A walk through the Barrio del Carmen in Valencia. history and monuments
To speak of El Carmen is to speak of a historic neighborhood in Valencia, and in recent years it has been gaining fame for being where the most underground culture and a special atmosphere are concentrated, making it one of the most charming places to discover in Valencia.
Its origins will date back to the reconquest, since at the time it came to be, from a refuge for Muslims to a convent or an orchard.
When they came to power, the Christians fortified the area, since a second wall was built outside the neighborhood next to the Turia.
What to see in the Barrio del Carmen in Valencia
After the arrival of the Christians, the neighborhood began to prosper, as it became an area where the multitude of artisan workshops and aristocratic residences stood out.
Some buildings that we can see from that time are: The Torres de Serrano and those of Quart, the Mossen Sorell Market, Iglesia del Carmen, the house-museum of the illustrious painter José Benlliure, etc.
What will surprise you the most will be the Portal de la Valldigna, which dates back to the year 1400 and was responsible for separating the Christian city from the Moorish quarter of Valencia, opening onto the 11th-century Arab wall. In the portal it is possible to see a reproduction of the original altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin that was placed in 1589.
It is worth noting that we also have the IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art) and the Museum of the 19th century.
A great change for the better came at the end of the last century, when it was pedestrianized and became a meeting place for the young people of the city.
This means that the neighborhood has also come to be inhabited by many artists and that many places for drinks have been opened. This has been regulated and now the neighborhood has become a prominent place culturally and where there are multiple leisure offers.
It is worth visiting this neighborhood for its great interest from the historical point of view and also for the great gastronomic offer that exists. Being located in the center of the city, it is easy to find and few neighborhoods in Europe can say that they are located between an Arab and a Christian wall.
