I am in love with Valencia, the wonderful Spanish city on the Mediterranean Sea. I have always been “enamorada”. In love with the city which holds so many happy childhood memories, where I had spent many great summers. My second hometown next to Zurich. A few months ago I went back to Valencia – with my camera of course. I very much like architecture photography and in the Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias – City of Arts and Sciences – I was in photography heaven!
Here some info about this beautiful place (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki) which was designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. The construction started in July 1996 and the finished “city” was inaugurated April 16, 1998. It is situated in the former riverbed of the river Turia. The Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias consist of the flowing buildings, which I am showing in my images:
- L’Hémisferic — an Imax Cinema and Planetarium/Laserium. The building is meant to resemble a giant eye. The Hémisferic also known as the planetarium or the “eye of knowledge,” is the centerpiece of the City of Arts and Sciences. It was the first building completed in 1998. Its design resembles an eyelid that opens to access the surrounding water pool. The bottom of the pool is glass, creating the illusion of the eye as a whole. The shutter is built of elongated aluminium awnings that fold upward collectively to form a brise soleil roof that opens along the curved axis of the eye. It opens to reveal the dome, the pupil of the eye.
- El Museu de les Ciències Principe Felípe — an interactive museum of science that resembles the skeleton of a whale. . The building’s architecture is known for its geometry, structure, use of materials, and its design around nature.
- L’Umbracle — a landscaped walk with plant species indigenous to Valencia. The Umbracle is a space that is a home to numerous sculptures surrounded by nature. It was designed as a entrance to the City of Arts and Sciences.
- L’ Oceanogràfic — an open-air oceanographic park. It is the largest oceanographic aquarium in Europe. It was built in the shape of a water lily and is the work of architect Candela. Each building represents different aquatic environments.
- El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia — an opera house and performing arts center. It is dedicated to music and the scenic arts. It holds many events such as opera, theatre and music in its auditoriums. Panoramic lifts and stairways connect platforms at different heights on the inside of the metallic frames of the building.
- El Punt de L’Assut de l’Or — a suspension bridge that connects the south side with Minorca Street, whose 125 meters high pillar is the highest point in the city.
Here are some images taken during the day …
