Adventures in Spain - Part Two of Eight

January 31-March 3, 2023 

The Old Town (Ciutat Vella) 

There are several areas of Valencia that are known as Old Town.  Today, we will visit two; The Mercado Central (Central Market) and Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia (Valencia Cathedral).

 The Central Market is so amazing, it is my hope that through my shared words and pictures, together with your imagination you will embrace this amazing place.  As the saying goes ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.  I feel that to embrace those words, a History of the Central Market is important. 

In 1839, the spot had been used to inaugurate an open-air marketplace called Mercat Nou.  By the end of the century the city of Valencia sponsored a contest for the construction of a new roofed marked.  A context in 1910 selected the present design by Alexandre Soler March and Francesc Guardia Vidal, who had got his architect’s degree at the School of Architecture of Barcelona and collaborated with Lluis Domenech I montaner.  Construction began in 1914 and was not fully completed until 1928 by the Valencia architect Enrique Viedma Vidal. 

And now, envision your entry into the Central Market of Valencia.  It is one of the largest in Europe; it covers more than 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq. ft.), with a predominantly Valencia Art Nouveau style.  The unusual roof comprises original domes and sloping sections at different heights, while the interior seems to be lined in a range of materials such as iton, wood, ceramics and polychromed tiles.  The beauty of the building stands out especially on account of the light that enters through the roof at various points, and through coloured window panels.

Most vendors sell food items, although souvenir shops and restaurants are located inside the market as well.  So, what are the offerings? 

I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Central Market.  And, just to give you a better perspective of the size of the market, consider these for comparison.  A football field in the US is 120 yards long, measured from the back of one endzone to the back of the other endzone and 53.3 yards wide.  The dimension of the entire surface of the football field is 57,600 square feet.  According to FIFA, for EU standards their soccer field would be 76,665.6 square feet.  The field is based on two touchlines and two goal lines, with each touchline required to be 90 to 120 meters (100 to 130 yards) in length.  These touchlines are the lines you see on the sides of a football pitch. 

In the same area of the Central Market are several cafes and restaurants.  Both inside and outside eateries to enjoy a pleasant day at the Market. 

Moving ahead, we will now explore the extraordinary Valencia Cathedral.