Plenty of history and culture to explore

Valencia is considered as one of the most beautiful cities on the Mediterranean. Its romantic spirit seems more justified by its past than by its present. An illustrious past remains blended with a modern city that keeps evolving over the years.

Moreover, Valencia’s strong cultural tradition is partly reflected by its famous people such as the writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, best known for his novel about bullfighting, Blood and Sand, and for his World War I novel, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Another world famous Valencia’s son is Joaquín Sorolla, the famous Spanish Impressionist.

A bit of history

Roman Valentia

Valentia means “strength and good luck”. However, the prosperity of the city didn’t last long and, in 75 B.C., it was laid to waste during the war between Pompey and Sertorius.The ruins at the Almoina site contain the ancient Roman “El Cardo” street and traces of the destruction  of the city have also been found. After the war Valencia was abandoned until it was repopulated in the time of the Emperor Octavian (20-15 B.C.) From then until the 3rd Century, the city enjoyed a period of growth and development which led to the construction of public buildings and infrastructure, such as the river port, located where the Torres de Serranos are today.

The development of the city coincided with the birth and progressive expansion of Christianity. This period saw the arrival of the Deacon of the diocese of Caesaraugusta (Saragossa), better known as St. Vincent Martyr. San Vicente is the patron saint of the city and arrived in Valencia in 304 A.D. to promote the new Christian faith, but was condemned to death and martyred. His remains were cast into the sea, but were recovered by the first Christians of the city, who buried him in a place which was to become a centre for pilgrimage. There are very few fountains or other remains from Visigothic times and the latest finds were made in the L’Almoina site next to the Cathedral. Splendour returned to Balansiya thanks to the kings of Taifas (1010), Mubarak, Muzaffar and Abd al-Aziz.

Especially the latter, who built new city walls and made Valencia the strongest fortress in all Al-Andalus. On his death, the instability was taken advantage of by a legendary mercenary, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar – El Cid Campeador – to take the city from the Arabs at the end of the 11th Century. However, the glory didn’t last long and Valencia was retaken by the Almoravid Arabs in 1102, who were followed by the Almohads in 1171.

The Muslim centuries

The Muslims landed in the Peninsula in 711 and the city was once more burnt to the ground in 778: Abd al-Raman I razed Valencia to the ground for rising against Arab domination. From the time of the Caliphate, the most important remains belong to the pleasure palace built by Abd al- Allah al- Balansiya as a replica of the Persian gardens.

He called it Russafa (gardens), and the name has come down to our times as the name of the modern neighbourhood built where the estate once stood.

The reconquest

Valencia was conquered for the last time by King Jaime I of Aragon in 1238. The new king then resettled the city with Christian families, mostly from Catalonia and Aragon. The Muslims were relegated to a neighbourhood outside the city walls known as the “Arrabal de la Morería” – the Arab Quarter. In the reign of King Jaime I, as well as turning the mosques into churches, Els Furs – the laws of the Kingdom of Valencia – were enacted, the Llibre del Consolat de Mar was drawn up – these being the oldest known Maritime Laws, and law and commerce were regulated.

The wars between the Crowns of Aragon and Castile led King Pedro “The Cruel” to attack Valencia twice. This resulted, on the one hand, in the destruction of Jaime I’s Royal Palace and, on the other, to Valencia being awarded the title of “twice loyal city”, for withstanding both assaults. This is reflected in the double “l” which can be seen on the city’s coat of arms. Fortunately for the Valencians, the conflicts with Castile came to an end when King Martin “The Humane” (1410) died without an heir and the Agreement of Caspe (1412) was signed. Fernando de Antequera, a member the Castilian dynasty of the Trastámaras, became the new king of the Kingdom of Aragon. A vital role in this diplomatic game was played by another famous Valencian personality – Vicente Ferrer, canonized in 1455 by another Valencian – Pope Calixto III.

Valencia’s golden age

The 15th Century was Valencia’s golden age from every point of view. El Miguelete, Las Torres de Quart, La Lonja de la Seda, El Palau de la Generalitat and Las Atarazanas were all built in this century. Valencian poets and humanists were universally successful – Ausias March, Joan Rois de Corella, Joan Martorell and Isabel de Villena. Valencian patricians also lent money to the Catholic Kings for their campaigns in America.

