The wall in the basement
Islamic wall remains uncovered during construction and left on show inside a contemporary museum.
Juan García — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Juan García — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Juan García — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Juan García — CC BY-SA 4.0
Valencia's museum of modern and contemporary art, opened in 1989 and among the first institutions of its kind in Spain outside Madrid and Barcelona. Its building is frankly contemporary, on the edge of the old centre along the line of the former walls. The permanent collection turns on twentieth-century Spanish art, and its centrepiece is the work of the sculptor Julio González, whose bequest forms the museum's core. Alongside it run temporary exhibitions that change several times a year and largely determine what a visit is worth on any given day. The museum's surprise is in the basement: a stretch of Valencia's old Islamic wall, uncovered during construction and left exposed and integrated into the building. It sits at the edge of the Carmen quarter, so it combines with a walk of the old district rather than standing as a trip of its own.
Islamic wall remains uncovered during construction and left on show inside a contemporary museum.
The Spanish sculptor's work forms the core of the permanent collection.
The temporary exhibitions make the difference between a strong visit and an ordinary one.
Carrer de Guillem de Castro 118, Valencia
Museum of Prehistory of ValenciaA museum covering the history of the Valencia region from the Stone Age through 2 minutes walk4.7
Turia GardensThe Turia Gardens are the smartest urban decision a Spanish city ever took: afte4 minutes walk4.7
Centre del Carme Cultural CentreA contemporary arts centre in the former Carmelite convent, a religious complex 4 minutes walk4.7
Casa-Museo BenlliureThe house of the painter José Benlliure in Valencia, preserved as it was and ope4 minutes walk4.5
Portal de la ValldignaA stone arch on Calle Caballeros, what remains of the gate that separated the Ch6 minutes walk4.4Only up to a point. The stretch of Islamic wall in the basement interests any visitor and the building has presence. But if contemporary art holds no appeal, your time is better spent in the old city or at the City of Arts and Sciences.
It sits at the edge of the Carmen quarter, so the natural arrangement is to walk the old district and finish here, or the reverse. The Torres de Quart are close too, on the same wall line.