian government, who are appointed by the Government of Spain, and whose headquarters are in the Plaza del Temple.

Municipal government

Since the recovery of democracy in Spain, nine municipal elections have been held, and three political parties have governed the city, the PSOE, the PP and Compromís. From the first municipal elections, held in 1979, until 1991, the PSOE governed the city. During these years there were two mayors, Fernando Martínez Castellano (1979) and Ricard Pérez Casado (1979-1988), and a mayor, Clementina Ródenas Villena (1988-1991). While from 1991 to 2015, the PP has governed the city, with Rita Barberá Nolla being mayor. As of the May 2015 elections, Joan Ribó from Compromís held the mayoralty, with the support of the PSPV and València en Comú. In the May 2019 elections, Joan Ribó revalidated the mayoralty, with the support of the PSPV.

City of Valencia

Mayors since the 1979 elections

Period	Name	Party
1979-1983	Fernando Martínez Castellano (1979) Ricard Pérez Casado (1979-1983)	PSPV-PSOE
1983-1987	Ricard Pérez Casado	PSPV-PSOE
1987-1991	Ricard Pérez Casado (1987-1988) Clementina Ródenas Villena (1988-1991)	PSPV-PSOE
1991-1995	Rita Barberá Nolla	P
1995-1999	Rita Barberá Nolla	P
1999-2003	Rita Barberá Nolla	P
2003-2007	Rita Barberá Nolla	P
2007-2011	Rita Barberá Nolla	P
2011-2015	Rita Barberá Nolla	P
2015-2019	Joan Ribó i Canut	Commitments
2019-	Joan Ribó i Canut	Commitments

The government of the Valencia City Council is chosen by universal suffrage in elections held every four years. The D'Hondt system is the electoral method that is used in Spain, to distribute the councilors of the town halls, in an approximately proportional way to the votes obtained by the candidacies.

In the 2019 municipal elections, Joan Ribó, from Compromís per València, won the elections, obtaining ten councilors, and won the mayoralty of the city. Together with the 7 of the PSPV, he has formed a government for the 2019-2023 legislature.

Governing Board

The mayor of the city, Joan Ribó, is also the president of the local government board, which is why he is in charge of appointing the other members of the same, whose number cannot exceed one third of the legal number of members of the corporation. It should be noted that the mayor can also appoint people who are not councilors as members of the Local Government Board. Currently, the Local Government Board is made up of ten members, the mayor and nine councillors:

Joan Ribó in his inauguration as mayor of Valencia

City Hall

• Joan Ribó i Canut: mayor (Compromís).
• Sandra Gómez López: 1st lieutenant of mayor. Vicealcaldesa (PSPV-PSOE).
• Sergi Campillo Fernández: 2nd lieutenant of mayor. Vicealcalde (Compromís).
• Carlos Galiana Lloréns: 3.^♪ Lieutenant Mayor (Compromís).
• Ramón Vilar Zanon: 4th lieutenant of mayor (PSPV-PSOE).
• María Luisa Notario Villanueva: 5th lieutenant of mayor (Compromís).
• María Pilar Bernabé García: 6th lieutenant of mayor (PSPV-PSOE).
• Isabel Lozano Lázaro: 7th lieutenant of mayor (Compromís).
• Aaron Cano Montaner: 8th Lieutenant Mayor (PSPV-PSOE).
• Giuseppe Grezzi: 9th lieutenant of mayor (Compromís).

Municipal spokespersons

Each group represented in the municipal group has a spokesperson, who are:

• Carlos Galiana Lloréns - Compromís per València
• Alfonso Novo Belenguer - Partido Popular de la Comunidad Valenciana
• Sandra Gómez López - Partido Socialista del País Valenciano
• Fernando Giner Grima - Citizens
• José Gosálbez Payá - Vox

Consular Representation

Valencia is home to a good number of consulates, from those countries with which there are the greatest number of trade relations or the presence of immigrants from those countries in the area.

Territorial organization

Districts and neighborhoods

The city of Valencia is divided into districts, and these into neighborhoods. The neighborhoods of the city, in turn, are grouped into seven decentralized management bodies called municipal district boards. The seven together are Ciutat Vella, Russafa, Abastos, Patraix, Trànsits, Exposició and Marítim. Some of the neighborhoods and districts were independent municipalities that joined the city from the second half of the XIX century. This is the case of Beniferri, Benimaclet, Patraix and Ruzafa that appear in the 1877 census as part of Valencia; Benimámet and Els Orriols in 1887; Borbotó, Campanar, Mahuella, Pueblo Nuevo del Mar and Villanueva del Grao in the 1897 census; and Benifaraig, Carpesa and Masarrochos, in the 1900 census.

City districts and pedancies by districts
District	Barrios y pedanías	Plan
Ciutat Vella	La Seu - La Xerea - El Carme - El Pilar - El Mercat y Sant Francesc
Eixample	Ruzafa, Pla del Remei and Gran Via
Extramurs	El Botànic, La Roqueta, La Petxina and Arrancapins
Campanar	Campanar, Les Tendetes, El Calvari and Sant Pau
La Zaidía	Marxalenes, Morvedre, Trinitat, Tormos and Sant Antoni
The Pla del Real	Exposició, Mestalla, Jaume Roig and Ciutat Universitària
L'Olivereta	Nou Moles, Soternes, Tres Forques, La Fuensanta and La Llum
Patraix	Patraix, Sant Isidre, Vara de Quart, Safranar and Favara
Jesus	La Raiosa, L'Hort de Senabre, La Creu Coberta, San Marcelino and Camí Real
Quatre Carreres	Monteolivete, En Corts, Malilla, Fuente de San Luis, Na Rovella, La Punta and Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
Maritime population	El Grao, Cabañal-Cañamelar, Malvarrosa, Beteró and Nazaret
Camins al Grau	Ayora, Albors, La Creu del Grau, Camí Fondo y Penya-Roja
Algirós	L'Illa Perduda, Ciutat Jardí, L'Amistat, La Bega Baixa and La Carrasca
Benimaclet	Benimaclet and Camí de Vera
Rascaña	Els Orriols, Torrefiel and Sant Llorenç
Benicalap	Benicalap and Ciutat Fallera
North	Benifaraig, Pueblo Nuevo, Carpesa, Casas de Bárcena, Mahuella, Masarrochos and Borbotó
People of the West	Benimámet and Beniferri
People of the South	Horno de Alcedo, Castellar-Oliveral, Pinedo, El Saler, El Palmar, El Perellonet, La Torre y Faitanar
Source: Valencia City Council

Urban structure

Main routes

Callejero de Valencia

The street map of Valencia presents a radial structure, with several concentric axes. The first concentric axis is the Ronda Interior, which was developed on the site that remained after the demolition of the old city wall. The names of the streets that make up this roundabout are: Guillem de Castro; Játiva; Colon; Gate of the Sea; painter Lopez; and Blanquerías. The other concentric axes are the main roads (Fernando el Católico, Ramón y Cajal, Las Germanías and Marqués del Turia), the Tránsito ring road, formed by the avenues of Pérez Galdós, César Giorgeta, Peris y Valero, Eduardo Boscá, Cardenal Benlloch, Primado Reig, Peset Aleixandre, General Avilés and Campanar, and finally, the furthest from the center are the North ring roads formed by Avenidas de Pío Baroja, de los Hermanos Machado, de los Naranjos and Serrería-Menorca. and the South ring road formed by the avenues of 9 de Octubre, de las Tres Cruces and Antonio Ferrandis.

The radial roads are the avenues of the Kingdom of Valencia, Blasco Ibáñez or Valencia al Mar, the Port, Avenida del Cid, Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas, Ausias March, Avenida de Francia, Avenida from Burjasot and San Vicente Mártir, Nicasio Benlloch, Padre Ferris and Centelles streets. In addition to all these streets and avenues, other roads of vital importance to the city must be highlighted, such as the banks of the river. The main streets of the old town of Valencia are Calle Caballeros, Calle San Vicente, Calle Quart, Calle de la Paz and Avenida del Oeste.

Turia Bridges

The Turia has been a natural barrier that divides the city into two zones, for which reason several bridges were built throughout history. Some have been destroyed by floods, like the one in 1957, and rebuilt later. Following a west-east direction, from the Cabecera park to the port, the bridges are:

(1) Sea bridge
(2) Bridge of flowers

Parks and gardens

The city was conceived by the Romans as a resting place, and later the Muslims built a multitude of squares and gardens. It currently has numerous parks and landscaped areas (the Botanical Garden, the Parque del Oeste, the Turia Garden, with more than 6.5 km of vegetation, etc.) and nearly 90% of the roads have landscaped areas in greater or lesser extent. Despite this, the city has only 5.64 m² of green area per inhabitant, one of the lowest rates in large Spanish cities. Some of the most popular parks and gardens in the city are:

• The Turia Garden, which is located in the old riverbed of the same name. When this river deviated from its course, its space was renamed a play area of more than 6.5 km long. It is divided into several parts.

Turia Garden Plan

• The Botanical Garden, administered by the University of Valencia, and its international identification code as a botanical institution is VAL.
• The gardens of the Real or Viveros are located in the Pla del Real district, right on the plot where the Palacio del Real of Valencia was located.
• The Alameda promenade was the old access to the Royal Palace of Valencia from the sea. Today it forms a walk of just over a mile between the bridge of the Real and the bridge of Aragon. The enlargement of the walk, already without a landscaped area, has a length of 2.5 kilometers, from the Plaza de Zaragoza to the cemetery of the Grao.
• The midwive or Plaza de Alfonso el Magnánimo was built on existing plots in the former Plaza de la Aduana, more or less in 1850. Since its creation, the garden has undergone very few variations, highlighting mainly due to the 1957 flood, which damaged this garden, thereby changing its morphology.
• The park of Benicalap is located away from the historical centre of the city, the land where it is located belonged to the Ministry of Agriculture, and it was where the horticulture station dedicated to research and experimentation was located for many years.
• The garden of Ayora, a garden of free layout, with romantic touches that accompanies a modernist palace built in 1900.

Economy

Production structure

Garden of the Borbotó Pedanía

The economy of Valencia and its metropolitan area is, like the entire business network, closely linked to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), very competitive, their entrepreneurial character being recognized and with a mainly export purpose.

Agriculture

Currently, a total of 3,973 hectares of the municipal area of the city are dedicated to garden cultivation, although the successive expansions of the port and its ZAL, as well as urban development, the construction of the new la Fe or the new roads and beltways of the city, have practically finished off the peri-urban garden areas.

However, the greatest concentration of agricultural trade is carried out in Valencia, since the city's port and railway facilities are fast lanes for the trade of perishable products from the countryside. The city's wholesale market, Mercavalencia, is also important, and is the reference center for the entire metropolitan area of Valencia.

Industry

Old Turia Beer Factory

Today, the industrial sector is really almost symbolic within the municipality itself, due to the new legislation and the urban character of Valencia. For this reason industrial companies have moved to other locations outside the city. Since the end of the 19th century and for most of the XX there have been a large number of industrial companies in the city, in sectors such as metallurgy, ceramics, furniture manufacturing, etc. This exodus of companies caused the towns around the city to welcome companies, and suffer enormous demographic and economic development, such as the cases of Manises in the ceramic sector, Benetússer and Alfafar in the furniture sector, or Paterna, with the creation of the Fuente del Jarro industrial estate.

With regard to the textile industry, it should be noted that this subsector has suffered stiff competition from third countries. Despite this, this competition has not affected the textile industry in Valencia so abruptly, since Valencian products are characterized by quality, especially in regard to silk fabrics, which have a reputation in all over the world for the tradition of this industry.

