The origins of the Church of Saint Nicolas can be traced back to the 13th Century from where begins the long and eventful history of this religious site. The church, as it stands today, is a blend of two distinct architectural styles - the Gothic and the Baroque. From the outside, the church features a simple, understated design that is typical of 15th-century, Gothic architecture. Inside, the church is a visual feast, adorned from floor to ceiling in colorful Baroque frescoes that date back to the 17th Century. The Church of Saint Nicholas is a veritable treasure trove of ecclesiastical art and one of Valencia's most popular attractions. Stop by and enjoy a glimpse into the life of the church's patron saint, chronicled in artistic detail across the walls and ceiling of this historic site.
L'Iber Museo de Los Soldaditos de Plomo is quite different from your regular museums in the way that the museum houses collections of war-time antiques from different times, with themes like Spanish guards, Battle of America, Hall of the Middle Ages, Corpus Christi procession, Antiquity room, Hall of Tapestries and more. The museum also houses a store from where one can buy collectibles and souvenirs.
This museum is part of the Centro Cultural de la Beneficencia. The cultural centre has permanent exhibition halls in which you can learn about the evolution of rural, traditional Valencian society's way of life. It also has temporary exhibitions on various ethnological themes. There is a specialized library, open to the public, which deals with ethnological and anthropological subjects, and the archives that accompany them. Apart from the cultural centre's activities (exhibitions, concerts, conferences), the visitor can participate in and make use of various didactic workshops and sound, photo and video libraries.
The Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología can be found in the La Beneficencia Cultural Center, which incorporates various museums and a gallery for temporary exhibitions on a wide variety of subjects. This cultural center is also quite close to the IVAM museum. This museum is where you will find the valuable pieces found on archaeological excavations undertaken by the Service of Prehistoric Investigation. It constitutes perhaps one of the finest museographic collections in Spain. Its exhibition halls trace the evolution of Valencians and their instruments from the Paleolithic to the late Roman era. The cultural center has a shop with a good variety of books and souvenirs, and a cafe. You can also enjoy the many concerts, conferences and other cultural activities held here the year round.
Casa Museo de Blasco Ibáñez the house of the Valencian writer, Blasco Ibáñez, is situated on the Paseo Marítimo near Malvarrosa beach. It was recently renovated and is a fine example of the Valencian bourgeois architecture of the past century. The building is well-known for the caryatids which adorn the front of the house. You can visit the writer's study which includes furniture from Ibáñez's time and a display of various editions of his novels and photography. This house has a marvelous view of the beach, painted so many times by Joaquín Sorolla, a personal friend of the writer's.
An imposing Gothic masterpiece, the Cathedral of Valencia consists of three naves, a polygonal apse and monumental dome. Construction began in 1262 and finished in 1702, though before it was a cathedral, it was the site of a mosque and a Roman temple. The cathedral's three doors reflect the mixture of styles: the Palau (palace) door is archaic Romanesque mixed with primitive Gothic; the Door of the Apostles is pure Gothic, and the Hierros Door is Baroque. Every Thursday at midday, the Door of the Apostles is the site of the oldest tribunal in all of Europe, the Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court), which resolves the conflicts arising over the use of water in the nearby fields. Another outstanding feature is the Gothic bell tower, known as the Miguelete, whose 207-step stairway takes you up to some of the best views over the city. The cathedral also houses the Catedralicio Diocesano Museum and the Santo Cáliz Chapel.