Plaza del Ayuntamiento

- Town Hall Square, Plaça de l'Ajuntament, Town Hall Square, City Hall, Astoria Palace, Carrer de les Barques, Carrer de Don Juan de Austria


Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Plaça de l'Ajuntament, Town Hall Square) is the heart of Valencia. Triangular in shape and very large, this is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Here you find some of Spain's most beautiful buildings, such as the Town Hall, the Post Office, a splendid fountain, hotels, cafés, restaurants, flower stands, kiosks, benches, palms, trees and heavy traffic. The square is housing many baroque buildings, most of them white and about 10 floors high. Plaça de l'Ajuntament (Valencian spelling) is close to the main station in the city center, Estació del Nord (Northern Station), that is a very beautiful art nouvau building.

The Town Hall (Ayuntamiento de Valencia), the most famous building at the square, was built in the 18th century in baroque style. It has served as Valencia's city hall since 1934. It is a very beatiful white building, but when the sun doesn't shine on it the facade looks more grey/yellow. The interior is impressive; there is an atrium with a marble staircase, a grand ballroom, a balcony with views of Plaza del Ayuntamiento (feels like a royalty's balcony) and a museum. All this is free and open to public, after the security has scanned your bag. Of course we went inside. Lots of polices, guards and police cars surround the building.

Edificio de Correos y Telegrafos (Central Post Office), built 1915-22 is also quite impressive, especially for being a post office. It is also a white baroque building, facing the city hall. We went inside to post letters; the interior is nice, the main hall is a rotunda with a decorated mosaic ceiling. Some of many other notable impressive beautiful buildings at Plaza del Ayuntamiento are Melia Plaza Hotel, Edificio La Equitativa, Rialto Teatre, Edificio Generali, Hostal Valencia and many others. One of the nicest fountain I have ever seen can be found in the North part of the square. It was only turned on some days, unfortunately. Theatres, statues and restaurants can be found at the square.

Carrer de les Barques is a short but nice street that passes the Town Hall Square to the East. Here you find the movie theatre Teatro Principal, Banco de Valencia and other grandiose bank buildings. Our hotel, Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace, was situated right behind it. Carrer de Don Juan de Austria is a pedestrian street that is the extention of Barques. Here you find fancy brand stores and a large branch of El Corte Inglés department store that we visited.

Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace was our choice of hotel. It is a 4-star hotel situated in a 10-storey building, just one block from Plaza Ayuntamiento but on a quite side street, so the location couldn't be better. It is also a short walk from the Old Town. The small but nice square Placa de Rodrigo is facing the hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Our double room on the 8th floor was really nice with a darkish/red interior. From the windows there was views of parts of the Old Town's beautiful buildings, and had double glass. There was AC on the room, important since it was really warm inside despite the low outdoor temperature. The bathroom was ok, but not more then casual, though it had it's own telephone. Wi-fi is free. The lobby is small but nice with dark wood panels. There is also a restaurant, a fitness center, a café and a fancy lounge bar, but we never visited them. Some rooms have balconies but not ours. We didn't try the breakfast as it was very expensive and there are a lot of nice cafés in the surroundings with very good prices. Overall Astoria Palace was really a great value for money, especially considering it's location and standard.

 

