Learning Objects

The History of Valencia through its Maps and Buildings

1st Lesson. Day 1. The Roman Valencia, the Islamic Valencia and the Medieval Valencia.

The goal of this practice is to allow the students to know how the city of Valencia evolved from the first roman settlement, through the later Islamic city, and on to the medieval city.
The roman period in the city can be studied by analysing the archaeological sites, which, in this city, are important because the Romans were the founders of the city. In this section of the lesson, students are going to learn about how to study the past. Thanks to different sources, historians can rebuild the past: archaeological sites, texts (private letters, legal documents...), topographic maps, etc. The reconstruction is not easy, and always is made from a point of view. We are going to work on why the reconstruction of the past is important. Which techniques we have? E.g., Could students rebuild how Romans lived by seeing the archaeological remains? What elements of Roman heritage do we have in our society?
By studying the Islamic city, students can be introduced to the topic of ‘respect the difference’. In this part of the lesson, they are going to work on what features define a community, how they feel as a part of a group, and how to balance the community heritage with the globality. Above all, we are going to prioritize the learning of how to respect the difference of others. Currently Valencia does not have any important remains from the Islamic period; however, it remains some small parts of the city wall. Recently, there is a project of the renovation of that wall. The students will have to look for information about it in the newspapers. The medieval Valencia: consequences of not preserving and not protecting the past. Even though Valencia has some important medieval remains, those one which should have more architectural value has been destroyed. The city lost the Royal Palace, from where Maria de Castile ruled the Aragonese-Catalan Crown, in the first half of the XV century, while her husband was in Naples. And, the city lost the Franciscan convent, where, in one of its cells, Eiximenis wrote part of the ‘Lo Crestià’; it may have been as splendid as the typical Franciscan convents in the rest of Europe. It is time, in this part of the lesson, students are going to think about how the different urban politics affects the future of the city. E.g., recently, the city nearly lost the idiosyncratic neighbourhood of Malvarrosa. Students have to work on ‘How to balance the current needs of the city with the preservation/conservation of the past?’, and, ‘How our current actions can affect the future?’, and, finally, to think about which the student’s role is in the entire mechanism both as an individual and as a citizen.

2nd Lesson. Day 2. The Renaissance, the Baroque and the Enlightenment in Valencia.

Periodization by Llopis Alonso, Amando; i, Perdigón Fernández, Luis: -The city of around the Renaissance (1521-1609). -The city of the Baroque (1609-1707). -The city of the Enlightenment (1707-1808). During this period of time, from 1521 to 1808, the city remained inside the walls. The different aesthetic movements affect the city: its buildings were built or renovated using the diverse styles. By studying the different buildings in each different period, students will be able to recreate the different cities: the renaissance one, the baroque one and the enlightenment one. During the Renaissance, especially the first period, Valencia had an important role. It is told the city was the peninsular centre from where the Renaissance penetrated into the territory. The leitmotiv of this part of the lesson is ‘historical fiction’. Students have to recreate the Valencia during the XV century. Maria of Castile, Queen of Aragon, had her court in the royal palace in Valencia, which was demolished at the beginning of the XIX century. It was a splendid court life. For sure, and more than once, it was visited by the great writers in catalan language: Joanot Martorell or Ausiàs March. Next to the royal palace was the convent of Trinitat, where Isabel of Villena, the authoress of ‘Vita Christi’, lived as a nun. Students have to practice their writing: how do they imagine this rich city of the fifteenth century was? During the Baroque, people disliked the medieval style. The insides of old medieval churches were renovated in baroque style. Students can visualise the valencian baroque style by seen the Pictures number 5. They have to analyse them. During the Enlightenment, the first administrative buildings were built in Valencia like the old Casa de Aduana Real, which today it is the Palace of Justice; or like the Casa Vestuario, near the Cathedral of Valencia, where the judges of the Tribunal de les Agües got ready before starting the weekly judgment in front the gothic door of the cathedral. These functional buildings mean a modern pre- state is setting up; and, as well, the modern conception about what it is to be a citizen. A new socio-economic and political form of organization of a community of human beings is taking shape. In this part of the lesson, students have to think about themselves as a part of a community. How is their community organized? Do they know of other ways of organization there were in the past? They have to be capable of looking back in the history other kind of organizations (Feudalism...) or in their current world (tribes in Amazon), being critical and making predictions about the future where the globalization is increased and where space journeys are being planned. They have to write a short story using science fiction (or not).

3rd Lesson. Day 3. Valencia in the 19th century, Valencia in the first half of the 20th century and Valencia in the second half of the 20th century.

The aim of this practice is to get students to realise how the development of the city was in the last two centuries after the Industrial Revolution. The main factories were located around the city, particularly in the northern part. The rural population emigrates to the city. The industrialization affects, firstly, the Valencia city, and, later, all the coast line. There is an emigration from inner mountains to the coast and to Valencia city. The city expands over the nearby villages (Benimaclet, Campanar, Benicalap, Malvarossa...). Firstly, students have to analyse the two maps of Valencia: Map number 3, Valencia in 1811, Map number 4, Valencia and its surroundings in 1808. Periodization by Llopis Alonso, Amando; i, Perdigón Fernández, Luis: -The beginnings of modern Valencia (1808-1874). -The restauration period (1874-1902) [or ‘Renaixença valenciana’]. -The exhaustion of the bourgeois city (1902-1929). -A scattered and unfinished town (1929-1944). The analysis is finished in 1944, we could add a final period: -The city of the second half of the XX century. The city of the 19th Century. An important date in the topography of the city is the demolition of the medieval city walls in 1865-1866. The last vestiges of the walled city that we can currently see are the two big gates: the tower of Serrano and the tower of Quart. Task: -Compare the old maps of Valencia to the newer maps, and make conclusions about what happened and why the city grew that much. -Compare the photos of the other parts of the lesson to the photos of this part. Before the most important investments where in churches now most important buildings are functional: a market, a train station. Why? The city of the first half of the 20th century: the beginning of functional architecture and a commuter town. In this part, students have to think how their society is organised; e.g., what type of house they live in? How is our society organised? Think about how human beings are organised as a community. The city of the second half of the 20th century. Students have to analyse and do predictions in groups: -How is the city now? Its influence expands to the nearby villages by setting up a hierarchical structure. -How is the current city? How are the facilities? A bigger number of habitants need more hospitals, schools... -What about the green areas? Does the city enough parks? The old bed of river has become a big park, is it enough? -The city has a ring of rural space. Its growth destroys the rural spaces. How could there be a balance between growth and respect of the rural environment?

7th day. A trip to the local museum.

The last practice consists of visiting the city. It will start by visiting the Museu d’Història de València in order to give students a visual view of the history of the city by seeing reconstructions in scale and objects from each period.