Valencia's Central Market
was designed in 1914 but not completed until
1928. The building is a busy, bustling
retail market offering a wide variety of
foodstuffs to shoppers. It is also a
work of art.
The Visit Valencia website explains that the
building is organized, ".... into
straight alleys, crossed by two main lanes
along which the 959 stalls are set. The
ceramic covered partitions along with the
stone, wood, and the colourful glasswork
make the building an excellent example of
the modernist architecture of the time."
The market's own
website says of its architecture that, "...
The Mercat Central is undoubtedly the
most representative building of early
20th century Valencia, a city which
was advancing towards technological
and commercial progress and felt proud
of the agricultural potential of its
farmland. This commitment to progress
and farming production can be seen in
the modernist structure of the market
and the allegorical decoration of its
interior. The iron, glass and
ceramic domes (the central one is 30
metres high)."
Outside the ceramic
and glass domes are surmounted by
weather veins. One has a parrot
on top ....
.... the other has a swordfish.
"The
two pavilions on either side
of the main entrance were
made entirely with exposed
brickwork, stonework and
decorated ceramic tiles."
