Valencia - Valencian Community
Of the province's 2,267,503 people, one-third live in the capital, Valencia, which is also the capital of the autonomous community. There are 265 municipalities in the province.
The Capital - Valencia
(1990 pop. 758,738), capital of Valencia prov., E Spain, on the
Turia River. The third largest city in Spain, it lies in a fertile
garden region a short distance from its busy Mediterranean port, El
Grao, on the Gulf of Valencia. It is an active industrial and
commercial center producing textiles, metal products, chemicals,
automobiles, furniture, toys, and azulejos [colored tiles]. The city will host the Swiss defense of the America's Cup in 2007.
A popular resort, the city is very picturesque, with blue-tiled church
domes and narrow streets in the old quarter and fine tree-lined avenues
and promenades in the modern section. Among its chief landmarks are the
cathedral (13th–15th cent.), called La Seo, with a Gothic belltower (the Miguelete); the Torres de Serranos, 14th-century fortified towers built on Roman foundations; the Gothic silk exchange, called La Lonja; and the 18th-century palace of justice. The city also has a fine-art gallery. The Tribunal de las Aguas, which settles disputes over the irrigation of the outlying garden region, has met regularly in the city since the 10th cent. The modern City of Arts and Sciences complex has striking buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava. Valencia also has the largest modern aquarium in Europe, the Museo de las Ciencias (see picture above).
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