Service sector

Trade

El Corte Ingles building on Avenida de France

In Valencia there are several shopping centers, department stores, hypermarkets and supermarkets. The most important are those that belong to large chains, such as the Carrefour hypermarkets, with 3 hypermarkets in the municipal area of Valencia and 4 in its metropolitan area, Alcampo, with two hypermarkets in the metropolitan area, the El Corte department store Inglés and Hipercor, with 6 centers in Valencia, or the supermarkets Consum, with 68 stores, Mercadona, with 59 stores, Dia, with 29 stores, Opencor and Supercor, with 14 stores, Lidl, with 5 stores, or Aldi, with 2 local. In addition to these facilities, in the city of Valencia there are also several shopping centers, such as the Nuevo Centro, the Aqua Multiespacio, the Saler, the Arena Multiespacio, the Ademúz, the Mercado de Campanar, etc.

For the city, the neighborhood markets are also important, such as the Central market, the Colón market, the Ruzafa market, the Benicalap market, the Algirós market, the Castilla market, the Cabanyal market or the Torrefiel market, among others. Although it is also worth noting the large number of neighborhood shops in the city, among which are the clothing stores on Calle Colón or those selling technological products on Calle Islas Canarias.

Leisure tourism

Urban circuit of Valencia

Tourism really began with the boom of the early XX century, when that the inhabitants of Valencia began to enjoy the environment that surrounded them, mainly the coastal areas of Malvarrosa and El Cabañal, where second homes and even a spa were built. At this time, it was customary for important people to own one of these houses, for their use and to be able to invite their family and friends. A very prominent case is the Valencian writer Blasco Ibáñez, and his well-known meetings with painters and philosophers of the time. After the civil war, a second tourist boom took place, when the old fishing beaches were improved, increasing the offer of accommodation and services on the beaches to turn them into true tourist centers.

Although in reality the true tourist boom of the city occurred at the end of the XX century and beginnings of the XXI, since it was at this time when the new architectural and cultural icons of the city were built, such as For example, the Palace of Music, the City of Arts and Sciences, the Palace of Congresses or the Bioparc. Several important sporting and cultural events were also held at this time, in particular the two editions of the America's Cup and the Formula 1 European Grand Prix on the urban circuit of Valencia. However, in 2012, the circuit was closed due to the global economic crisis, which had severe consequences in Spain, and more specifically in the Valencian Community. At present, you can still see advertisements on some curves and numerous walls along the route.

Business tourism

Palacio de Congresos

The Palacio de Congresos, designed by the English architect Norman Foster, was inaugurated by the King and Queen of Spain in 1998 and has 15,581 m², equipped with 3 auditoriums or conference rooms, 9 commission rooms, and a conference room. exhibitions of 1077 m². This building is designed for holding all kinds of events and conventions, both national and international, especially large congresses and conferences. The building's 8,200 m² roof stands out for the presence of photovoltaic sheets to produce electricity and is supported by glass, stone and alabaster pillars, with an 18-meter-high canopy.

Since it was launched in 1998 until 2011, the Palacio de Congresos has hosted more than 2,000 events with 1.5 million attendees, which has meant an economic impact of more than 700 million euros for the city of Valencia.^{[citation required]} Being recognized in 2010 as the best congress venue in the world, receiving the World's Best Convention Center, the highest award of the International Association of Conference Centers.

Feria Valencia

For its part, the International Sample Fair of Valencia (Feria Valencia) is the oldest institution that organizes trade fair events in Spain, since it was founded in 1917. The trade fair is located in the Valencian district of Benimámet, and was recently remodeled and expanded by the architect José María Tomás Llavador, becoming the fair institution with the fourth largest venue in the world. Feria Valencia organizes more than a hundred contests, fairs and events every year, which is why it is one of the most important within the European circuit.

The sectors that regularly hold fairs in this venue are agriculture, food products, furniture, tourism, training and employment, etc. In 2010 Feria Valencia counted more than one million three hundred thousand visitors from all over the world and more than twelve thousand exhibitors participated in its events (both direct and represented). Therefore, the economic impact of Feria Valencia on its environment is estimated at between 700 and 800 million euros per year.

Stock Market

Palacio Böil de Arenós, headquarters of the Bolsa de Valencia

In Spain, the first Stock Exchange to be established was that of Madrid, in 1831, and later those of Bilbao were created, in 1890 and Barcelona, in 1915. While the Valencia Stock Exchange began its journey in 1980, when the old Bolsín de Comercio became the Stock Exchange. The headquarters of the Valencia Stock Exchange is in the Palacio Böil de Arenós, in the Ciutat Vella district.

In any case, the history of the Valencia Stock Exchange goes back a long way, since in 1863 a Stock Exchange was already requested for Valencia, because at that time there were already brokers, who met in the Lonja. Although it was not until November 15, 1887 when Bolsín de Valencia began to function, which was located at the headquarters of the College of Commerce Brokers, located at Puñalería street number 10.

Currently, the Valencia Stock Exchange is an official secondary market, dedicated exclusively to trading shares and securities that are convertible or grant acquisition or subscription rights. According to the Securities Market Law (LMV), "Official secondary securities markets are those that operate regularly, in accordance with the provisions of this Law and its implementing regulations, and, especially, with regard to the conditions of access, admission to trading, operating procedures, information and publicity".

R+D+i

Polytechnic City of Innovation of the Polytechnic University of Valencia

In 2002, the Polytechnic University of Valencia inaugurated the Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación (CPI) science park, which covers a space of 140,000 m², and brings together the entire R+D+i system of the UPV, that is, 45 research institutes, about 3,000 researchers, as well as about 400 support people.

The CPI is a networked science park structured into three areas of action; the local, in which more than 25 town halls, business associations and promoting entities from the entire province of Valencia participate; the national one, with more than 100 public and private Spanish R+D+i organizations; and international, where ICC researchers and research centers collaborate with more than 1,000 public and private research and innovation promotion bodies from more than 60 countries. The management of the Network and the revitalization of cooperation between its actors is the responsibility of the Fundación Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, a non-profit organization promoted by the Polytechnic University of Valencia, and among whose reference patrons is the Santander Group. This science park is a member of the Spanish Association of Science and Technology Parks (APTE), as well as the International Association of Science Parks (IASP).

Within the City of Arts and Sciences complex, the Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF) was also inaugurated in 2002, which has 23 laboratories divided into three research programs: biomedicine; chemical and quantitative biology; and regenerative medicine. The managing foundation of this research center is made up of the Generalitat Valenciana and the Bancaja Foundation. This center aims to study possible solutions to diseases that affect human health, applying the most advanced technologies in order to develop new therapies and/or diagnostic methods.

Finally, the University of Valencia inaugurated its own science park in 2009, the Science Park of the University of Valencia (PCUV), located on the Burjasot-Paterna Campus, about 8 kilometers from the city center. The managing entity of the PCUV is the Fundació Parc Científic Universitat de València, a foundation of a private nature and general interest, whose patrons are the Bancaja Foundation, the Santander Group, the Chamber of Commerce of Valencia and the Confederation Empresarial Valenciana, in addition to the University of Valencia. This science park has a space of more than 200,000 m² for research, innovation and knowledge transfer, uniting university research and R&D+ demands in a single space i of the Valencian productive fabric. The PCUV has two differentiated areas, on one side is the scientific area, of which the research institutes are a part, and on the other side the business area, made up of a business incubator and various buildings for the installation of companies, R&D laboratories and technological platforms. It currently has 6 research institutes, singular centers and scientific services, and is home to more than 60 companies. In the same way as the CPI, the PCUV is a member of the Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE) and of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP).

Services

Education

Consejería de Educación de la Generalidad Valenciana

With regard to regulated education, the Constitution establishes that there is a distribution of powers in educational matters among the various entities and administrations present in the State. In this way, the General Administration of the State reserves the exclusive competence to regulate the structure of the different educational levels and the conditions for obtaining, issuing and homologation of academic and professional titles, while the Department of Education of the Generalitat Valenciana deals with:

• Academic management of children ' s education, primary education, compulsory secondary education, high school, special education and adult education.
• The development of the official curriculum for these lessons.
• The regulation of academic and organizational measures for addressing diversity.
• The regulation and development of academic and organizational measures for the schooling, integration and inclusion of students with special educational needs, as well as students with high intellectual capacities.
• The development of academic and organizational measures for the compensation of inequalities in education.

Non-university education

Basic education is compulsory and free, comprising primary education and compulsory secondary education as basic education. This teaching includes ten years of schooling and extends from six to sixteen years, although students have the right to continue studying these teachings until they are eighteen years old.

In addition to these educational centers, in Valencia there are several special regime teaching centers. The official language school in the 2009/10 academic year had 4,064 students of English, 2,103 of French, 1,204 of German, 940 of Italian, 591 of Valencian, and 1,790 of other languages. dance, the city has several conservatories: the José Iturbi municipal conservatory; the professional music conservatory; the superior music conservatory; the professional dance conservatory; and the superior dance conservatory. Valencia is also one of the main headquarters of Musikeon, an institution active in different countries in the field of specialized music education and which annually attracts music professionals and advanced students from many countries in Europe and Latin America to the city.

University education

La Nau, historic building of the University of Valencia

The city has two public universities, as well as several private universities. It should be noted that the Valencian public universities are among the best in Spain, as established by some rankings such as the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

The University of Valencia (UV), founded in 1499 under the name Estudi General, is a public university oriented towards teaching and research in almost all areas of knowledge. It is among the four best Spanish universities, according to the most recognized accreditation systems, such as the one maintained by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. This university has three main campuses (Blasco Ibáñez, Tarongers and Burjasot-Paterna), also having numerous extensions, delegations, affiliated centers and exemplary locations, such as the historic building of La Nau, the Jardín Botanical Building or the Cerveró Palace. It is known in Valencia as the "Literary University", to distinguish it from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, despite the fact that a very important part of the teaching and research of the University of Valencia is in fields "non-literary"

Plaza del agora de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia

The other public university in Valencia is the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), which was founded in 1968. This is a university that places special emphasis on science and technology. It has several campuses, the most important of all being the one located in the city of Valencia, the so-called Vera campus, although those of Alcoy and Gandía are outside the city. The UPV is organized into 9 higher technical schools, 2 faculties and 2 higher polytechnic schools, which are in charge of organizing the teaching of 34 degrees, and has 41 departments and 45 research centers and institutes. In 2010, it was ranked number 336 in the ranking of the best universities in the world by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, being the 6th Spanish and the 1st Spanish polytechnic.

The Catholic University of Valencia (UCV) is the private and Catholic university of Valencia. This university, named in homage to San Vicente Martyr, was founded by Cardinal Monsignor Agustín García-Gasco on December 8, 2003. This University is the continuation of the university work of the "Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados University School of Nursing" founded in 1953, of the "Edetanía University School of Teacher Training", founded in 1969 and of the "Faculty of Business Studies", created in 1995. Currently, the Catholic University of Valencia has 7 Faculties that encompass 20 teachings grade officers.

See of the Catholic University of Valencia in the former Church of San Carlos Borromeo

In addition to these, in Valencia there are also several university campuses and business schools associated with other educational centers outside the city. The National University of Distance Education (UNED) has had an office in Valencia since 1997, the so-called Francisco Tomás y Valiente Center. This center was created by the Ministerial Order of September 21, 1978, although the headquarters were located in the city of Alcira. In October 1983, the Valencia sub-office came into operation, which depended on the Alcira one, and whose headquarters have been located since 1987 in the Casa de la Misericordia. Subsequently, in 1995, the center became part of the project of the Basic Network of Associated Centers of the UNED, and finally, in the year 2000, it was officially renamed «Centro Alcira-Valencia Francisco Tomás y Valiente».

Another university based in Valencia is the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU), which was founded in 1999 and opened in the 2000/01 academic year. This University has the headquarters of its CEU Business School in Valencia, which is located in the Palacio de Colomina, where its wide range of postgraduate courses is taught.

Since 1989, the ESIC university center has an office on Avenida de Blasco Ibáñez in the city. This university center currently teaches, as a center attached to the Miguel Hernández University of Elche, official degrees and an official master's degree under the terms provided by university regulations. And finally, the European University of Valencia (UEV), is another university with a presence in the city of Valencia. The UEV is a center authorized by the Department of Education of the Generalitat Valenciana dated January 27, 2010, although it has been present in Valencia through the Affiliated Center of Valencia and Estema Business School since September 2008.