But once again, a terrible flood laid waste to the city, to be followed by the plague (1519). After the war, the Guerra de las Germanías broke out. This was a revolt by craftsmen, labourers and junior clergy against the nobility and senior clergy. In 1521 the agermanats were finally defeated and a strict monarchy was installed, headed by the Vicereine Germana de Foix, widow of King Fernando the Catholic. During the 17th century, Valencia followed the same course as the rest of Spain.

The Hapsburg dynasty strengthened the authority of the monarchy and implanted the hegemony of Christianity: The moriscos (Moorish converts to Christianity) were banished in 1609, religious celebrations became ever more ostentatious and magnificent and the court flourished around the political figures of the Viceroys.

The Borbon dynasty

Carlos II died childless in 1700 and the War of Succession broke out in Spain. During the war, the Valencians supported Archduke Carlos de Austria but his opponent from the Borbon family won – Felipe V. After winning the Battle of Almansa in 1707, Felipe abolished the Fueros and installed an absolute monarchy, meaning that Valencia lost its laws and all capacity for self-government.

From another point of view, the 18th century was a prosperous one for Valencia. Industry flourished, especially the silk industry, which developed its own quarter in Velluters and provided work for 25,000 people. The city was planned and divided into neighbourhoods, each with their own Mayor. For the first time in Spain, the “Serenos” were formed, these being nocturnal guards who imposed law in the streets. Erudite thought appeared in Valencia with such thinkers as Gregorio Mayans and Pérez Báyer.

Independence from France and the Carlist wars

However, once again, the calm didn’t last for long. In 1808, King Carlos IV and King Fernando VII renounced their rights in favour of Napoleon’s brother, José Bonaparte, and the Spanish War of Independence broke out.

In Valencia, a palleter called Vicente Doménech went to where the official documents of the French administration were sold and tore one of the papers up, shouting: “A poor palleter declares war against Napoleon. Long live Fernando VII and death to traitors”. The people rose up in arms the next day. The Napoleonic troops were finally driven out in 1812 and the new king, Fernando VII, entered Valencia, where he secretly abolished the Constitution and reinstalled an absolute monarchy. So a century that began with independence experienced a period of political and military convulsions and urban development.

There were successive risings – The “Glorious” Revolution (1868), The 1st Republic and the Valencian Canton (1873), political parties flourished, along with pamphlets and newspapers.

Meanwhile, the first railway was built in 1852, between El Grao de Valencia and Xàtiva, and the bullring was opened too. The old city walls were demolished and the city was properly planned for the first time, leading to the creation of the Ensanche neighbourhood.

The 20th century

By the beginning of the 20th century,Valencia was an industrial city, buzzing with political ideas, and international events began to have an effect locally. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez was the standard bearer of the Valencian language of the time. A bourgeois republican, he led the Republican Party to victory in the local elections (1901-1923) and his novels were very successful all over the world.

During the Spanish Civil War, in November 1936, the Government of the Republic set up its headquarters in El Palacio de Benicarló, and Valencia was the republican capital for 11 months. 1957 saw one of the worst floods in the history of the River Turia. Many buildings still bear marks on the walls showing how high the waters rose. As a result of the disaster, a plan known as the Plan Sur was drawn up to divert the River Turia.

Contemporary Valencia

Valencia is known as a cultural centre – dynamic and cosmopolitan – which has managed to keep a balanced development over the years. Its tourist promotion combines the superb historical and monumental heritage in the historic centre with new urban developments and its exuberant festivals.

Valencians’ high quality of life can be explained by several reasons: mild weather, splendid beaches, a huge variety of cultural activities and events, excellent food and drink, the elegance of the city and its modern transport and communications networks, which provides easy access to all major cities in Spain and Europe.

As regards art, Valencia has important museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (IVAM) and the Fine Arts Museum San Pio V but architecture is another living art, and one proof of this is the City of Arts and Sciences or the new Congress Centre that Sir Norman Foster has designed for the city.

Festivals, exhibitions, world-class conferences and events throughout the year enliven the cultural life of Valencia and the cheerful, lively character of the inhabitants gives the city a unique bohemian essence, a city of light and colour, making it a great place for a citybreak or day trip all year round.

• Source: www.comunitatvalenciana.com