Mercat Central de València (Central Market)
Iron, glass and tile over a thousand stalls: one of Europe’s great market halls, topped by a weathervane parrot.
At a glance
The Central Market of Valencia is one of the largest fresh-food markets in Europe, built in the local Art Nouveau between 1914 and 1928. Francesc Guàrdia i Vial and Alexandre Soler i March designed it as a hall of iron and glass, finished with ceramic, mosaic and stained glass. A great dome rises over the produce, with a weathervane parrot turning above it.
Key facts
- Location: Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, Valencia
- Architects: Francesc Guàrdia i Vial and Alexandre Soler i March
- Built: 1914–1928
- Style: Valencian Art Nouveau (Modernisme)
- Function: working fresh-food market
History
Valencia replaced its open market with a covered hall worthy of a rich farming region. The two Catalan-trained architects framed it in iron and glass, the modern way to roof a great space, and dressed it in the ceramics the region is known for.
Begun in 1914 and opened in 1928, it has worked ever since as the city’s main market, hundreds of stalls under one roof, beside the silk exchange and the church of the Santos Juanes.
What you see
Daylight pours through glazed walls and the central dome onto rows of stalls. Tiled panels of fruit and fish run along the outside; inside, slender iron columns hold the roof. High above, the metal parrot, the cotorra, keeps watch as a weathervane. It is a working building that never stopped being beautiful.
Practical information
- Open: Monday to Saturday, morning to mid-afternoon
- Cost: free to enter
- Best for: the dome, the ironwork and the produce
- Time needed: 30–45 minutes
Getting there
The market sits in the old centre, facing the Llotja de la Seda silk exchange. The nearest metro is Xàtiva or Àngel Guimerà, each a short walk; many bus lines pass nearby.
Nearby
- Llotja de la Seda — the Gothic silk exchange, a UNESCO site opposite
- Església dels Sants Joans — the baroque church beside the market
Sources
- Wikipedia — Mercado Central de Valencia
- Mercat Central de València — official site; Ajuntament de València
- Wikimedia Commons — image source and licence
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