Health

Hospital La Fe

Public health in Valencia is managed mainly by regional authorities through the Health Department of the Generalitat Valenciana. The city, within the health map of the Valencian Community, belongs to the Valencia public health center, which controls the following health departments:

• Sagunto Health Department (n. 4).
• Department of Health of Valencia: Clínico-Malvarrosa (n.o 5).
• Department of Health of Valencia: Arnau de Vilanova-Liria (n.o 6).
• Department of Health of Valencia: La Fe (n. 7).
• Department of Health of Valencia: Hospital General (n. 9).
• Department of Health of Valencia: Doctor peset (n. 10).

In 2010, Valencia had a total of 28 primary care health centers and 14 doctor's offices, in which a total of 534 doctors and 124 pediatricians worked, in addition to another 698 workers in the health sector, such as nurses and assistants. While the total number of specialty centers was 4, in which a total of 258 doctors and paediatricians worked, and 233 nurses and assistants. It should also be noted that in 2010 the city of Valencia had a total of 7 public hospitals (of the Valencian Health Agency), in which there were a total of 3,371 working beds, 112 operating rooms, 3,130 medical health workers and 6,962 workers from other health activities. In addition to these public hospitals, there are also 7 other private hospitals in the city. Thus, the existing hospitals in the city of Valencia are:

Citizen security

There are two administrations in charge of citizen security: on one side is the Valencia City Council, on which the municipal fire brigade of the Valencia City Council and the local police of Valencia depend; and on the other side is the Ministry The Civil Guard, the National Police and the Autonomous Police depend on the Interior, although the Generalitat Valenciana also intervenes, in part, in the management of this police force.

Local police

Local police members

The Valencia Local Police Force has its origins in the Surveillance Corps created in the 1820s, which was maintained until 1870, when the City Council decided to establish a service more in line with the needs of a city of two hundred thousand inhabitants, for which the municipal guard corps was created, with a staff of one hundred officials, ten inspectors and a chief. In 1901 the first regulation of the municipal guard was drafted, and the mounted section was created. In 1927, due to the growth of the city and the increase in the activities assigned to the corps, its staff was expanded, the corps' troops were distributed by districts, and the following year the circulation section was constituted.

The Local Police Headquarters of Valencia (located at Avenida del Cid number 37) has modern facilities that are consistent with the needs that are presented in these times to the Local Police Force of the city. The Police staff Local Valencia reaches 1,900 troops, divided into several departments: neighborhood police; district units; traffic units; Goe units; beach unit; accident report and investigation section; cavalry section; special section X-4; green patrol and molí del sol police unit; and Gama group.

Municipal fire brigade

Firefighters in the Nit de la Cremà

The fire service in the city of Valencia dates back to 1755, when the city council published a publication to extinguish fires. This publication detailed where the first fire station in the city was located and how the "Machina Hydraulica" should be used. The Sapper Fire Department of Valencia was created by the Mutua Contra Incendios de Valencia Valencia, with the intention of protecting the properties within the walls of mutual members, although shortly after the area of action was extended to houses outside the walls. But it was not until 1857 when the City Council began to take charge of the Fire Department.

Currently the municipal fire brigade of the Valencia city council divides the city into six work zones (Campanar, North, West, South, Marítimo and Saler), and has seven fire stations: the central fire station - General services; the Campanar fire station; the Devesa fire station; the Marítimo fire station; the fire station of the North zone; the West Zone Fire Station; and the fire station in the South area.

Transportation

Article 7 of the Law on Traffic, Circulation and Road Safety approved by RDL 339/1990 attributes to the municipalities sufficient powers to allow, among others, the immobilization of vehicles, the management and control of traffic and the regulation of its uses. In Valencia these issues are regulated by a municipal ordinance on circulation, which was approved by plenary agreement on May 28, 2010. Regarding the city's automobile fleet, in 2010 this It consisted of 495,022 vehicles: 370,357 passenger cars; 50,610 motorcycles; 29,684 mopeds; 29,573 trucks; 7,964 tractors; 5887 trailers; and 947 buses.

Road network

The main highways of Valencia have a radial route, such as the V-21, the V-31, the A-3, the V-15/CV-500, the CV-35 or the CV-36. But Valencia also has a series of ring roads around it, these are the By-pass, the V-30, which joins the A-7 with the port of the city, or the CV-30, which borders the north from the city.

Identifier	Itinerary
	Valencia - V-30 - Cuart de Poblet - V-11 - Manises - A-7 - Cheste - Requena - Villargordo del Cabriel - Motilla del Palancar - Honrubia - Villarrubio - Tarancón - Arganda del Rey - M-40 - Madrid
	Le Perthus (France) - Barcelona - without building - Tarragona - without building - Pobla Tornesa - Puzol - Paterna - CV-35 - Valencia - A-3 - Silla - La Alcudia - Játiva - Alcoy - Jijona - Alicante - Elche - Orihuela - Murcia - Almería - Adra -Motril- Nerja - Málaga - Algeciras
	France - La Junquera - Gerona - Barcelona - Tarragona - Puzol - A-7 - Silla - A-38 - Algemesi - Gandía - Alicante - Crevillente - Cartagena - Vera, Malaga - Guadiaro
	V-23 - Sagunto - Teruel - Zaragoza - Huesca - without building - Jaca... without building - Somport - Pau (Atlantic Pyrenees) (France)
	AP-7 - Sollana - Sueca - Cullera - Favara - Jaraco - Jeresa - Gandía - Benisa - Alicante - Santa Pola - Pilar de la Horadada
	A-3 - Cuart de Poblet - Manises - Valencia Airport
	Valencia - V-30 / CV-500
	A-7 - Puzol – A-7 - Alboraya - CV-32 - Valencia
	V-21 - Puzol – A-23 - Puerto de Sagunto
	Port of Valencia - V-31 - Chirivella - A-3 - Mislata - CV-30 - Manises - Paterna - A-7
	A-7 / AP-7 - Chair - Beniparrell - Albal - CV-33 - Catarroja- Masanasa - Alfafar - Sedaví - V-30 -Valencia
	V-30 - Paterna - CV-31 - CV-35 - Burjasot - Valencia
	CV-30 - Valencia - Paterna - CV-35 - Burjasot - Godella
	Valencia - CV-30 - Burjasot - Paterna - A-7 - San Antonio de Benagéber - La Eliana - Puebla de Vallbona - Liria – Casinos- Villar del Arzobispo- Losa del Obispo - Ademuz
	Valencia - V-30 - Picaña - Alacuás - CV-33 - Torrente
	Valencia - V-30 - Benetúser - Paiporta - Alfafar - Masanasa - Catarroja - Albal - CV-33
	V-15 / V-30 - The Saler - Swedish

Urban transport

Metro and tram

Maritime Station

The Valencia metro network is the third metro network to be built in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona, the second in number of kilometers, after Madrid, and the fourth in number of users, after Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, although it is the means of transport in the city that is increasing the number of passengers the most in recent years.

The current network of Generalitat Valenciana Railways in Valencia is the heir to the old interurban railway network of Valencia, popularly known as the Trenet de Valencia, which linked the capital with nearby towns. This narrow-gauge network had been built for the most part during the late 19th century, and was successively managed by the Society Valenciana de Tranvías, later by Compañía de Tramvías y Ferrocarriles de Valencia and finally by Ferrocarriles Españoles de Vía Estrecha.

The modernization of the old network, during the 1980s, and its expansion and conversion into a modern metropolitan railway, have given rise to the Metrovalencia network which, after the changes in the numbering of the lines in 2015, has six underground lines and three surface tram lines:

Line	Terminals	Type	Stations	Length (km)	Travelers (2015)
	Bétera - Castelló	Metro	40	70.24	10 592 826
	Lyria - Torrent Avinguda	Metro	33	39.75	7 005 223
	Rafelbunyol - Aeroport	Metro	27	24,691	13 138 596
	Mas del Rosari/Vicent Andrés Estellés/Fira València - Doctor Lluch Lloma Llarga-Terramelar - Empalme	Tram	33	15,921	6 218 834
	Marítim - Aeroport	Metro	18	12,95	9 562 184
	Tossal del Rei - Marítim	Tram	21	10,067	2 154 222
	Marítim - Torrent Avinguda	Metro	16	15,45	5 315 240
	Neptú - Marítim	Tram	4	1.2	507 802
	Alboraia Peris Aragó - Riba-roja de Túria	Metro	22	23,367	6 191 662
	Alicante - Natzaret	Tram	8	5,32

Buses

EMT Bus

Valencia has a network of urban and suburban buses. The Municipal Transport Company is in charge of the entire city, reaching every corner of the capital, it has a service from 3:00 in the morning on one of its lines, until 23:00. After that, the night service begins, which ends around 2:00 a.m., except on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays, which lasts until 3:30 a.m.

In the summer period, between June 1 and August 31, the route of line 2 is modified and lines 20 and 23 are added to the existing network for the rest of the year, in order to connect all the areas of the city with the beaches. In addition to these lines, a series of special lines are also usually activated, which work during certain periods, such as November 1 on the occasion of All Saints' Day. On the contrary, during the fallas week, most lines are forced to modify their itinerary.

Taxi

In the city of Valencia and its metropolitan region there is an extensive network of taxis, approximately 3,000. These are distinguished by being white vehicles and bearing the emblem of the Generalitat Valenciana and the motto "Area of Valencia" on the driver's door, as well as a device on the roof called a module that indicates if the taxi is free by turning it on. of a green light and also has the numbers 1, 2 and 3 that indicate the fare that is currently on the meter.

Taxi in Valencia

In the past, and until the 1980s, taxis were black with a horizontal yellow stripe along the entire length of the vehicle and with the city's arms on the front door and the license number issued by the City Council.

In Valencia, taxi drivers have a few mandatory rest days regulated according to the numbering in which their licenses end. They have a day between Monday and Friday inclusive of mandatory rest that changes annually and then another day on the weekend that rotates weekly.

In Valencia, taxi drivers usually have good vehicles and not very old, being renewed every 5 years on average. Since 2005, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, through the Valencian Mobility Agency (AVM), has been running an aid program for the acquisition of electric vehicles for the taxi service. Currently, there are already 69 hybrid electric vehicles providing taxi services in the Valencia Area.

Bicycle

Station Valenbisi

The city of Valencia has many sections of bike lanes (around 160 km), which form an interconnected network thanks to the cycling ring, a bike lane that runs through the center of Valencia connecting all the bike lanes in the periphery.

Currently, the city also has the public bicycle rental service Valenbisi, implemented on June 21, 2010. This service, promoted by the City Council and managed by the company JCDecaux, had in the first phase of implementation with 50 stations and 500 bicycles, although this service is currently provided to nearly 103,000 subscribers with a total of 2,750 bicycles, distributed in 275 stations. This bicycle rental service is offered the 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as long as there is no act that prevents the proper functioning of the service.

EuroVelo, the trans-European network of cycling routes, passes through this city, specifically the EuroVelo 8 Mediterranean Route. Spain has a total of three trans-European cycling routes that cover more than 3,000 km of the Spanish geography.

Intercity transport

Buses

Bus station

The agency in charge of coordinating urban and interurban transport in the Valencian Community is the Valencian Mobility Agency (AVM). Regarding the transport of intercity buses in the metropolitan area of Valencia, the AVM created a consortium for the operation of regular intercity lines: Autobuses Metropolitanos de Valencia (MetroBus). The MetroBus consortium is made up of a total of 8 coach companies and buses (AUVACA, EDETANIA BUS, AVSA - Autos Vallduxense, FERNANBUS, Autobuses BUÑOL, Autobuses HERCA, URBETUR and ALSA) that operate the 58 lines that make up the MetroBus network. In addition to these regular lines, some of the companies that operate MetroBus also do occasional services with regular line buses.

