VALENCIA, capital of the Spanish province of Valencia, on the Guadalaviar or Turia, 3 m. from the Mediterranean sea, and 304 m. by rail E.S.E. of Madrid. Pop. (1877) 143,856; (1930) 320,195. The earliest mention of Valencia (Valencia) is by Livy (Epit. lv.), according to whom Junius Brutus settled the soldiers of Viriathus here in 138 B.C., and invested the town with the jus Latinum. It sided with Sertorius (c. 77 B.c.), and was accordingly taken and partially destroyed by Pompey in 75 B.C.; but it must have recovered speedily, as it is mentioned by Pliny (iii. 4) as a colony in the region of the Edetani, and by Mela as an important place. It was taken by the Visigoths in A.D. and by the Moors in 714. An independent Moorish kingdom of Valencia was established in 1021, and extended from Almeria to the Ebro estuary. The Almoravides occupied the city in 1094, but it was retaken within a few months by the Christians under the Cid (q.v.), from whom it is sometimes called Valencia del Cid. The Moors recovered possession in no' and the kingdom was re-established in 1146. After 1172 it became tributary to Aragon, and in 1238 James I. of Aragon added it to his dominions. The first Spanish printing-press is said to have been set up here in 1474. Towards the close of the 15th century Valencia was annexed to Castile. In the 16th and 17th centuries it became the seat of a considerable school of painting. In the War of Succession Valencia sided with the house of Austria. In 1808 an abortive attempt to capture it was made by the French; they succeeded, however, in 1812, and held it till 1813.
Valencia is the seat of an archbishop, a court of appeal, a uni versity, a captain-general and an army corps. All round it
stretches Huerta de Valencia, an alluvial plain with groves of oranges, lemons and mulberries. The climate is mild and very dry; rain hardly ever falls. The white houses, often Moorish in architecture, and the multitude of domes and towers give to Valencia an oriental appearance. Until 1871 it was enclosed by a Roman wall rebuilt in 1356 by Pedro IV.; two picturesque gate ways with machicolated towers still remain. The cathedral (La Seo), begun in 1262, possesses examples of 15th century sculpture and metal-work, as well as of the Valencian school of painting. The campanile (el Miguelete), an isolated octagonal Gothic tower, is 152 ft. in height.
Valencia university was formed about 1500. It began to decline in i600 but was reorganized after 1848, and resumed its place as one of the leading universities. There is a provincial museum, with paintings by Velazquez, Ribera, Diirer, Juanes, Bosco, Goya and many modern artists.
The principal manufacture is silk. The town is also celebrated for its coloured tiles or "azulejos," its oranges and onions. Linen, woollen and esparto fabrics, hats, fans, leather, paper, cigars, glass and pottery are also manufac tured, and there are foundries and printing-works. Corn, rice, silk, saffron, oranges, raisins, almonds, figs and other fruits are ex ported, and iron, hardware, tim ber, manure, grain and colonial produce are imported.
The port of Villanueva del Grao is 3 m. E. by N. of Valen cia. Spanish and British coasters chiefly call here.