VALENCIA, an ancient city and sea-port of Spain, formerly capital of the kingdom, and now of the province of the same name, stands on the shores of the Mediterraneau, 294 m.e.s.e. of Madrid by railroad. The Huerta-35 English sq.m. in extent—which surrounds the city resembles an immense orchard, and is ingeniously watered by an intricate network of pipes and rivulets, laid down by the Moors eight centuries ago, and efficiently answering its purpose down to the present day. In this garden, the carob, cit ron, orange, palm, and mulbery grow in wild luxuriance. Nature, stimulated by constant moisture and a burning sun, exhibits a wonderful strength and fecundity. 1 alencia is $urrounded by old picturesque battlemented walls, erected by Pedro IV. in 1356; the interior of the city is striking and pleasing; most of the streets are macadamized ; and while, in the old quarters, the houses are closely packed and gloomy-looking, well suited to keep out the enemy, heat---those recently erected are high, gayly colored in blue, rose, cream-color, etc. ; decorated with elegant iron-gilt balconies, and furnished with courts freshened with flowers and cooled by fountains. Valencia is the see of an archbishop, and its cathedral, La Seo—the see—which was commenced in 1262, is classical in the interior, and Gothic in the exterior, is 350 ft. long, and at the transepts, 216 ft. wide. From the top of a tower which surmounts one of the portals, the view is said to be one of the most striking in Spain. In the cathedral and its chapels there are a number of magnificent pictures, including some by Ribalta and Joanes. The church of the Cole
gio de Corpus is quite a museum of pictures by Ribalta, who, according to Ford, has.
painted heads equal to any produced by the old Venetians. There are also numerous and interesting picture-galleries, in the chief of which only the productions of the great Valencian school are to be seen. The custom-house, dating from 1758, is now the cigar factory, which employs 3,500 women, and produces 120,000 lbs. of tobacco yearly. The university, with a public library of 42,000 vol, is well attended. Silk-spinning and weaving are extensively carried on. There are also extensive hemp and cloth weaving, and manufactures of hats, glass. linen, leather, and Valeucia tiles for flooring. Valen cia was long sunk, like the whole of the country, in a lethargic sleep, but it has, with in recent years, awakened to activity. Its port has been improved ; it is now connected with Madrid by railway, and being to its own metropolis what Brighton is to London, it is much visited in summer by the Mitdrilenos, who contribute greatly to its prosperity. There is considerable commerce with Britain. Pop. about 110,000.
Valencia, or Valentia de Cid, is a very ancient city. It was destroyed by Pompey, and rebuilt by Sertorius, after which it became a eolunia. It was taken by the Goths in 413 A.D., and by the Moors in 712. The Cid took it in 1094-95, and ruled despotically here till 1099. The union of Ferdinand and Isabella brought it under the Castilian crown. Suchet captured the city in 1810.