In the city of Valencia there is also a bus station, which is located on Avenida Menéndez Pidal, and covers with its lines most of the towns in the province and the main towns in the Community, as well as national lines with daily service and numerous international lines. The bus station serves as an intermodal connection center, since it has a taxi rank at the main door, and with the Turia station, of MetroValencia, just 200 meters away.

Railway

Joaquín Sorolla Station

The city has five railway stations in its municipal area, four of which are commuter and medium-distance; These are: Valencia-North, Valencia-Fuente de San Luis, Valencia-Cabañal and Valencia-San Isidro. The fifth is a provisional station for the new high-speed line that links the city with Madrid, Cuenca and Albacete, which is located on Calle San Vicente, next to the intersection with Avenida de César Giorgeta, very close to the current North Station and is called Valencia Joaquín-Sorolla.

Finally, the high-speed train (AVE) will cross the city through a three-track tunnel (two high-speed and one commuter), which will run under the main Germanías and Marqués del Turia tracks and It will have two interconnection stations for commuter trains, one of them on Avenida de Aragón and another on the Tarongers Campus.

Currently, Valencia has its own suburban nucleus, which is made up of six lines that connect Valencia with Gandía, Mogente, Utiel, Chirivella, Caudiel and Castellón de la Plana. In addition, four of the lines continue as medium and long-distance lines linking Valencia with capitals such as Madrid, Barcelona, Albacete, Zaragoza, etc.

Line	Tour	km
	Valencia-Norte - Gandía / Playa y Grao de Gandía	62
	Valencia-Norte - Játiva - La Alcudia - Mogente	80
	Valencia-Norte - Buñol - Utiel	84
	Valencia-San Isidro-Chirivella-El Alter	2
	Valencia-Norte - Caudiel	72
	Valencia-Norte- Castellón de la Plana	70

Air transportation

Airport of Valencia

With the airport law of 1927, the creation of an airport for the city of Valencia was considered urgent and an area for hydroaviation was set up in the port of Valencia. Shortly after, it was planned to install the airport on the tongue of land that separates the Valencia lagoon from the sea to be able to use it for both seaplanes and land planes. However, this alternative was discarded and it was decided to build the airport in its current location, that is, in Manises.

The airport opened in March 1933 and it was declared customs in 1934. On September 1 of that same year, the first regular flight between the cities of Madrid and Valencia was made.

Currently, important improvement works are being carried out to be able to accommodate the increase in operations that have increased since 2001, thanks to the tourism that the cities and surroundings of Valencia and Castellón de la Plana attract, as well as the transport companies. low cost, which since 2003 have been operating from Manises with a large number of destinations. All this has meant that in 2010, the airport registered a traffic of 4,934,268 passengers, that is, more than double the number of passengers in 2001, when the total volume of passengers was 2,301,191.

In September 2008, the second expansion of the Manises Airport was presented, which is located 8 km from the city of Valencia and is connected by bus, taxi and metro. This airport allows you to reach most of the Spanish territory, Europe and cities in North Africa. In addition, on June 6, 2009, regular flights began with the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, with four weekly flights. Several works are currently being carried out, such as the extensions of the Terminal Building, the platform of commercial aviation, the general aviation platform and the car park, in addition to technical assistance for the control and surveillance of the same, as well as the new Terminal 2 (T2), a building understood as a logical growth of the current Terminal due to its east side and complement to the Regional Terminal.

Sea transport

Port Authority Headquarters

The Port of Valencia is one of the ports managed by the Valencia Port Authority (Valenciaport), which also manages those of Sagunto and Gandía. This port had a total surface area in 2004 of 4,366,262 m², of which 2,137,295 m² were used for storage and 778,074 m² for roads, and offered 9,637 meters of berthing line distributed in 16 docks and 2 pontoons.

This is the leading commercial port in the western Mediterranean in terms of volume of containerized goods, since in 2010, 64 million tons passed through the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandía, 10.81 percent more than in 2009, figures that consolidate Valenciaport's leadership. And since 2006 the Port of Valencia is, according to sources from the Ministry of Public Works, the leading Spanish port in container traffic, as well as the 5th in Europe. and one of the top 50 in the world in container traffic.

While the Logistics Activities Zone (ZAL) of Valencia, for its part, is a multimodal distribution center dedicated to the logistics of maritime merchandise, which completes the offer of logistics services of the Port of Valencia. The ZAL allows the companies installed there to improve their competitiveness in terms of cost and time, thanks to the preferential location in the area attached to the port, to the complete network of connections to the main national and international centers by road and rail, to the extensive area adaptable to the needs of each client and the wide range of business and social services.

With regard to passenger transport, the Passenger Terminal in the port of Valencia is currently managed by the shipping company Acciona Trasmediterránea and has all the necessary services to meet the demand of cruise ship owners: assistance to the crew, direct access walkways to the ships, passenger parking, gift shops, duty free, etc. Currently, there are regular lines to Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Mahón and Formentera.

It should be noted that the port of Valencia closed 2010 with good results in cruise traffic. The number of stopovers (156) grew by 9.29% and the number of passengers (253,000), by 37%. But it is in 2011 when Valencia wants to make a big leap in the cruise industry and its forecasts point to a 41% increase in stopovers, with 212 confirmed at the beginning of the year, and a 73% increase in passage with 400,000 passengers.

Heritage

Monuments and religious buildings

Cathedral

Cathedral of Valencia

The cathedral of Valencia is dedicated by the wish of James I, following the tradition of the XIII century, to Santa María, being consecrated in 1238 by the first bishop of Valencia after the reconquest, Fray Andrés de Albalat. It is located on the old Balansiya mosque, which in turn had been built on the old Visigothic cathedral. The predominant construction style of this cathedral is Valencian or Mediterranean Gothic, although it also contains elements of Romanesque, French Gothic, Renaissance, of the baroque and neoclassical.

It contains some of the first and best paintings of the quattrocento of the entire Iberian Peninsula, which came from Rome through artists hired by Alexander VI. This last Valencian pope, when he was still Cardinal Rodrigo de Borja, made the request to elevate the Valentine see to the rank of Metropolitan, a category that was granted by Pope Innocent VIII in 1492. Inside the Holy Chalice, dated I century, and given to the cathedral by King Alfonso the Magnanimous in 1436.

Its bell tower is known as El Miguelete (in Valencian El Micalet). The construction of the tower began in 1381 and ended in 1429. Due to its complexity, it was directed by several master builders, the first being Andrés Juliá, from 1381, and the following, among others, José Franch (1396), Pedro Balaguer (1414, builder of the Torres de Serranos) to Martín Llobet (1425), the last of the architects who took part in the construction. Later the belfry is built (1660-1736).

Basilica of the Virgin

Basilica of the Virgin

During the XVII century, numerous Baroque buildings were built in Valencia, most of them religious, and both the interior and externally old Gothic buildings. The Royal Chapel of the Virgen de los Desamparados, with the category of Basilica since 1872, was made between 1652 and 1666 by Diego Martínez Ponce de Urrana, based on designs made by the most important architects of the moment, approved and very possibly, guided by Juan Gómez de Mora, Master Master of the king.

At the beginning of the XX century, the possibility of a majestic extension to the Basilica was raised. For this reason, the prelate called a contest for ideas in 1932, which Vicente Traver won. According to his project, the new building would have the highest dome in the city, and would be one of the largest in Europe. But during the civil war there was a fire in the Basilica, and the work was not carried out. Decades later, the idea was taken up again, but when work began at the back of the Basilica, now Plaza de la Almoina, Roman, Visigothic and Arab ruins were discovered, so the project was definitively paralyzed.

Saint Nicholas

Boveda with Baroque frescoes of the church of San Nicolás

From the central Caballeros street, you can access the parish-museum of San Nicolás, known as the Valencian Sistine Chapel since the restoration of the temple was completed in 2016, which currently allows us to contemplate the 1900 m² of Baroque frescoes in its Gothic vault.

Situated where there used to be a Roman temple and a mosque, in the 13th century the Dominican order dedicated this parish to San Nicolás de Bari, who would later be joined by the first Dominican martyr, San Pedro Mártir. In the 15th century, one of its rectors was Alfonso de Borja, the future Pope Calixto III, and its administrator was the illustrious doctor and writer Jaume Roig. In the 17th century its interior is covered with baroque decoration such as the frescoes by Dionís Vidal designed by his teacher Antonio Palomino, where they show scenes from the life of the two titular saints of the parish accompanied by multiple allegories and angelic choirs.

The faithful go periodically to this parish every Monday to ask for the intercession of Saint Nicholas and Saint Jude Tadeo in their particular needs, and the large number of candles that were lit there darkened the paintings until it became impossible to contemplate them.

The Hortensia Herrero Foundation financed the full restoration of the temple and made it possible to once again contemplate the frescoes that Gianluigi Colalucci named Valencian Sistine Chapel. In 2019 it was also declared a museum by the Generalitat Valenciana and can be visited by both faithful and visitors at the established times.

St. Catherine the Martyr

Saint Catherine Martyr

The temple dedicated to Santa Catalina Mártir, located in the Plaza Virgen de la Paz, was built on a previous mosque and in 1245 it had already acquired the rank of parish. It consists of a single nave, with lateral buttresses between which the chapels were placed. It is the only one of the Gothic churches in the city with an ambulatory at the head, just like the cathedral.

In the 16th century the building was covered with classicist decoration in the Renaissance style and, after a terrifying fire suffered in 1548, partially rebuilt. In 1785, following the prevailing fashion, it was given a baroque appearance. In the 1950s, restoration works were carried out to restore its original Gothic physiognomy, for which the walls were stripped of all Baroque and neoclassical ornament.

The bell tower was built between 1688 and 1705 by Juan Bautista Viñes, whose name is engraved on a commemorative stone that we can see at its base. A masterpiece of Valencian Baroque, it has a hexagonal floor plan, and its elevation is divided into four floors separated by moldings, plus the body of bells and the upper finial.

Royal Parish of Santos Juanes

Parish of Saint Johns

The primitive church of Santos Juanes was built in the outskirts of the city known as La Boatella, where an old mosque was located. The old hermitage was built before 1240 over the mosque. It was located outside the walls of the Arab city, near the gates of Bab al-Qaysariya and La Culebra, when the Christian wall was built it was already included within Valencia.

The nave and the large blinded oculus remain of its old Gothic structure, known as «the O of Sant Joan», which was conceived as a large rose window on one of the façades. In 1592 the church suffered a spectacular fire that forced an almost total reconstruction throughout the XVII and centuries. ="font-variant:small-caps;text-transform:lowercase">XVIII. The wide façade of the market, conceived as a grandiose stone altarpiece on a terrace that dominates the square in front of the fish market, stands out for its infrequent nature, forming a unique urban complex. It is presided over by the sculpture of the Virgin of the Rosary, a stucco work by Jacopo Bertesi, and above it stands the clock tower, flanked by the two Saint Johns and crowned by the famous bird of Saint John, the weathervane to which, according to According to tradition, children were made to watch when their humble parents abandoned them in the square. In the lower part of the terrace, the San Juan caves open up, semi-basements where junkyards and old shops were located in the past. In the newly built temple, Saint Vicente Ferrer preached and there he offered his first sermon on the day of Saint John the Baptist.

The interior of the temple is of an overflowing Baroque imagination, with statues by Bertesi that represent characters from the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and above all the set of frescoes that Antonio Palomino executed in the vault. This temple was declared BIC (good of cultural interest) through the Decree in the BOE of February 26, 1947.

On July 19, 1936, during the civil war, it went up in flames and its effects are still lingering. The paintings are in a pitiful state, since they were burned or blackened by the smoke from the fires, although they have been working on their recovery for decades.

