miércoles, 9 de enero de 2013

The Bridges of Valencia and the descent into the river bed

 


Valencia is characterized by the large number of bridges along old Turia riverbed, some fifteen bridges, most of them of medieval root like the Trinity, Serranos and “Puente del Real”, others modern style such as the Gateway, Pasarela or Pont de Fusta, such others avantgardist From the architect Santiago Calatrava. The flowers Bridge is one of the best known.
This set of bridges is complemented by the defense of water system that would prevent flooding and is known as the parapets and
its artistic environment.

This
system is a colossal unit work for its size hardly comparable with other European river defenses.
Its main part is the “old work” or obra Vella" started between the bridges of Trinidad and El Real between 1591 and 1592 and from the Real Bridge to the Sea. The parapets were done between 1606 and 1674. This parapets also contain some decorative works, concentrated in the Paseo de la Pechina, with handrails, ramps, stairs and stone work. Especially in the southern parapet near the Botanical Gardens, one can find a wide ramp down to the river dated from 1765. This is a railing of Stone-walk for loading and unloading to the river, with horse-drawn carts or draft animals or beasts of burden. The aforementioned ramp has some bumps in stone that can be considered the ancestors of our speed bumps at the entrance of our towns.
                                             
This kind of speed reducers permitted to the horse chars a safely to our Turia river bed. Then mule driver loaded the wood coming from the mountains, filled water pitchers or perform other functions. At the bottom of the bumped stone walk there is a great convex shape Shell. This famous sculpture gave name to the alley known by valencian people as Paseo de la Pechina.
                                                                 
If you drive your bike a little further up in the Turia River Park, at the height of the "Water House" you can consider a stone-bow into the walls, marking an ancient canal or water intake of this ditch, named acequia de Rovella.
       
The Canal of Rovella at his end beside the Music Palace (2012) and at 1946.




The beginning of Rovella Canal at 1950 and 2012




Plant and tree elements, both Mediterranean and American, give a new life today to the city renew river bed. The newly planted trees are particularly interesting to us such as jacaranda tree of Brazil and Peru and South American Bottle-tree.
                                                           
Ancient Turia river bed new and refreshed gardens. A beautiful setting and a unique scenery for its history and cultural values​​, as well as a marvelous urban gardens that positions Valencia as special destiny in Europe.
We ecologist would only ask authorities to add soon to this this vegetation belt the ancient Jesuit college garden connected with the Botanical Gardens.


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