Let’s meet at the River

“Quedamos en el río” is a phrase that is often heard in Valencia but if you are a tourist or a newcomer you might find it difficult to actually locate this mysterious river.

“GREEN LUNGS”

We had a delightful walking tour right here in València this week! We spent a few hours walking along the Turia and learning about some of the many bridges that cross it. The Jardínes de Turia is a huge park that winds through the heart of the city. At 9 kilometers (5 miles) in length, it is the largest urban park in Spain.

Once a river, it is now a green space that is referred to as the “green lungs” of Valencia. There’s a wonderful mix of cycling, jogging, and walking paths, playing fields, trees, fountains, lawns, playgrounds, and cafes. The Turia Gardens end near the Mediterranean Sea, beside the pools of the La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences). More on that amazing place another time! 

A LITTLE HISTORY

In 1957, Valencia experienced a devastating flood that forever changed the city’s relationship with the Turia River. Nearly three quarters of the city was inundated by floodwater and over 60 people lost their lives. The following year, the city embraced a plan to divert the river around its western outskirts to the Mediterranean Sea.

A park wasn’t the city leadership’s first idea—in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion, they envisioned an elaborate highway system through the heart of the City. But by 1970 the citizens pushed back and protested the highway proposal under the motto “The bed of Turia is ours and we want green!” By the end of the decade, the City approved legislation to turn the riverbed into a park and commissioned a master plan in 1982. The plan created a framework for the riverbed and divided it into 18 zones. Currently, all but one of the zones has been developed.

https://metropolismag.com/projects/how-valencia-turned-crisis-river-into-park/

Once Spain recovered its democracy in 1975, the municipality of Valencia decided to turn the empty riverbed into a park. The first sections were officially opened in 1986.

AMAZING BRIDGES

As for the bridges, they are architectural wonders, each with its own story and design. There are eighteen bridges that cross the Turia and they are from different periods and various architectural styles. Five of the bridges are quite old having been built between the early 15^th and 17^th centuries. Oldest is the Puente de la Trinidad (1402) which was built in the Gothic style on the remnants of a Moorish bridge made of wood.

Then, there’s the striking and very modern bridge designed by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava (a native of Valencia).

We’re definitely planning to spend more time in the beloved Jardínes de Turia!