St. John's Hospital

Facade of San Juan del Hospital

The church of San Juan del Hospital was the first church built in Valencia, after the Cathedral, as a priory for the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. Its foundation is due to the concession, made by King James I at the time of the conquest of Valencia to the San Juan knight Hugo de Folcalquier, lieutenant of the Master of his order in the Crown of Aragon, of land next to the door of the Xerea, to establish this priory headquarters there. Several buildings were built here: a church dedicated to San Juan Bautista; the hospital corresponding to the specific assistance work of this military order, which received the name "Jerusalem, the Hospital, Rhodes and Malta"; a convent; and its own cemetery for the deceased gentlemen of the hospital. Everything was built between the years 1238 and 1261, the convent being completely finished before 1316.

The church is preceded by a patio decorated with ceramic paintings of the Via Crucis, where these architectural remains and loose elements of the buildings that made up the foundation are preserved. The real church occupies an area of 36 meters long by 19 meters wide, and is made up of a pointed vault with stone ornamentation on thick corbels that rest on corbels, and a five-sided polygonal chancel with a ribbed roof, where the presbytery is located. This was built at the end of the 13th century and is illuminated by lancet-style slit windows; the wider central one, with tracery and decorated with attached columns. On the stone nerves, the vaults are made of brick and on their extreme walls, they are a later work, from the XIV century, two tall chapels that pierce the walls with ogival archivolts and develop between the buttresses.

Most of the side chapels are in the form of large arches that open onto the nave by Cistercian warheads on small attached columns, protected by a molded alfiz. Their stone vaults must have been painted with frescoes that are only partially preserved, awaiting restoration, in the first part of the gospel. The last two on this side are wider and are roofed with diagonal ribs. On the front there are two sections of a loggia with a ribbed vault that opens at the foot of the nave.

Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes

San Miguel de los Reyes

This monastery is an important work of the Valencian Renaissance that, according to some authors, can be considered as a precedent of the El Escorial monastery, being like this, a Hieronymite monastery, a cultural center and a commemorative church of the memory of its founder. The first stone was laid in 1548 by the bishop and Ferdinand of Aragon, Duke of Calabria. The construction of the monastery lasted during the XVII century, beginning the church of the monastery from 1601.

In 1821 the confiscation of the liberal triennium suppressed the Hieronymite community. The building, according to the Royal Order of July 2, 1821, was enabled as a House of Charity and Correction. In 1823 there was the return of the friars, who carried out some minor works. In 1835 the final secularization took place, passing the monastery and its properties into the hands of the State. After the confiscation, the works of art and books that remained after having been looted in the War of Independence, were transferred to the Museum of Fine Arts in Valencia and a good part of the books, including those from the valuable library of the Duke of Calabria, were allocated to the University Library.

After being used as a prison, a school or a warehouse, between 1997 and 2000 the rehabilitation works of the complex were carried out for its destination as the headquarters of the Valencian Library.

Term Crossovers

Cross Covered

These crosses, which in the Crown of Aragon were called peirones and in other humiliaderos places, were placed on the roads to mark the limits of the city. The Valencia City Council owns the ownership of all the crosses located within its municipal area, as well as that of some crosses that are outside it, such as the covered cross on the road to Barcelona, located in Almácera, and the covered cross in Mislata.

The covered cross of the Camino Real de Játiva, is located in the old Camino Real de Játiva, current San Vicente street. It is a Gothic work made in the year 1376 (XIV century) by an unknown author. Between the years 1432 and 1435 (XV century) the master builder Juan del Poyo and the carver Johan Llobet renovated the cross by account of the Murs e Valls Factory, and in the XVI century the temple was restored again and in 1898 (XIX) José Aixá made a complete reconstruction of the work. Another cross is that of the camí del Mar, currently located in a small garden on Avenida del Puerto, which originally was a Gothic term cross, although the stone cross has disappeared and It has been replaced by an iron one. What is preserved is the pedestal and the images that adorn it, although in rather poor condition. Between 1423 and 1424 Martí Llobet worked on it and in 1428 his son Joan Llobet's.

Other crosses are that of Pinedo, which is a modern reproduction of the original cross made in 1995 by the Valencian sculptor Jesús Castelló, the cross at the end of Avenida de Cataluña, inaugurated on May 3, 1965 and located in the exit from Valencia along the old Barcelona motorway, the end cross of the Pista de Silla, made by the sculptor Antonio Sacramento in 1965 and the end cross of Cortes Valencianas avenue.

Monuments and civil buildings

Valencian Gothic

Interior of the Silk Lonja

The Lonja de la Seda building is a masterpiece of Valencian civil Gothic located in the historic center of the city. Declared in 1996 as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, it is located in Plaza del Mercado, number 31, in front of the Church of Santos Juanes and the Central Market of Valencia.

La Lonja was built between 1482 and 1548, and its first builder was Pere Compte between 1483 and 1498 on the model of the Lonja in Palma de Mallorca, becoming an emblematic building of the wealth of the golden age Valencian (XV century) and shows the commercial revolution during the Late Middle Ages, social development and the prestige achieved by the Valencian bourgeoisie. In the upper part on the other side of the patio there is a craft that covers the Consulate of the Sea. On Sundays there is a market for stamp and coin collectors, and perhaps this is the only activity that still has some relationship with the function original of the building.

Another Gothic-Renaissance style building is the Benicarló Palace, current seat of the Valencian Parliament. This building is an aristocratic mansion, which was built in the XV century as the residence of the Borja family in the capital of the old Kingdom of Valencia. Between the years 1485 and 1520, activities were carried out to adapt various pre-existing buildings, as well as the construction of the stone staircase in the courtyard by Pere Compte. The care of the work and its transformations aimed at greater habitability was delegated to the most prominent architects and artists active in the capital. In short, his analysis allows us to understand his evolution between some grandiloquent aspirations and an iniquitous oblivion.

The Palace of the Generalitat Valenciana is also a late Gothic building with Renaissance interventions dating from the 15th century. The construction of the Palace began in the year 1421, expanding in the XVI century with a large tower by the architect Montano. In 1831 the territorial hearing was installed, which in 1922 became the Provincial Council. From 1947 to 1951 a restoration was carried out.

The gates of the walls

Torres de Serranos

The Serranos Towers are one of the twelve gates that guarded the old wall of the City of Valencia. Their name seems to come from the fact that they are located approximately to the northwest of the old town and, therefore, they were the natural entrance that communicated with the roads that went to Los Serranos. The Valencia juries entrusted their construction to the master Pere Balaguer, who It was inspired by other Gothic doors in Catalonia, such as the Royal Door of the Poblet Monastery, which was inspired by the Genoese architectural style. Work began on April 6, 1392 on the land of the previous portico, and work was completed in March 1398.

The Quart Towers, a pair of twin towers, were also part of the medieval wall that surrounded the old town of Valencia, whose function was to defend the city. These towers are located at the intersection of Calle Guillén de Castro with Calle Quart. The Torres de Quart were built by Francesc Baldomar and Pere Compte in the XV, between the years 1441 and 1460. Tomás Oller and Jaume Pérez also took part in the works. The style of the towers is late military Gothic, imitating the Towers or Arc de Triomphe of the New Castle in Naples.

Baroque and neoclassical buildings

Palacio del Marquis de Dos Aguas

The Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas, as it is known today, is the product of a radical reform carried out on the old manor house of the Rabassa de Perellós, holders of the Marquisate of Dos Aguas, in the decade from 1740 (18th century) in a strong rococo style. On one side of the Palace opens the main door, made in alabaster by Ignacio Vergara on a design by Hipólito Rovira. Presided over by the image of the Virgin, two streams of water descend from it in allusion to the title of the marquises, with two atlanteans on the sides that symbolize two rivers, all with an aspect of overflowing voluptuousness. It houses the National Museum of Ceramics and Ceramics. the Sumptuary Arts González Martí.

Another building from this period is the Palace of Justice of Valencia, originally the Royal Customs House, which was built in the time of Carlos III between 1758 and 1802. When the building was the Royal Customs, it passed through He included all the maritime trade that went to Valencia, since it was one of the economic poles of Spain in the XVIII century. In 1828 the building became the cigar factory and in 1914 it became the headquarters of the Palace of Justice.

Plaza Redonda, with a unique round perimeter, was built in 1840 by the Valencian architect Salvador Escrig and is located next to the church of Santa Catalina and Plaza de la Virgen, in the historic center of the city.

The Valencia bullring was built between the years 1850 and 1860 (XIX century) on the site of a previous square that due to budget problems was never finished. It is neoclassical, inspired by Roman civil architecture, the theater of Flavio Marcelo (Colosseum), or the amphitheater of Nimes (France). It was built by the Valencian architect Sebastián Monleón Estellés. It is a polygonal body with 48 sides, more than 17 meters high and 52 meters in diameter. With these dimensions, it is one of the largest squares in Spain.

Valencian Modernism

North Station

The Town Hall of Valencia integrates in a block with a slightly trapezoidal floor plan, two constructions of well differentiated period and style: the Casa de Enseñanza, built on the initiative of Archbishop Don Andrés Mayoral, between 1758 and 1763; and the body of the building (the main façade), built between the second and third decades of the XX century in a marked modernist style. On March 1, 1962, through decree 474/1962 (BOE 9-03-62), the building was declared an asset of cultural interest (BIC), at the same time that it was also declared a national historical-artistic monument.

Another of the most important modernist buildings in Valencia is the Estación del Norte, built between 1906 and 1917, taking advantage of the city's urban transformations at the end of the century XIX to settle on a huge remaining site. It is one of the most emblematic monuments of civil architecture in the city. The work, designed by the architect Demetrio Ribes, is part of the modernist style, where the influences of the European side of the Sezession can be appreciated, characterized by a modernism of straight lines as opposed to the sinuous forms more typical of Valencian modernism.

The Central Market building is also another construction in the Valencian modernist style and construction began in 1914 by Francesc Guàrdia i Vial and Alexandre Soler i March, both trained at the Barcelona School of Architecture and having worked at the team of collaborators of Domènech i Montaner, an architect who was characterized by his own style within the lines of modernism. This building combines metal, domes, glass, columns, with the Gothic memory of the modernism, as if it were a cathedral of commerce, combining very well with the neighboring Lonja de los Mercaderes. In the center of the building there is a large dome surmounted by a weather vane.

The Mercado de Colón is another clear example of Valencian modernism from the beginning of the XX century. This market was designed and built by the architect Francisco Mora Berenguer between 1914 and 1916. The market was inaugurated on December 24, 1916, Christmas Eve, and according to chronicles in the municipal newspapers, this was a spectacular event: from the square de Toros came out a cavalcade made up of the Mounted Municipal Guard, with the timpani and trumpets of the city, the Rock of Fame, the market vendors, the groups «La pesca», «Aves y carnes» and «Flores, frutas y vegetables», a float occupied by the Queen of the Festival accompanied by her court of honor. The Municipal Band and a section of the Civil Guard closed the celebration. It should be noted that the market building was declared a National Monument.

In the port area is another of the most important works of Valencian modernism, the Sheds of the Port of Valencia. Their author and promoter was Engineer Federico G. de Membrillera, deputy director of the port of Valencia at the end of the XIX century.. Until the second half of the XIX century, the only existing port infrastructure in the port of Valencia had been a simple wooden pier, and due to the increase in merchandise traffic in the port, the need to expand the infrastructure was seen, for which reason the construction of six sheds was planned. Despite the fact that the engineers demanded that ornamentation prevail, the lack of budget at that time simplified the project. Despite this, the decoration of Valencian modernism stands out, with reliefs alluding to trade and navigation and polychrome ceramic mosaics on typical Valencian themes.

The work of Santiago Calatrava

Bridge of the Exhibition.

The Nueve de Octubre bridge was built in the eighties of the XX century by the then still unrecognized architect Valencian Santiago Calatrava, this being the architect's first work in the city. This bridge stands out for the originality of its forms and for the four abstract sculptures that adorn its entrances.

Another work designed by Santiago Calatrava is the complex formed by the Exposición bridge and the Alameda metro station, which is located under the old bed of the Turia river, which you have to go down to access the station. These works were inaugurated in 1995. As a curious note, it should be noted that the construction of both elements was simultaneous, the work of the metro station being carried out in its final location, while that of the bridge was carried out on nearby land and moved after your current location on the station.

