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Valencia is Spain's third largest city and is located on the country's east coast to the south of Barcelona, the second largest city. It is also the capital of the province of Valencia. Valencia is an outstanding city in a variety of respects, including its quality of life, history, architecture and economy. It has a typical Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and mild winters. There are a number of buildings of historic and architectural significance and it is also home to some innovative new architecture and urban design. Adding to its convenience and attractiveness is a growing subway and light railway network. Valencia has a well deserved reputation for its food. It is the original home to the variety of oranges of the same name. It is also the original home of paella, which is is now popular in much of Spain as well as other parts of Europe. The traditional form of paella contains mainly rice, saffron and seafood, all of which are found in abundance in the Valencia region. The city is also the center of a major industrial and agricultural region. Manufacturing focuses on metal products, chemicals, textiles, shipbuilding and brewing. It is one of the busiest Mediterranean ports and handles roughly 20 percent of Spain's exports. The city was founded by the Romans in 137 B.C. on the site of an existing village. Its original name was Valentia, the Latin word for strength and vigor. During the Moorish period, it was referred to in Arabic as Balansiya. The two official languages in the city are Spanish and Valencian. During the Franco era, the use of Valencian was prohibited, but now the local government actively promotes it, including making it part of compulsory education. Valencian is a dialect of the Catalan language, which is spoken on Spain's east coast and centered in Barcelona. Catalan has similarities to both Spanish and French. Created November 1, 2006. |