Plaza de la Virgen, Water Tribunal and Turia Fountain
Why is it significant?
Conclude your journey in the magnificent open forum of Plaza de la Virgen, resting your gaze upon the impressive bronze figures of the Turia River Fountain.
Key Facts
| Place | Plaza de la Virgen, Water Tribunal and Turia Fountain |
|---|---|
| Address | Plaça de la Mare de Déu, 1, 46001 València, Spain |
| Geo Coordinates | 39.47640, -0.37510 |
| Part of Walk | Valencia Old Town: The Silk Exchange, Medieval Towers, and Holy Grail Cathedral |
| Generated | Generated |
Conclude your journey in the magnificent open forum of Plaza de la Virgen, resting your gaze upon the impressive bronze figures of the Turia River Fountain. This historic square was the Roman forum of Valentia Edetanorum, founded in 138 BC by consul Decimus Junius Brutus on an island formed by the branching arms of the Turia River. In the center of the marble pavement, the monumental fountain sculpted by Manuel Silvestre Montesinos in 1976 personifies the river god reclined with eight surrounding female nymphs, each pouring an amphora representing one of the eight historic irrigation canals of the fertile huerta.
Facing the plaza stands the Gothic Puerta de los Apóstoles of the Cathedral. Every single Thursday at midday, uninterrupted for over a thousand years, this stone doorway hosts the Tribunal de las Aguas, or Water Court. Eight democratically elected peasant judges clad in black smocks assemble here to resolve irrigation disputes verbally in the Valencian language, with no lawyers, written records, or appeals. Declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009, it is the oldest continually operating legal tribunal in Europe.
Beside the cathedral stands the Basilica of the Virgen de los Desamparados, built between 1652 and 1667 to house Valencia's patron saint, affectionately called La Geperudeta for the gentle tilt of her neck. Inside, its vaulted ceiling is adorned with a dazzling Baroque fresco painted by Antonio Palomino in 1701 depicting the glory of the saints.
Beneath the glass pavement just behind the basilica lies the Almoina archaeological crypt, a monumental subterranean city revealing intact thermal baths from Roman Valentia founded in 138 BC, Visigothic martyr tombs from the sixth century, and the paved courtyards of the eleventh-century Islamic palace fortress.
We conclude our walk here at the beating heart of Valencia, where ancient Roman foundations, medieval justice, and vibrant Mediterranean life intertwine in timeless beauty.