Finally, we must highlight the City of Arts and Sciences complex, designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, one of the most popular areas of the city. This complex was inaugurated over a decade, from April 16, 1998 when the Hemisférico was inaugurated, until October 31, 2009 with the opening of the Ágora, although some details of this building are currently still being finalized due to to demolition problems on the external face of its construction. The works have raised a lot of controversy due to their cost overruns and technical failures.

Culture

Valencia has been a cultural source and refuge for centuries. It has been, for example, the second center for the production and dissemination of comics in Spain, after Barcelona and ahead of Madrid, thanks to publishers such as Valenciana and Maga, which allowed the so-called Valencian School of Comics to flourish. Cultural manifestations are very abundant, which is related to the essence of the Mediterranean city, since many of these acts usually take place in open spaces, supported and promoted by both official and private organizations.

Museums, archives and libraries

Archaeological Center of the Almoina

The city of Valencia, rich in monuments and architectural spaces of great interest, has more than fifty museums and exhibition halls, many of which were created thanks to the contribution of individuals through donations and private collections.

The most important plastic arts museums in the city are the San Pío V Museum of Fine Arts and the IVAM (Institut Valencià d'Art Modern), which are spaces in which You can see permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and where different activities are carried out designed for all citizens and visitors who come to the city. They are managed by various public administrations, corporations and private associations.

The González Martí National Museum of Ceramics and Sumptuary Arts, installed in the former Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas, an imposing Baroque building, contains the most complete collection of ceramic objects in Spain, and one of the most important in Europe.

There are also several historical museums, such as the Casa de las Rocas, which was built in the 15th century to serve museum, the Valencia History Museum, inaugurated on May 7, 2003 in a building that was originally the first water tank in Valencia, which was built by Ildefonso Cerdá and Leodegario Marchessaux based on an original design by Calixto Santa Cruz, or the Almoina museum, which was inaugurated on December 20, 2007, in the basement of the homonymous square, where numerous archaeological remains dating from the different civilizations that have inhabited the city are exhibited, that is, Roman remains, Visigoths and Islamic.

The paleontology museum's collections are also historical. On display since 1908 in the Almudín museum and currently in the Natural Sciences Museum, located in the Viveros gardens, where unique geological and paleontological pieces can be seen, the natural sciences museum, the bullfighting museum (next to the Plaza de toros), the rice museum or the fallas museum (mainly during fallas hours).

Public Library of Valencia

Others are dedicated to illustrious Valencians, such as the famous writer Blasco Ibáñez in his house-museum, located in his old villa on Malvarrosa beach, or the Benlliure house-museum, on Blanquerías street, and the most recent of all, the Concha Piquer house-museum, on Ruaya street.

Avant-garde art finds its oldest space in Sala Parpalló, dependent on the Valencia Provincial Council, which was founded in 1980, being a pioneer in attending to contemporary art. The benchmark for modernity is the City of Arts and Sciences, since it brings together various disciplines of art and culture in the same space, including several museums, aquariums, exhibition halls, projection rooms and recreational spaces, both open and in conditioned facilities.

In Valencia there are also 39 municipal libraries, with more than 300,000 volumes, among which the Public Library of Valencia and the Valencian Library stand out, whose headquarters are located in San Miguel de los Reyes. In addition to this, in the capital of the Turia there is the Archive of the Kingdom of Valencia, which contains six centuries of the history of Valencia, first as a kingdom and currently as an autonomous community, which is managed by the Generalitat Valenciana, although the state retains ownership of the documentary collections and the building, and the Municipal Historical Archive of Valencia, which is located in the Palacio de Cervelló, and contains the documentary collections of the city.

Performing Arts

Main Theatre of Valencia

In Valencia there is a public network of theaters, which includes the Principal, the Rialto, the Talía and the Sala Moratín, although there are also other private theatres, such as the Olympia. In addition, a wide variety of events related to the world of acting and performing arts are held in Valencia. One of these events is the Valencia-Cinema Jove International Film Festival, a festival promoted by the Ministry of Culture since 1995, and whose purpose is to be a platform for young filmmakers. Cinema Jove is recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers (FIAPF), and is a member of the European Coordination of Film Festivals.

The Tirant Avant Festival is the audiovisual and new technologies festival. It is organized every year by the Audiovisual Information, Training and Promotion Agency, with the support of Tatzen Gestión y Producción Audiovisual, Feets Gestió de Projectes, and Metadissenyvoluntady. This festival is the fruit of the spirit and experience of the eleven editions of the TIRANT AWARDS in the Valencian Audiovisual Industry and its goal is to create a bridge between traditional production and new formats.

XXXII Mostra de València

Although the most important international film festival in the city was the Mostra de València, a benchmark for cinema in the Mediterranean area. From 1980 to 2011 the Mostra was held uninterrupted every year, until the 31st edition, when the City Council decided to stop organizing it. The various prizes awarded in the official section represented a palm tree, as well as to include the names of the winners in the particular walk of fame of Valencia, which was inaugurated at the XXV edition of the Mostra de València on the city's seafront.

In 2003 another event of this type also began to be held, the València Escena Oberta (VEO), with which it was intended to promote and bring the performing arts closer to the citizen, as well as support and promote the industry students. The acts framed in this contest took place throughout the city (streets, subway stations, old factories, theaters, etc.). The VEO was under the direction of the actor and politician Toni Cantó, until 2006, when he was succeeded by the journalist Mariví Martín, who remained in office until 2011, at which time the contest was suspended as a security measure. fight against the municipal deficit.

The Valencian apitxat

Valencian-speaking Territories and their variants

In Valencia, in addition to speaking Spanish (the official language of Spain), Valencian is spoken, which is the own and co-official language of the Valencian Community as a whole, and therefore also of the city, according to the Statute of Autonomy of the Valencian Community. The institution that regulates Valencian is the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (AVL), which rules that Valencian is the name that the Valencian People give to the language known internationally and academically as Catalan.

The characteristic Valencian of this city is apitxat, a dialect of the Valencia metropolitan area. Despite being highly influenced by Spanish, apitxat retains certain ancient characteristics that have been lost in the rest of the Valencian dialects. Its main features are:

• The thickening of the sound alveolars and palatals, as in house, tretze and metge ['kasa, 'tretse, 'metxe' (house, thirteen and doctor respectively).
• The one who preserves archaic forms of the plural, which maintains n original Latin, as in [homes] (mens) or young [joves] (young).
• The one who has a certain tendency to diptongate the initial atone (when it is constituted in syllable) by au: aulor [olor] (olor), aufegar [ofegar] (ahogar), aubrir [obrir] (obrir).

Music

Music in its multiple forms and manifestations is one of the most cultivated arts in the Valencian Community and in the city of Valencia. As stated in the Valencian music law (Law 2/1998), this "forms part of its culture and is one of the arts that most identifies it as a people". Music bands are essential for the capital of the Turia, since they are one of the main identity elements of Valencian music. Every July, since 1886, the City of Valencia International Music Band Contest has been held, in which more than 2,000 musicians parade through the stages of the Palacio de la Música and the Plaza de Toros.

The Palace of Music

Another musical event in the city of Valencia is MTV winter, which is a music concert sponsored by music television par excellence, MTV. Every year, since 2008, every winter a free macro-concert is held on the esplanade of the City of Arts and Sciences, in which groups such as The Cure have participated, in 2008, Franz Ferdinand, in 2009, Arctic Monkeys, in 2010, or My Chemical Romance and Sum 41, in 2011.

In addition to this, it is important to note that Valencia is the headquarters of two professional orchestras: the Valencia Orchestra and the Valencian Community Orchestra. Both have their headquarters in two first-class buildings located in the old bed of the Turia river. The first of these buildings is the Palacio de la Música, headquarters of the Valencia orchestra. Since its inauguration, on April 25, 1987, it has established itself as one of the most important musical centers in the whole of Spain. The building has several rooms for concerts, congresses, exhibitions, shows and film projections among other activities. The acoustics of the Palace, and especially that of its José Iturbi hall, have been praised by many of the musicians who have performed there. The main international soloists have performed there and some unrepeatable events have taken place: among them, what was the last concert conducted by what many consider to be the greatest orchestra conductor in history, Carlos Kleiber, and the 20-piano concert that in 2011 jointly celebrated the 20th anniversary of two reference institutions for Valencian music, Clemente Pianos and the Musikeon courses.

The other building is the Reina Sofía Palace of the Arts, the Valencian opera house and headquarters of the Valencian Community orchestra. It is the work of Santiago Calatrava and is part of the architectural complex of the City of Arts and Sciences. It was inaugurated on October 8, 2005 by Queen Sofía, although the first opera was not performed until October 25, 2006, for which Beethoven's Fidelio was chosen.

International events

Model of the 1909 Exhibition

Throughout its history, Valencia has hosted various cultural, religious or scientific events. One of the first cultural events to be held in the city was the Regional Exhibition of 1909, a commercial and industrial exhibition organized by the Mercantile Association of Valencia and promoted by its president Tomás Trénor, which took place in the city between the 22nd of May and December 22 of the year 1909. The whole of the exhibition occupied an area of 16 ha, in the form of a fairground with pavilions and buildings around the current urban framework of the Alameda. The inauguration ceremony of the Exhibition took place on May 23, 1909 by King Alfonso XIII and the head of the Government Antonio Maura. The Exhibition had a regular success, which the organizers themselves attributed to the Rif War and the events of Barcelona, reason for which the exhibition was extended in 1910 under the label of National Exhibition.

Campus Party of Valencia

The city also hosted annually, until 2014, the Valencia Fashion Week, that is, the fashion week of Valencia, which replaced the Pasarela del Carmen. This fashion contest has been held twice a year since 2006, once to present the autumn-winter season and another for the spring-summer season. In recent editions, the venue where it was held was the Agora of the City of Arts and Sciences.

Every year another first-rate cultural event was also held, the Campus Party, which was held in Valencia from 2005 to 2011. This event was recognized as the largest event for technology, creativity, leisure and digital networked culture of the world. This act was an annual meeting held since 1997 that brought together thousands of participants with their computers from all over Spain and other nations for seven days, in order to share concerns, exchange experiences and carry out all kinds of computer-related activities. communications and new technologies.

It should be noted that in recent years, the city has hosted several scientific events of great international importance, such as the 27th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), held between the days November 12 and 17, 2007, at the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum. This meeting brought together 450 delegates from more than 130 countries who tried to endorse the conclusions of the Fourth Assessment Report (known as AR4).

Altar of the Fifth World Meeting of Families, held in 2006

The 57th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2006) was also held in the city, since during the congress held in Bremen in October 2003 Professor Víctor Reglero, member of the International Academy of Astronautics, on behalf of the Generalitat Valenciana, the Valencia City Council, the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and SENER, presented Valencia's candidacy to host the 57th International Astronautical Congress. Finally, this event was held in Valencia on the days between October 2 and 6, 2006, its headquarters being the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum.

Finally, it should be noted that Valencia has hosted several religious events, among which stands out the V World Meeting of Families, which was held in Valencia from July 1 to 9, 2006, as decided by Juan Paul II and later ratified his successor (Benedict XVI). This meeting, in which the Pope actively participated, was made up of numerous acts, meetings and conferences around the concept and content of the Christian family. Some of these activities were suspended due to a tragic subway accident that occurred days before the Pope's arrival; For this reason, Benedict XVI decided to change part of his programming to perform an act of homage to the victims at the station where the tragedy occurred.

Traditions and popular culture

Festivities of Tourist Interest

First prize winner of the special section of 2017

Procession of the Virgin

Rock of the Corpus Procession

Battle of the flowers in the edition of the July Fair 2015

Down from the Senyera on 9 October, community day

In the city of Valencia there are many and varied festivals, some of which are known throughout the world and others, on the other hand, unknown even to some residents of the city, but no less important or significant for that. Among all of them, some can be highlighted, both for having been declared festivals of tourist interest or for the importance of these festivities for the city as a whole.

