The Central Market of Valencia

The Mercat Central in Valencia is, as its name suggests, the main market in the city . It is the market where both individuals and businesses come to shop on a daily basis, as it is the best place to find fresh, quality food.

It was declared a cultural asset and an Ethnological asset in 2007 and is, without a doubt, an essential stop on your visit to Valencia . At Sea You Hotel , we want to encourage you to visit it and that is why 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 foundation of the city of Valencia, the usual location for street markets , as it is a central and open area. In fact, the Lonja de la Seda and other buildings such as the Market Council and the Church of Santos Juanes are also located there, as well as the Valencia City Hall very close by.

In 1839, the new market, considered the seed of today's market, was opened there, although it was uncovered. 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. The works began a few years later and were 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 demolitions, which was attended by Alfonso XIII, the anniversary of the laying of the first stone, the anniversary of the opening to the public...

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

The building, with a surface area of over 8,000 square metres, has a basilica-like layout 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 , which is very abundant in Valencia, to enter perfectly into the interior space, creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere and highlighting the architectural beauty of the interior.

The interior is arranged in an orderly fashion 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 renovation 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 is the backbone of the city and represents the Valencian people both architecturally and culturally.

The market has evolved over time and today, in addition to stalls with fresh food, you can also find a small percentage of non-food items, as well as stalls with prepared dishes and catering. You can visit it from Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.