Torres de Serranos - Valencia, Spain
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neoc1
N 39° 28.763 W 000° 22.557
30S E 725695 N 4373263
The Puerta de Serranos is one of the twelve gates that formed part of the ancient city wall, the Christian Wall, of the City of Valencia. It is located at the northeast part of the old city at Plaça dels Furs, València, Spain.
Waymark Code: WM108HA
Location: Comunidad Valenciana, Spain
Date Posted: 03/21/2019
Views: 3
Sources:
Valencia City Guide: (
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Valencia for 91 Days: (
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Wikipedia: (
visit link)
The Puerta de Serranos, a.k.a. Torre de Serrans (Valencian spelling) was built between 1392 and 1398 by Pere Balaguer in the Valencian Gothic style as part of the city's fortification. Construction began on the April 6, 1392, on the site of an older gateway. It was completed March 1398. The structure is considered to be the largest Gothic city gateway in Europe.
At each end of the structure are pentagon shaped guard towers with crenellated battlements. The towers are joined by a two story structure. On the city side, there are three large Gothic style pointed arched openings and the second level. The towers rise above the second level and, on the city side, there are two arched openings below the towers. A central, ground level, arched opening functioned as the city gate. The Serranos Towers are made of hard stone with a limestone façade to give it a smooth appearance.
From 1586 until 1887 the towers in were turned into a prison for knights and the nobility until the prisoners were transferred to the monastery of Saint Austin. The Serranos Towers then became the ceremonial entrance to the city. During the Spanish Civil War, art from the Prado was stored in the towers for protection from Francoist bombers. Today if functions as a museum.