Valencia is the center of the autonomous community of Valencia and the province of the same name[1].
The third largest city in Spain after Madrid (3,165,541 people, 607 km2) and Barcelona (1,608,680 people, area 100 km2), is located on the Mediterranean coast, in the center of a fertile plain.
Valencia, built over 2000 years ago on the banks of the Turia River, has become one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Spain today.
[1] The Autonomous Valencian Region or the Valencian Community (Comunidad Valenciana) is divided into 3 provinces: Castellón, Valencia and Alicante. The capitals of the three provinces have the same names – these are the cities of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante.
Currently, the population of Valencia is 800 thousand people.
The area of Valencia is 134 km2.
The second name of Valencia is the land of festive lights and flowers, which it received due to its picturesque nature and magnificent festive ceremonies.
The most famous and popular holiday in Valencia – Las Fallas de Valencia (14/03 – 19/03), is celebrated for a week BEFORE St. Joseph’s Day (March 19), during which the streets of the city are filled with “ninots” – huge papier sculptures -mache, symbolizing various human vices that are burned on the last night of the holiday. On this night, fireworks sparkle, music sounds, on the fifth day huge monuments are set on fire.
Joan Ribó i Canut was elected Mayor of Valencia on June 13, 2015, succeeding Rita Barberá, who had held the position for 24 years. Joan Ribot holds one of the managerial positions in the newly formed left-wing party “Compromis”.
Having inherited a completely destroyed economy and an empty treasury, Joan Ribot from the first days in power began to pursue an active policy to strengthen the social system and attract money to the budget. The first of his orders, he asked for a computer in his office, which his predecessor did not use, and refused a company car, preferring an economical bicycle to it.
As a left-wing politician, Ribot preaches a policy of maximum transparency and dialogue with the people. Therefore, from the first days as mayor, he made the entrance to the city hall building free of charge, which was previously considered an impregnable frontier, which could only be entered by close associates. Now everyone can come here on a tour and appreciate the beauty of the famous Glass Hall or enjoy the views of the center of Valencia from the balcony of the building.
Historically, the city was the center of the textile industry and trade. At the present stage, many industrial enterprises are located in the vicinity of Valencia, including the Ford plant. The city is also a center of tourism.
In 1933, the airport was opened, which occupies the 11th place in terms of passenger traffic in Spain [4].
The port of Valencia is one of the largest ports in Spain[5].
Valencia is characterized by a typical subtropical climate of the Mediterranean type. The average annual temperature in the city is about 18.3 °C.
The city is divided into 19 administrative districts.
The city is rich in sights – a huge Gothic cathedral (where the cup is kept, which is recognized by the Catholic Church in the person of the Pope as the Holy Grail) with a bell tower known as “Miguelete”, ancient churches, richly decorated inside and out, fragments of city fortifications, including several impressive gates , the medieval Gothic building of the La Lonja silk exchange, ancient urban buildings, elegant buildings of the 19th – early 20th centuries in the Art Nouveau style (Central Market, train station, post office), museums, modern Biopark and aquarium. Valencia has been part of the World Heritage of Humanity since 1996.
A typical Valencian dish is paella. It comes in several varieties: the traditional Valencian paella is made with chicken, rabbit and sometimes snails; They also cook paella with seafood, mixed paella (with meat and seafood) and even vegetarian paella. The composition of the vegetables used also varies: green beans, white beans, red peppers, artichokes, etc.
There is a variety where rice is replaced with vermicelli – it is called fideuá.