Public market located in Valencia, Spain
View of the interior.
Mercado Central
or
Mercat Central
(English:
Central Market
) is a public market located across from the
Llotja de la Seda
and the
Church of Santos Juanes
in central
Valencia, Spain
. It is one of the main works of the
Valencian Art Nouveau
.
History
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In 1839, the spot had been used to inaugurate an open-air marketplace called Mercat Nou. By the end of the century the city of Valencia sponsored a contest for the construction of a new roofed market. A new contest in 1910 selected the present design by
Alexandre Soler March
and
Francesc Guardia Vidal
, who had got his architect's degree at the
School of Architecture of Barcelona
and collaborated with
Lluis Domenech i Montaner
. Construction began in 1914 and was not fully completed until 1928 by the Valencian architect Enrique Viedma Vidal.
The Central Market of Valencia is one of the largest in Europe; it covers more than 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft), with a predominantly Valencian Art Nouveau style. Its unusual roof comprises original domes and sloping sections at different heights, while the interior seems to be lined in a range of materials such as iron, wood, ceramics and polychromed tiles. The beauty of the building stands out especially on account of the light that enters through the roof at various points, and through coloured window panels.
[1]
The style blends a modern
Valencian Art Nouveau
look but mirrors some of the architectural influences of nearby buildings such as the
Valencian Gothic
style
Lonja de la Seda
and the eclectic Gothic-baroque church of Sants Juanes. It celebrates the power of iron and glass to permit the construction of large open spaces, but still utilizes domes at crossings.
[2]
Most vendors sell food items, although souvenir shops and restaurants are located inside the market as well. It is a popular location for tourists and locals alike.
References
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External links
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39°28′24.809″N
0°22′44.116″W
/
39.47355806°N 0.37892111°W
/
39.47355806; -0.37892111