Ciutat Vella
There is no such concentration of historical attractions in any other area of the city.
This is the old town of Valencia – the most tourist area. The Valencian Cathedral, the Basilica, the Central Market, and the Stock Exchange building are located here.
The two most famous quarters of this area are El Pilar and El Carmen. The latter is one of the “hangout” places of local youth.
There are many tourist apartments located here, but the housing stock is represented by old buildings. The entrances of many buildings are very small, and many of them do not have elevators. In addition, the buildings are located very close to each other, and this is no coincidence – it is designed so that there is always shade on the street, but, on the other hand, the neighboring windows are very close.
La Seu is the oldest district of Valencia. The Cathedral of Valencia (Santa Maria Cathedral) is located here. The construction of the cathedral is estimated to have taken place between the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries. In the Middle Ages, the five-hundred-year construction period of the cathedral was not so uncommon. Wars, epidemics and simply a lack of money interrupted the construction for about 300 years. For example, the construction of the famous Cologne Cathedral lasted almost 700 years. St. Mary’s Cathedral was built on the site of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter (the columns of this temple, by the way, are located nearby, in the Almoin Museum).
Next to the cathedral is the Basilica of Nuestra Senhora de los Desamparados, patroness of Valencia. There are fragmentary mentions of the Basilica since 1414, but its current form was built in the seventeenth century.
Antonio Palomino’s frescoes of 1701 are considered the beginning of the Spanish Baroque style of painting. Nearby is the Church of St. Nicholas in Bari. Judging by the decorations, it is not surprising that this church is called the Sistine Chapel of Valencia. The Marquis de la Scala Palace is currently the seat of the Provincial Council of Valencia.
The Valencia Tribunal, like the headquarters, did not stint and settled in the Benicarlo Palace. Needless to say, the Valencian government also lacks a place to work.
La Cerea district. Until the fourteenth century, it was a suburb outside the city walls. In the middle of the fourteenth century, the walls were moved (probably due to lack of space), and the area became part of Valencia. The area’s attractions include the Cultural Center of Valencia. There is also the Admiral’s Palace, where the Ministry of Finance is comfortably located. Next to them are the baths, built in the early fourteenth century by a local lawyer during the time of King James II.
The El Carmen district grew up between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries, right between two city walls (Arab and Christian). Among its attractions is the Carmelite monastery, founded in 1280 and, unfortunately, turned into a museum of Moderna Art.
El Pilar district (formerly known as Wellouters, which means “silk”). A notable building is the Pia School in Valencia. The El Mercat area is also one of the most central in Valencia.
In the late XIX – early XX centuries, the Monastery of St. Magdalene was inexplicably demolished and a Central market was built in its place. More money was available.
The San Francesc district (Spanish for “San Francisco”) is named after the former monastery of San Francisco, which disappeared.
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