The Falls

From March 15 to March 19, the days and nights in Valencia are a continuous party, but since March 1, the popular mascletás go off every day at 2:00 p.m.. Fallas are a festival with a deeply rooted tradition in the city of Valencia and different towns in the Valencian Community, which has become a very important tourist attraction both for the city and for the set of towns where they are celebrated. Its origins are really simple, since originally on the night of San José a simple burning of waste from the carpentry workshops was carried out, but the inventiveness of the Valencian people has brought together all the characteristics of their culture and history, although it is worth noting the satirical nature of the Fallas monuments on current issues.

Holy Marine Week

Seafaring Holy Week is called "seafaring" because it is celebrated in the district of the Maritime Towns, specifically in the neighborhoods of Grao, Cabañal and Cañamelar. Currently, Seafaring Holy Week has 32 brotherhoods, brotherhoods and corporations, of which five hold the title of Real.

Las Fiestas de San Vicente Ferrer

Holy Week has its extension with the festivity in honor of Saint Vicente Ferrer, patron saint of the Community canonized by Calixto III, from Seta. On this day it is customary to visit the birthplace of the saint (currently a chapel), where “El Pouet de Sant Vicent” is found, from which the children are given a drink “so they can talk soon, do not suffer from sore throats, do not swear falsely or be blasphemers». Within the festival, groups of children perform prodigious deeds attributed to the Dominican saint, always in the Valencian language (the one the Saint always spoke), the so-called miracles. The representations are carried out in the thirteen altars that rise in the different neighborhoods of the city, which are always presided over by the image of the patron.

The Feast of the Virgin of the Desamparados

On the second Sunday of May, the city of Valencia celebrates the festivity of the Virgen de los Desamparados, popularly known as "la Geperudeta", an affectionate allusion to the slightly hunched posture of one of the images of this dedication to the Virgin. This festivity has the most anticipated moments of a particularly emotional day, in which thousands and thousands of Valencians turn to pay homage to their patron saint.

On the eve of the festival, various events are held in the Plaza de la Virgen, such as the “Nit d'Albades” or the “dansà” (dances traditional), and finally, among the acts that take place during the day, the Discoberta mass, the Infants mass, the transfer of the Virgin (massive act where the Valencians play and shout salutes to the patron saint) and the general procession.

The Procession of the Corpus Christi of Valencia

Historically, the Corpus Christi procession has been considered the biggest festival in Valencia, especially since the last third of the XIV century. The history of this festival begins in the year 1355, when Hugo de Fenollet was bishop. This year a solemn general procession was held, in which the city's civil and religious authorities accompanied the Blessed Sacrament, following the itinerary provided by the Juries, a good part of which is preserved today. This festival has been celebrated every year since then, with the exception of some years, such as those of the Second Spanish Republic (between 1931 and 1935), when the government forced the festival to take place only inside churches., as well as in the post-war years, when the festival was limited solely to the religious part. So it was not until the 50s and 60s of the XX century when a group of neighbors once again promoted the procession to recover the old splendor of this festival, through the so-called "Grup de Mecha", this being the predecessor of what is currently the Association of Friends of Corpus Christi of the City of Valencia.

The Feria de San Jaime or Feria de Julio

During the month of July to animate the capital and attract foreigners, the City Council proposed holding an annual fair and an exhibition of all kinds of products. In this way, on July 21, 1871, the first July Fair was inaugurated with a colorful parade, pavilions, exhibitions of plants and the sale of products in general. In 1891 the Battle of Flowers was established, which takes place on the last Sunday of July in the Alameda around 8:00 p.m. There are also important competitions for music bands, bullfighting, music concerts and many other activities.

9 October

As stated in the Statute of Autonomy of the Valencian Community, on this day the day of the Valencian Community is celebrated, to commemorate the triumphal entry of King Jaime I to the city and the dedication of the Greater Mosque as a Church- Cathedral. This celebration has a long tradition in the city, since it has been celebrated since the XIV century, when it was established by the King Jaime II of Aragon. The most significant acts of this festivity are the singing of the “Te Deum” in the Cathedral, the civic procession of the Señera and the homage to King Jaime I, who granted the You went to the city and its kingdom, all these acts being presided over by the Royal Señera.

This day, the festival of San Dionisio is also celebrated, also known as the day of Valencian lovers. In this celebration, the lover usually gives his beloved the typical mocaorà, some marzipan figures in the shape of fruit and pyrotechnic devices (the lollipop and the thunderer), wrapped in a handkerchief.

Traditional clothing

The traditional costume for Valencian women has a long tradition in history. It appeared in the XVI century and began as a work outfit for Valencian farm women, but as time went by it was transformed, and led to more elegant clothing that was worn on special occasions. In short, the current dress is the party dress that the Valencian women used centuries ago. Among its variants we find the suit of the XVIII century, more Frenchified; those of coteta, closer to those of huertana; and the one that emerged in the XIX century, called farolet for its lantern-shaped sleeves. In her hair, the woman can wear a bow or three. On the back of her head is a larger one, while on her temple are two smaller ones, the bundles . The bows are caught with slip-on needles and decorated with combs, the pinta for the back bun and the rascamonyos for the bundles.

While the traditional clothing for men is the saragüell suit, which appears under the name sarawil in Andalusian Muslim texts from the X. This dress is placed directly on the body and other garments can be placed on it or not. The fabric of this clothing is the canvas for work days, and on holidays it is covered with a second woolen or silk breeches, known as bold. Another of the traditional male clothing is the torrentí suit, which is characterized by having pants that are tighter to the leg and a xopetí, a kind of vest and/or jacket. On his head, the man usually wears a mocador (scarf), a cap or a skullcap, the latter made of crochet, which are complemented with different caps and hats, such as the rodina, the cossiol or the montera.

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  Traditional Valencian hairstyle

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  Couple dressed in valencian

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  Women dressed in fail

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  Children and men of Valencia

Water Court

Tribunal de las Aguas de Valencia

The Water Tribunal of Valencia, also known as Tribunal de la Vega de Valencia is a customary irrigation court, which is in charge of resolving conflicts over irrigation water between the farmers from the Irrigation Communities of the ditches that are part of the Vega de Valencia, except for the Royal Moncada ditch. Its origin is totally unknown, despite the fact that it is most likely an evolution, based on previous Andalusian traditions, although some historians such as José Vicente Gómez Bayarri place its origins in Roman times. In September 2009 it was declared a World Heritage Site. Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

This court is made up of a representative of each of the Irrigation Communities that are part of the Vega de Valencia, the so-called trustees. One of the trustees is the president, who is elected for an indefinite period of time. Traditionally, the presidents of the Court are alternately the trustees of Favara and Tormos.

Every Thursday of the year the Tribunal meets with its advisors in the Casa Vestuario in the Plaza de la Virgen, but at 12 o'clock noon the Tribunal is formally constituted at the Puerta de los Apóstoles of the Valencia Cathedral. It is then when the bailiff, with the permission of the president, calls the accused from each of the ditches, with the traditional phrase: «denunciats de la sèquia de...!». The trial is carried out quickly, orally and entirely in Valencian.

Bullfighting

Plaza de Toros de Valencia

Modern bullfighting began to develop in the XIV century, when the bullfighting festival began to shape the bases of what will later be the bullfights known in contemporary times, considered as art and liturgy. The first bullfights held in Valencia date from the year 1085.

In the XVIII century bullfighting was consolidated as an art subject to a series of rules and regulations. The bullfighters they became professional and began to compete with the picadors, who up to that moment enjoyed greater relevance in the cartels. The cattle ranches begin to gain prominence and the cities are equipped with new stable squares, such as the Valencia bullring which was built between the years 1850 and 1860 on the site of a previous square that due to budget problems was never finished.

In Valencia there is also a Bullfighting museum, which was founded in 1929 with funds from the donation of Luis Moróder Peiró and the bullfighter José Bayard Badila, who over the years collected a significant number of bullfighting materials and objects Valencian style from the 19th century and early XX.

It should be noted that Valencia hosts one of the first bullfighting festivals of the year, the San José Fair, where bullfights, bullfights and bullfights are held with the best bullfighters, and the San Jaime Fair or Fair de Julio, which opened on July 21, 1871 as an alternative proposed by the city council to attract tourists and prevent residents from leaving the city empty due to the heat of the Valencian summer.

Valencia is the birthplace of well-known bullfighting figures such as Manuel Granero, Manolo Montoliu, the bullfighter María de los Ángeles Hernández Gómez, Luis Francisco Esplá, José Mari Manzanares, Vicente Ruiz el Soro, Enrique Ponce, José María Manzanares or Román Collado.

Gastronomy

Paella valenciana made of wood

In the traditional gastronomy of the city, the famous Mediterranean diet, the use of rice, olive oil, vegetables from the garden and fish and shellfish from the Mediterranean coast have a special weight.

The most international dish in Valencia is paella (name of the container where it is cooked), which was originally a humble dish cooked by the inhabitants of the Albufera marsh. This dish is based on rice, although it is complemented with local products, mainly chicken, rabbit, duck, snails, legumes and fresh vegetables. Over time, several variants of paella have appeared, such as the one made with seafood, the one that only contains vegetables, or the one that substitutes rice for noodles, the so-called fideuá. All types of paellas and fideuás are usually seasoned with lemon and not with alioli, as is usually done in other typical fish rice dishes (arroz a banda or black rice).

Another dish whose base is rice is baked rice, made in a clay pot and in the oven, and whose main ingredients are tomato, chickpeas, paprika, various types of sausage, potatoes, bacon and the pork ribs. This dish, despite not being well known outside of the Valencian Community, is one of the most traditional and popular in the area.

Finally, the rest of the dishes made with rice are arroz a banda with a fish base; or black rice, a variant of the previous one, to which squid ink is added to achieve its typical black color; rice with chard, which in addition to rice and chard includes white beans, potatoes, dried cod and snails; or rice with beans and turnips, a brothy rice more suitable for the winter season.

Horchata with fartons

All i pebre is a typical Valencian sauce used to cook fish. The most famous variant of this dish is the one that uses eels in its preparation, which has achieved total supremacy over the rest, which is why it is currently common to refer to it by the name of all i pebre, all i pebre de anguillas.

In Valencia there is also a great tradition in cakes and sweets, highlighting the variety of biscuits and cakes, such as coca de llanda, coca de sachí, coca cristina, coca de raisins and walnuts, mona de Pascua or panquemado, although the variety of sweets also includes fartons, fritters, marzipan, sugared almonds or rosquilletas, among many others. The main ingredients are almost always almonds, sugar and honey, due to the fact that many of the sweets that are part of the Valencian gastronomic culture are of Andalusian origin.

As far as drinks are concerned, it should be noted that the horchata de chufa (prepared with water, sugar and tiger nuts) is the traditional drink par excellence of Valencia. Another typical drink is the mistela de muscatel, a sweet liqueur wine but with a high alcohol content (Vol. 15%), which is made by adding wine alcohol or brandy to the must to interrupt the fermentation. The cocktail originating from the city known as Valencia water, whose main ingredients are cava, triple sec liqueur and orange juice.

Sports

Sports facilities

The Pelayo Trim

On April 10, 1981, the Valencia City Council created the autonomous organization Fundación Deportiva Municipal de Valencia, which is a public law entity of an institutional nature. This body is in charge of managing all the municipal sports facilities, including the Palau Velódrom Lluís Puig, the Turia athletics stadium, the Masarrochos Valencian Ball Center, the Fuente de San Luis Pavilion, the sports centers in Orriols, Torrefiel, Abastos and La Petxina, and the different swimming pools, soccer fields and sports centers in each neighbourhood.

Valencia City Council is the owner of another top-level sports arena, Trinquete de Pelayo, known as the Escala i corda cathedral for being the most renowned trinquete in the Community, since it is in this ratchet where the finals of the main competitions are usually held, such as the Circuit Bancaixa.