Plaza del Ayuntamiento - looking Northwards Plaza del Ayuntamiento Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Town Hall and fountain Plaza del Ayuntamiento 57 - Town Hall (Ayuntamiento de Valencia), the most famous building at the square, was built in the 18th century in baroque style. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 40 - the Town Hall, beautiful but not white anymore. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 03 - Only 7 degrees! City Hall to the left. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 05 Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Fountain in the North part Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Fountain in the North part Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Fountain in the North part Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Fountain in the North part Plaza del Ayuntamiento 06 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 07 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 08 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 10 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 11 - Valencia Town Hall (Ayuntamiento de Valencia) since 1934. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 12 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 13 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 14 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 15 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 16 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 17 - (Edificio de Correos y Telegrafos (Central Post Office Bldg) Plaza del Ayuntamiento 18 - Edificio La Equitativa, beautiful art nouvau Plaza del Ayuntamiento 19 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 20 - North part Plaza del Ayuntamiento 21 - - Realto Movie Theatre Plaza del Ayuntamiento 22 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 23 - Town Hall (Ayuntamiento de Valencia), Valencia's most famous building. Beautiful but not as white as you might think. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 24 - Realto Movie Theatre Plaza del Ayuntamiento 26 - Realto Movie Theatre Plaza del Ayuntamiento 25 - Hotel Venecia, hard to believe but only 2 stars Plaza del Ayuntamiento 27 - Statue of Francesc de Vinatea Plaza del Ayuntamiento 28 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 29 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 30 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 31 - North part of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 32 - architecture, North part of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 33 - architecture, North part of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 34 - looking south Plaza del Ayuntamiento 35 - baroque facades Plaza del Ayuntamiento 36 - the beautiful baroque City Hall Plaza del Ayuntamiento 37 - Town Hall Tower Plaza del Ayuntamiento 38 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 39 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 41 - Edificio Generali (right) Plaza del Ayuntamiento 77 - Edificio de Correos y Telegrafos ( Central Post Office) built 1915-22. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 42 - top of the Post Office Plaza del Ayuntamiento 43 - Central Post Office interior Plaza del Ayuntamiento 44 - Central Post Office mosaic ceiling Plaza del Ayuntamiento 45 - Central Post Office entrance Plaza del Ayuntamiento 46 - Central Post Office building Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Café y Tapas Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Café y Tapas Plaza del Ayuntamiento 47 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 48 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 49 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 50 - North end of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 51 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 52 - North end of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 53 - West side Plaza del Ayuntamiento 54 - Melia Plaza Hotel and other builtings on the west side of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 55 - Melia Plaza Hotel and other builtings on the west side of the square Plaza del Ayuntamiento 56 - Melia Plaza Hotel and Hostal Valencia Plaza del Ayuntamiento 58 - Carrer de Barques Plaza del Ayuntamiento 59 - Edificio Generali (right) Plaza del Ayuntamiento 61 - Edificio La Equitativa Plaza del Ayuntamiento 62 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 63 - in front of the city hall Plaza del Ayuntamiento 64 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 65 - Town Hall balcony and entrance Plaza del Ayuntamiento 66 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 67 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 68 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 69 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 75 - Valencia CF football store Plaza del Ayuntamiento 76 Plaza del Ayuntamiento 78 - Edificio La Equitativa Plaza del Ayuntamiento 79 - Town Hall at night Valencia Town Hall 01 - ballroom Valencia Town Hall 02 - ballroom Valencia Town Hall 03 Valencia Town Hall 04 - ballroom chandelier Valencia Town Hall 05 - atrium Valencia Town Hall 06 - view from the balcony Valencia Town Hall 07 - view from the balcony Valencia Town Hall 08 - police cars outside Valencia Town Hall 09 - view from the balcony towards the South side of the square Valencia Town Hall 10 - artist's gathering Valencia Town Hall 11 - Post Office spire Valencia Town Hall 12 Valencia Town Hall 13 - towards Northern Station Valencia Town Hall 14 Valencia Town Hall 15 Valencia Town Hall 16 - museum Valencia Town Hall 17 - museum Valencia Town Hall 18 - museum Valencia Town Hall 19 - museum Valencia Town Hall 20 - museum Valencia Town Hall 21 - museum Valencia Town Hall 22 - museum Valencia Town Hall 23 - museum Valencia Town Hall 24 - museum Valencia Town Hall 25 Valencia Town Hall 26 Valencia Town Hall 27 Valencia Town Hall 28 Valencia Town Hall 29 Valencia Town Hall 30 - museum Valencia Town Hall 31 Valencia Town Hall 32 - museum Valencia Town Hall 33 - museum Carrer de Don Juan de Austria 01 - pedestrian street East of the Town Hall Square Carrer de Don Juan de Austria 02 - fashionable pedestrian street with a large El Corte Ingles Carrer de Don Juan de Austria 03 Carrer de Don Juan de Austria 04 Carrer de Don Juan de Austria 05 Carrer de Don Juan de Austria 06 Carrer de les Barques 01 Carrer de les Barques 02 - Banco de Valencia (left)Carrer de les Barques 04 Carrer de les Barques 05 Carrer de les Barques 06 Carrer de les Barques 07 Carrer de les Barques 08 Carrer de les Barques 09 - Teatro Principal movie theatre Carrer de les Barques 10 Carrer de les Barques 11 Carrer de les Barques 12 Carrer de les Barques 13 - Banco de Valencia (left) Carrer de les Barques 14 - green tour busPlaca de Rodrigo Botet, a small square opposite our hotel Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 12 - Placa de Rodrigo Botet, a small square opposite our hotelAyre Hotel Astoria Palace 01 - our 4 star hotel, lobby Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 02 - our 4 star hotel, double room Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 03 Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 04 Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 05 - entrance, it is situated near Town Hall Square Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 06 - 10 floors high Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 08 Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 09 Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 11, our 4 star hotelAyre Hotel Astoria Palace 10Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace 13 - view from the room.