The most beautiful churches in Valencia

It is no coincidence to begin the tour at the Cathedral in the heart of the city. It is a Gothic construction of sober beauty, as demonstrated in the Puerta de los Apóstoles (Gate of the Apostles), but with a Romanesque portal (the Palau gate) and a Baroque one (the Iron gate). It was built over a Roman temple and, subsequently, the main mosque. Notable features include its bell tower, the Micalet, and the dome over the transept. Inside, the chapel houses the Holy Chalice, Renaissance frescoes of musical angels, the main altarpiece by Yañez de la Almedina and Hernando de Llanos, as well as a pair of paintings by Goya.

Right next to the Cathedral lies the Basilica of the Virgin of the Forsaken, a place of pilgrimage for believers. It is the only church in the historic center that was not built over ancient parishes or convents, but is a new construction in Baroque style. A noteworthy element is the camarín (the niche or dressing room for the statue), one of the first built in Spain. The paintings on the vault are the immortal work of Antonio Palomino, court painter to Charles II.

Very close to the Cathedral (Trinquete de Caballeros, 5) lies the Church of San Juan del Hospital, the oldest in the city, as it was erected by direct order of Jaume I following the conquest of Balansiya. It is a clear example of the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles, and it retains influences of Mudejar art. In its small attached cemetery, it preserves a section of the spina (central wall) of the ancient Roman circus.

The next parish on this route, San Nicolás (Caballeros, 35), is an absolute must-see due to the pictorial jewel it contains. Upon entering this Gothic-based temple, your gaze is inevitably drawn to its ribbed vault, where the fresco paintings projected by Palomino and executed by his Valencian disciple, Dionís Vidal, stand out. It features 1,900 square meters of allegories that have earned it the nickname of the "Valencian Sistine Chapel."

On a corner of the Plaza de la Reina, occupying the entire Plaza de Lope de Vega, stands the Gothic church of Santa Catalina. Its slender Baroque bell tower, the work of Juan Bautista Viñes in the 17th century, is worthy of praise.

On Calle de la Nau, in the fine company of the historic headquarters of the Universitat de València, you will find the Iglesia del Patriarca, integrated into the Real Colegio Seminario de Corpus Christi. Its structure reflects Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles. Do not miss the museum, with notable works by classic Valencian painters, nor the unsettling caiman that presides over its entrance and is the origin of a curious legend. The cloister is also remarkable.

The route would not be complete without visiting, right between the Lonja de la Seda and the Central Market, the Santos Juanes, a notable sacred building with a Gothic base and Baroque appearance. From its initial phase, it preserves the partially blinded rose window (known as the "O de Sant Joan"). The paintings on the vault, also the work of the great Palomino, were partially affected by a fire during the Civil War.

Outside the walls of the old fortified city lies the Convent of Santo Domingo (Plaza de Tetuán), a site of great heritage wealth, formerly the seat of the Captaincy General, and home to the most beautiful example of Flamboyant or Mediterranean Gothic style in Valencia. Its helicoidal ribs and transverse arches are breathtaking.

And although it is not a church, but rather was a seminary, what is today the headquarters of the city's Museum of Fine Arts houses an extremely interesting collection of unique pieces from the 14th and 15th centuries, including many altarpieces, which show the evolution of medieval religious art.