In addition to the public municipal facilities, Valencia has two soccer stadiums, the Estadio de Mestalla and the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia, a golf course, as well as a couple of marinas: on one side is the club's port nautical, located to the south of the commercial port; and on the other hand is the Marina Real Juan Carlos I (known during the America's Cup sailing as Port America's Cup), located in the inner dock of the port of Valencia.

Football clubs

Valencia Template that ascended to First Division in 1931

Valencia CF was founded on March 18, 1919, and currently plays in the Spanish First Division, playing home games at the Mestalla Stadium, which has a capacity of 48,000 spectators. In the historical classification of LaLiga, Valencia CF occupies fourth place, behind Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. It is the fifth Spanish club with the most national titles (14 national championships), and the third with the most international titles behind Real Madrid and FC Barcelona (5 titles in UEFA competitions at club level). Valencia CF is also the third Spanish club with the largest budget, after Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona, with more than 100 million euros. According to a survey carried out by the CIS in May 2007, Valencia CF is the third football club in terms of percentage supporters in Spain (5.3%), behind Real Madrid CF (32.8%) and FC Barcelona (25.7%), and ahead of Athletic Club (5.1%), Atlético de Madrid (4.3%) and Real Betis Balompié (3.3%), so it has more than 800 supporters clubs.

The city also has another team in the Spanish First Division, Levante Unión Deportiva. In 1909 the Real Gimnástico Club de Fútbol and the Fútbol Club Levante were founded, coinciding with the founding of the Valencian Football Federation. Both merged in 1939 under the name of Unión Deportiva Levante-Gimnástico, finally becoming known as Levante UD in 1941. In the 1960s, the Ciudad de Valencia stadium was built with a capacity for 26,354 spectators, a new stadium with 40,000 seats. square meters in the Orriols neighborhood, behind San Miguel de los Reyes. The stadium was inaugurated, under the presidency of Antonio Román, on September 9, 1969, with a friendly match against Valencia C. F.

Basketball clubs

Party of Valencia Basket Club (2013)

Valencia Basket Club plays in the ACB League, the highest competition in Spanish basketball. Founded in 1986, the club is heir to the basketball section of Valencia Club de Fútbol, until the football team was relegated to the second division in 1986, at which time the basketball club took on its own identity. It was sponsored by the Pamesa company, which is why it was commonly known until 2009 as Pamesa Valencia. From 2009 to 2011 the Valencian company Power Electronics sponsored the team, receiving the name of Power Electronics Valencia Basket Club. He plays his matches at the Fuente de San Luis Municipal Pavilion in Valencia, with a capacity for 9,000 spectators, and wears an orange shirt and pants. Your reserve baggage is gray pants and t-shirt.

The other basketball team in the city was Ros Casares Valencia, one of the participants in the Women's Basketball League. This team was founded in 1996, upon inheriting the sports rights from Popular Bàsquet Godella, although it was not until the 1998/1999 season when the company Ciudad Ros Casares took over the reins of the team, and it disappeared in 2012. The first time it won a The league with its current name was in 2001, although its best results came several years later, when it achieved a treble during the 2003/04, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons. This is a club with a large and dedicated fan base, for which it received the Nostresport award for best supporters in 2009. He also played his matches at the Fuente de San Luis Municipal Pavilion in Valencia.

Clubs of other sports specialties

Turia Stadium, Valencia Club of Athletics

The Real Club Náutico de Valencia was founded in 1903, which is why it has the honor of being one of the oldest in Spain. The club currently has one of the most modern and complete nautical facilities, with more than 400,000 m² of surface, and 1,252 berths, which house one of the best cruise fleets in the Valencian Community. The Club Náutico marina is also the venue for important competitions within the national calendar, which are attended by the best sailors, both cruising and the different types of light sailing (470, optimist, snipe, etc.). In addition to all its own port services, the Club Náutico de Valencia has a very large social headquarters, Olympic swimming pool, children's playground, sports center, fronton and tennis and squash courts.

In Valencia there is also an athletics team, the Valencia Athletics Club. This team was born in May 1924 within Valencia C.F. Throughout its more than 80 years of existence, its projection as well as its sporting successes have marked a milestone in the history of Valencian, national and European sports.

The Valencia Tennis Club was founded in 1905 under the name of Sporting Club. Its facilities were initially located in Alameda, and it had two tennis courts. This Sporting was one of the clubs that formed the Lawn-Tennis Association of Barcelona, a group of Clubs that gave rise to the current Royal Spanish Tennis Federation.

The Real Aeroclub Valencia was born in July 1931, although it has its origins in the Regional Exhibition of Valencia in 1909, and in the successive air festivals held in Valencia throughout those years. It is currently headquartered on a plot of land in the industrial zone at the head of runway 22 of the Manises airport, which consists of a 1,500 m² hangar on the ground floor and offices, a classroom, a shop and social premises on the upper floor, with the same surface.

In addition to this, up to four teams from the city have competed in the Division of Honor of the Spanish rugby League: Tatami Rugby Club, CAU Valencia, Club de Rugby Les Abelles and Rugby Club Valencia, winning this last the national league championship in 1983.

Professional events

Valencia Open 500 Party 2010

During 2011, Valencia was the European capital of sport, an award given by the Association of European Capitals of Sport (ACES). In addition to this, several championships and events are held or have been held in the city of Valencia. world-class sports tournaments. One of the most important is the Formula 1 European Grand Prix, which was held at the Valencia Street Circuit from 2008 to 2011. The urban circuit of Valencia runs through the inner dock of the port to then head towards Grao and the Nazaret neighborhood. In 2008 and 2009 the Grand Prix was held in August, but due to the high temperatures that were reached it was decided that from 2010 it will be held in June.

Another sporting event of the first order is the Spanish Grand Prix of the Global Champions Tour of Equestrian, which was held from 2009 to 2011. This GP is a test of the most prestigious international equestrian circuit in the world, which is made up of several top international category jumping contests. This tournament is made up of ten grand prizes, which are held in ten different cities, such as Hamburg, Monte Carlo, Rio de Janeiro, etc. The competition took place in the City of Arts and Sciences, in the area of the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum.

High jump test at the Indoor World Championship of Athletics in Valencia

The Valencia Open 500 is also noteworthy, the successor to the Valencian Community Tennis Open, and one of the 3 ATP tournaments that are held in Spain together with the Masters in Madrid and the Conde de Godó in Barcelona. This tournament was played on clay at the facilities of the Valencia Tennis Club from 2002 to 2008, when the tournament rose in category with the restructuring of the ATP calendar, becoming one of the ATP Open 500. With After the change of category, the tournament was moved to the Agora of the City of Arts and Sciences, where it began to be played on a hard court.

In the past, the city has also hosted other sporting events of great importance, such as the XII World Indoor Athletics Championships, which was held between March 7 and 9, 2008 at the Luis Puig Velodrome Palace. This appointment was a success of participation since the record of countries and athletes participating in a world indoor championship was broken. Similarly, Valencia also hosted the III European Police and Fire Games, which lasted from June 7 to 13, 2010.

Due to the importance of the Mestalla stadium, the city has also hosted several matches of the main soccer tournaments, since the Mestalla stadium was chosen as the venue for the Spanish team to play its matches in the first phase of the 1982 Soccer World Cup and the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Similarly, Mestalla has also been the venue for several Copa del Rey finals, specifically in the 1928-29, 1935-36, 1989/90, 1992-93, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2008-09, 2010-11 and 2013-14.

The American Sail Cups

The Luna Rossa Challenge (32nd American Cup)

Two editions of the America's Cup of Sailing, better known as the America's Cup, have been held in Valencia, which is the oldest sports trophy in the world, with 152 years of history and which brings together the excellence of sailing world. The first edition of the America's Cup held in Valencian waters was number 32, and it was held in 2007, while the second to be held was number 33, which was held in 2010.

Along with Valencia, Genoa and Marseille were the other candidates to host the event, but finally the jury chose Valencia, due to its weather and geographical conditions. The choice of the city was due to the fact that the winner of the 31st edition of this competition was the Nautical Society of Geneva, that is, the representative of a landlocked country, for which reason they had to seek headquarters in a third country.

Between 2004 and 2007 and thanks to the Louis Vuitton Cup regattas, the best sailing teams in the world competed in the waters of the port of Valencia, among which the winner was Emirates Team New Zealand which faced Alinghi in the final. Finally, Alinghi won the America's Cup for the second consecutive time in the seventh regatta, held on July 3, beating the challenging New Zealander by a second in what was his fifth and final victory in the series, the best of nine regattas.

The Alinghi 5 (33rd American Cup)

Because the winner was once again the Nautical Society of Geneva, the winners of the 32nd America's Cup announced on July 25, 2007 that Valencia would once again host the next edition in 2009 However, due to the judicial process in which the competition was involved, in 2008 the contract signed by the managing public entity with the Alinghi team was canceled bilaterally. Finally, after the court ruling, Valencia once again hosted this competition, which was scheduled for the best of 3 tests.

The tests had to start on February 8, 2010, but on the 8th and 10th the start could not be given due to the fact that the wind was light and variable on the 8th and that the waves exceeded 2 meters in height on the 10th. On the 12th, the first regatta was held, which gave the winner to USA 17, from the BMW Oracle Racing team. It was not a closely contested regatta since the North Americans prevailed by more than fifteen minutes. On the 14th the same script was repeated. Although Alinghi 5 held the lead for much of the first beat, USA 17, using their greater speed and better strategy, took the lead and led the Swiss syndicate by more than five minutes at the finish line. The Copa América returned to the United States 15 years later.

Popular Events

Valencian Ball Day 2006

In addition to all the professional events, the city of Valencia celebrates various sporting events of a popular nature throughout the year, such as the day of the Valencian Pelota, which has been held in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento de Valencia every year. the months of September since 1992. This event consists of different events throughout the morning, the highlight being the duel between the Valencian team and another international team.

The Valencia Triathlon also has a long tradition in the city, since the Valencian Community is a pioneer in this sport and 2nd in number of licenses nationwide (Spain has 20,000 members, although it is estimated that the number of fans is much higher). The Valencia Triathlon is a sports festival, a high-quality event for all its participants, which consists of three tests: running through the City of Arts and Sciences; swim in the dock of the Royal Juan Carlos I Marina; and finally ride a bike on the Formula 1 Circuit. In Valencia, as in other cities, a Popular San Silvestre is celebrated every December 30, in which hundreds of athletes participate in costumes.

The popular marathon of Valencia is also important, organized since 1981 by the Correcaminos Sports Society, with the collaboration of the Municipal Sports Foundation and many other organizing entities. What began with the first edition in the early 80s, with a few athletes avoiding traffic, has become a high-level sporting event, whose organization involves more than 1,600 people, to serve almost 4,000 participants. While the Valencia half marathon, 21,097.50 meters long, also has a long tradition. This race is also organized by the Roadrunner Sports Society, since 1990, and its circuit has been approved by the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, which runs on the city's asphalt.

Finally, we must highlight the City of Valencia Air Festival, which was held from 2003 to 2009 on the Malvarrosa beach. Planes from all over Spain, international, and the army participated in this festival of the air, congregating a multitude of fans and spectators to see the aerial acrobatics of the acrobatic champions of Spain, the Patrulla Águila and the fighters of the Spanish air force, to which were added paratroopers, planes from the Valencia aeroclub, and the Air Nostrum CRJ-200, as well as classic and historic aircraft belonging to the Valencian Community Air Foundation.

Twin cities

The city of Valencia has several quality interconnections with some cities around the world, through these official collaborations from different automotive sectors it also has a long tradition in the city, since the Valencian Community is a pioneer in this sport and 2nd in number of licenses nationwide (Spain has specific projects to increase and benefit the Valencian presence abroad, and enhance the image of the city and its development). Almost all the twinnings that the city of Valencia has carried out were carried out basically between the years 1977 and 1984. During these years the necessary actions were produced to reach the twinning with the following cities