Sights of Valencia
Valencia is considered the most ancient city in all of Spain. It was founded by the ancient Romans BC – in 138. Recently, Valencia has become a very attractive city for tourists. True, Valencia is not only architecture and museums, but also pleasant beaches, a temperate climate and a warm sea. But still people come here for the brightest impressions of architectural values.
Architecture of Valencia
The crypt (grotto) of the Holy Martyr Vicente is the oldest building in the city that has survived to this day. This is a small chapel, which for some time was a prison, but now it is the place where the ashes of Vicente rest. In the chapel, all visitors are shown a film about the old city, the life of the saint and his martyrdom.
On the main square of Valencia stands the medieval La Seo Cathedral, which was opened in the 15th century. What is surprising about it is that the gates in the Gothic style, complemented by sculptures, adjoin the northern part, and in the Romanesque style adjoin the southern part. Both the interior and the facades of the cathedral itself look very rich, paintings by famous local artists hang inside: paintings by Palomino and Goya. The adjoining chapel contains frescoes by da Vinci’s famous follower, de Llanos.
The decoration of the central part of the city is the beautiful bell tower of Torre del Miguelete, which has a strict octahedron shape. Its height is 68 meters. At the top hangs a bell, named after the tower. It was consecrated in 1418. Now the tower has been transformed into an observation deck, which offers a beautiful view of the old, historical part of the city.
In the north of Valencia, at the very end of the 14th century, Torres de Serrano was built – a gate based on two absolutely symmetrical towers. When they were connected, they served as a defensive structure. One of the towers now houses the Maritime Museum. There you can see a collection of extraordinary beauty provided by local underwater archaeologists. By 1930, both towers and their connection were completely restored. Now it is an excellent architectural monument and decoration of the city.
In addition to the great architectural structures, Valencia is famous for its huge list of museums, which are visited by almost all inquisitive tourists. Naturally, it is simply impossible to describe all this, so it is necessary to highlight only the main ones.
Museum of Fine Arts
It was built in the seventeenth century and served as a training room for the clergy. In it you can find answers to questions about the history of the city, see archaeological finds in Spain. The ground floor is filled with paintings by early Valencian artists such as N. Falco. There are also paintings by artists Greco, Goya, Velazquez and even the Dutchman Bosch.
Prince Felipe Science Museum
This museum is located in a very interesting building, which is already an architectural monument. This is a large building, which is supported by 5 columns, and its facade is fully glazed. Inside there is an amazing composition called “Titanic”, which tells about a large-scale shipwreck of the 20th century. The halls are also full of interactive exhibitions, which are often of interest to young children. They describe in detail the school sciences and their development.
Oceanographic Center
In Valencia, you should definitely visit the oceanographic center, which is the largest in Europe. The aquariums are filled with real sea water, which is inhabited by both marine mammals and small fish.
Valencia is a city that is amazing for the tourists who come here. And to visit here means to see all of Spain, its features and flavor.
