Valencia Tourist Guide 2018

U N E S C O H E R I T A G E

Consult the main events of the Fallas on page 75

THE WATER COURT

Silk Route: In 2016 València was named by UNESCO as a Focal Point in Spain on the Silk Route. It was a boost to the city for showing the numerous traces of the importance of the silk trade throughout its history. The Silk Exchange, or Lonja de la Seda, a civil Gothic masterpiece; the Velluters Neighbourhood, where the silk masters were based, and the Silk Museum, headquarters of the guild, are, together with the fallas costume shops, all must-sees for discovering the importance of the Silk Route in València.

SILK EXCHANGE

Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court): The Arabs left a deep imprint in València. A living remnant of the age is the Water Tribunal, the oldest legal institution in Europe , which controls the good usage of irrigation water. In 2009 it was declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The Court is comprised of eight representatives (trustees) of the “mother” channels that draw water from the River Turia. They meet every Thursday at 12:00 at the Cathedral in the Doorway of the Apostles (except when the Thursday is a public holiday, when they meet the previous or following day). The members of the Tribunal set out from the Casa Vestuario to the sound

Three of València’s tourist attractions have been included in the UNESCOworld heritage list:

of the bell chimes from the Miguelete tower. The bailiff calls the complainants for each channel three times and in Valencian. If there is a complaint, it is resolved there and then in front of the public. If there is not, which is what normally happens, the session is very brief and the Court is brought to an end. It is recommended to arrive at least half an hour early to attend sessions of the Court, as they are usually very crowded. Fallas: València’s most international festival, the Fallas, has been the latest to be added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, in

November 2016. Inclusion on the UNESCO world heritage list is acknowledgement that the Fallas are a unique tradition, a festival involving thousands of Valencians, and a source of collective creativity that keeps traditional Valencian practices alive over time. The aesthetic values of the festival and its rituals inherited from generation to generation have led to the Fallas now belonging to the entire world.

Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange): This impressive Gothic building stands opposite Central Market . It was a meeting point for silk merchants in the 15th century, as València was the city of reference for the silk industry and maritime trade. It is considered to be a gem of civil Gothic architecture due to both its architectural beauty and its commercial importance at

that time, and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996 .

MORE INFORMATION ON PAGE 68

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