The City of Arts & Sciences
Valencia is the capital city of the Costa Blanca region and the third largest city after Madrid and Barcelona. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this Mediterranean jewel is that despite being one of the oldest cities in Spain, it is fast becoming one of the newest due to the city's innovative and forward-thinking outlook. Valencia manages to maintain its traditional cultural heritage and traditions intact among its influential modern architectural marvels.
Considered to be the largest leisure complex of Europe, La Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias (as it is known) is a futuristic-looking urban complex devoted to the promotion of art, culture, science, technology, nature and leisure activities. The “city” is made up of 5 space-age complexes, and all are known by their Valencian names.
The genius behind the design of all the avant-garde structures that make up The City of Arts and Sciences (with the exception of the L'Oceanogràfic) is Valencian-born, award-winning Architect Santiago Calatrava, who employed concrete, steel, glass, ceramics and the colours white and blue in the creation of the refreshing thematic structures:
L'Hemisfèric
The symbolic and largest architectural element of The City of Arts & Sciences. Particularly designed to look like a human eye, and sometimes referred to as “the eye of knowledge”, it opens out into the world from a shallow turquoise pool that surrounds it. This is where a large planetarium, an IMAX cinema and a Laserium are found.
El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
This magnificent building, which stands 14 stories-high and 3 stories-deep, is home to 4 performing art venues, an opera house, a restaurant and café.
L'Umbracle
Floating white arched beams enclose a palm tree-lined bridge, much like a boulevard. The entire “city” is perfectly viewed from this walkway which also displays native flora from the Valencian region.
El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe
An interactive hands-on Science and technology museum with an architectural shape that closely resembles a dinosaur's skeleton.
L'Oceanogràfic
Europe's largest aquarium and marine park complex is sheltered under a roof designed in the shape of a water lily. This complex, designed by the Spanish architect Félix Candela prior to his death, is home to over 45,000 specimens and 500 different species of marine flora and fauna - one of the most varied in the world. There is also an underground restaurant and library.
Because there is so much to see and do at the The City of Arts and Sciences, much time and patience is required to visit all of the structures, admire the views and everything else that the place has to offers. More than one day is recommended to explore the “city”, as it is quite impossible to thoroughly see everything without skimping on its enjoyment.
Additionally, Valencia's valuable asset of reliable weather conditions (mild temperatures year-round) allowed the city to be selected, out of many cities in the world, to become the host city of the 32nd America's Cup Race.
However, it is without a doubt that exploring the amazing Ciudad of Arts and Sciences is a must when studying Spanish in our don Quijote Valencia!
