All these things led to Valencia being chosen as World Design Capital for But there's one thing that absolutely must be a part of your trip to Valencia, and that's a really good paella. There are places serving paella all over the city, but tucking into this mouth-watering rice dish right by the sea is a very special experience.
Lastly, before you head for home be sure to stop off at the City of Arts and Sciences. On the banks of the river Turia, it includes 9 square km of gardens, ideal for sports or walks, and it's also a reference point in terms of architecture, science, and technology. Could you possibly need more reasons for coming to enjoy Valencia apart from the beaches?
Choose between thousands of activities to live your best life on holiday. Travel Safe Advice for travelling safely Latest news. Why Valencia is so much more than a beach destination. It is close to many restaurants, so you can sit and enjoy a tapa while having a great view. A few blocks down on the other side of the river from Torres de Serranos is the beautiful Jardines del Real.
These gardens are filled with sculptures, orange trees, benches, walking paths, fountains, and archaeological ruins. The gardens are a perfect place to relax and walk around, especially when the weather is nice. Grab a book, a snack, and some walking shoes then spend a few hours exploring the outdoors in Jardines del Real. It will make you forget you are in the middle of a city! They will provide you with the perfect balance between modern and historic, and indoors and outdoors. The best part is that walking around each of these locations is free unless you want to enter the buildings in La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias , so save money without missing out on all that Valencia has to offer.
By using our site you agree to our use of cookies. Read our Cookie Policy for details. Choose Experience. The Roman city was 2. It has not been possible to ascertain precisely the extent or shape of the early city, although the most widely accepted assumption is that the initial core was round the cathedral, with the forum on the present-day Plaza de la Virgen. Branching out from the forum were the Cardo, running from north to south, and the Decumano, from east to west, corresponding to Navellcs-Miguelete and Almudin-Caballeros streets.
The city did not really become important until the third century, following the destruction of Sagunto which had been the capital of the region. Valencia subsequently formed part of the kingdom of the Goths, although the documents currently at our disposal do not make it possible to form a clear picture of the history of Valencia in this period.
The chronicle of St Isidore states that "until the time of Leovigildus in the year , the Goths were confined to a limited area corresponding to that of the imperial lands extending from Andalusia to as far as Valencia". Evidence of the incorporation of Valencia in the kingdom of the Goths can be found in the proceedings of the councils held from to , which record the names of seven bishops who governed the eastern diocese during this period.
After the Goths were overthrown at the battle of Guadalete in , three armies of Moors from Africa fanned out across the peninsula. The Moors arrived in Valencia in The new Islamic culture was established in the city for five centuries and conferred on it a character of its own, traces of which can still be seen. The economy of Muslim Valencia, based on agriculture, started to grow in the 11th century under the Moors.
This period coincided with the reign of Abd al Aziz, who was instrumental in building the Arab surrounding walls. The walled enclosure more than covered the Roman site and occupied virtually the whole of the island in the river Turia, although the double river channel had disappeared by the time the walls were built. The Moorish site was three times the size of the Roman one; it occupied an area of 47 hectares and had some 15, inhabitants. The city inside the walls was typically Islamic, with its narrow winding streets and a large number of "atzucacs", or blind alleys.
The civic centre was situated in the old Roman enclosure. The mosque was on the site of the present-day cathedral. The conquest of the city of Valencia by James I of Aragon in September gave rise to a fundamental change of style in its development. The city was divided into different quarters corresponding to the origins of their inhabitants. The 1, houses listed in the "Libre del Repartiment" were distributed to the new inhabitants, who came from Barcelona.
The remaining Moors were moved to the outskirts on the western side of the city, where the "Moreria" quarter was created. The market was also built outside the walls, where it remains to this day. Work started on converting the homes of the early inhabitants in order to adapt them to the way of life of their new owners. New Christian churches appeared. Gothic architecture was introduced; in most instances in the austere Cistercian style which was subsequently to evolve towards more elaborate forms.
The layout of the Moorish streets was not suited to Christian tastes and a large number of regulations were adopted relating to the construction of new buildings and the streets on which they stood, resulting in a series of piecemeal changes rather than a new overall plan. The "atzucacs" disappeared and the construction of protruding buildings was regulated.
The Jewish population lived in the eastern part of the city in an enclosed quarter known as "el Call". The first monastic buildings made their appearance.
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