The Central Market of Valencia

The Mercat Central de Valencia (Valencia Central Market) is, as its name suggests, the main market in the city. It is the market where both individuals and businesses go to shop on a day-to-day basis, as it is the best place to find fresh, high-quality food.

It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest and an ethnological property in 2007 and is, without a doubt, an essential stop on your visit to Valencia. From Sea You Apartamentos Port Saplaya, we want to encourage you to visit it, so we are going to briefly tell you everything you need to know about the Mercat Central de Valencia.

The space where the market is located has been, since the founding of the city of Valencia, the usual site for street markets due to it being a central and open area. In fact, the Silk Exchange (Lonja de la Seda) and other buildings such as the Market Council and the Church of Santos Juanes are located there, as well as the Valencia City Hall very close by.

In 1839, what is considered the germ of the current market, the New Market, was inaugurated right there, which, however, was outdoors. Later, at the end of the 19th century, seeing that this was insufficient, the City Council called for a competition for the construction of a market worthy of the city.

In 1910, the project was finally assigned to Alejandro Soler and Francisco Guardia. Construction began a few years later and finished in 1928. The construction was not easy, as there were controversies, budgetary problems, social conflicts, economic crises...

Due to this long construction time, the market has several anniversaries, such as the anniversary of the inauguration of the demolition, in which Alfonso XIII was present, the laying of the first stone, the opening to the public...

The Valencia Central Market is in a clearly modernist style, with allegorical ornamentation related to nature inside. In fact, it is considered one of the masterpieces of Valencian modernism. A spectacularly striking building that integrates perfectly with the others it shares the square with. The architectural style perfectly represents the city at that time, a city that was moving towards commercial progress but felt proud of its orchard (huerta).

The building, with an area of more than 8,000 square meters, has a basilica floor plan and has doors to different squares and streets. It is crowned by iron, glass, and ceramic domes and two weather vanes (the parrot and the fish). The domes allow natural light, very abundant in Valencia, to enter the interior space perfectly, creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere and highlighting the interior architectural beauty.

The interior is distributed in an orderly manner in wide corridors adorned with elegant arcades and ornate columns. This facilitates interaction with the products and the merchants. On the other hand, the façade has ornamental details, floral reliefs, and traditional tiles with geometric motifs. In 2004, a comprehensive rehabilitation took place with a complete restoration of the building.

The Mercat Central de Valencia deserves to be one of the stops on your trip to Valencia as it is much more than the largest fresh produce market in Europe. Also known as "the cathedral of the senses," it is a place that anchors the city and represents the Valencian people both architecturally and culturally.

The market has been evolving over time and today, in addition to fresh food stalls, you can also find a small percentage of non-food items, as well as stalls for prepared dishes and catering services. You can visit it from Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 15:00.