Porta de la Mar (Gate of the Sea), Valencia
Often seen as a symbolic link between Valencia鈥檚 historic centre and the sea, the original Gate of the Sea was built in 1356 as part of the city鈥檚 medieval walls, serving as the main access point to the port. Like much of the old fortifications, the gate was torn down in 1868 during a wave of urban development that reshaped the city鈥檚 layout. The structure standing there today was built in 1946鈥攏ot as a defensive structure, but as a memorial to those who died during the Spanish Civil War.
Designed to echo the style of Roman triumphal arches, the monument features a central arch flanked by two rectangular passageways. Carved from white stone, its surface is rich with sculptural detail, including the heraldic bat above the main arch鈥攁n emblem long associated with the Kings of Aragon and with Valencia itself.
Beneath the arch, a large cross underscores the site鈥檚 solemn purpose, while the surrounding gardens offer a softer contrast to the stonework. These green spaces are occasionally redesigned, giving the setting a subtle sense of change while the monument itself remains a fixed reminder of the past.
Located at a busy crossroads, the gate is easy to reach by foot or public transport. Its position makes it an ideal jumping-off point for nearby sites like the Turia Gardens, the Glorieta Gardens, or a stroll back into the winding streets of the Old City.
Designed to echo the style of Roman triumphal arches, the monument features a central arch flanked by two rectangular passageways. Carved from white stone, its surface is rich with sculptural detail, including the heraldic bat above the main arch鈥攁n emblem long associated with the Kings of Aragon and with Valencia itself.
Beneath the arch, a large cross underscores the site鈥檚 solemn purpose, while the surrounding gardens offer a softer contrast to the stonework. These green spaces are occasionally redesigned, giving the setting a subtle sense of change while the monument itself remains a fixed reminder of the past.
Located at a busy crossroads, the gate is easy to reach by foot or public transport. Its position makes it an ideal jumping-off point for nearby sites like the Turia Gardens, the Glorieta Gardens, or a stroll back into the winding streets of the Old City.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Valencia. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Porta de la Mar (Gate of the Sea) on Map
Sight Name: Porta de la Mar (Gate of the Sea)
Sight Location: Valencia, Spain (See walking tours in Valencia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Valencia, Spain (See walking tours in Valencia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Valencia, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in Valencia
Creating your own self-guided walk in Valencia is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Valencia's Classical Architecture Tour
In Valencia, the architecture tells you right away鈥攖his city has layers. It's not just a coastal getaway with sunshine and beaches. Beneath the bright skies, 鈥淪pain鈥檚 Third Capital鈥� reveals a blend of styles both rich and unexpected鈥攁t once bold in contrast and delicate in detail. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Old Town, where nearly every corner seems to offer a visual... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour
Valencia鈥檚 Old Town stands apart from many in Europe for how effortlessly its many layers of history coexist. Beneath modern squares, ancient Roman streets and forum remains lie quietly preserved. The maze-like layout鈥攕haped during the city鈥檚 Islamic period鈥攚as never swept away after the Christian Reconquest. Instead, it survived and evolved, now lined with Gothic churches and Baroque... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Contemporary Architecture Walk
With one foot in the past and the other one in the future, it is hard to find a European city more architecturally intriguing than Valencia. Among the multitude of styles, Valencia particularly excels at the cutting-edge contemporary architecture. She owes it to her own born and bred architect, Santiago Calatrava, renowned for his hyper-modern-surreal designs.
In the course of nearly two... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
In the course of nearly two... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Valencia Introduction Walking Tour
Valencia, Spain鈥檚 third-largest city, carries a rich history that stretches back to 138 BC, when it was founded as a Roman colony for battle-tested veterans. Known then as 鈥淰alentia鈥�, meaning 鈥渧alor,鈥� it honored the courage of its first inhabitants. The city was destroyed in 75 BC by Pompey the Great but was rebuilt within a century, eventually becoming home to Visigoths and later the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles