Mercat de Colón, Valencia

Mercat de Colón is the public market before you, a landmark of Valencian Art Nouveau in Valencia. Its broad façade combines masonry, ceramic decoration, glass, and carefully worked timber, giving the building an unusually rich presence. Francisco Mora Berenguer designed it between 1914 and 1916, and the project was conceived as a complete work of art in which the building and its crafted details belong together.

Look along the roofline: the varied heights create long openings that bring light and air into the market. Inside, the structure uses iron columns with ornamented capitals and bases, together with metal trusses and lattice arches. The market covers about 3500 m² and is arranged as three aisles, with the central one reaching 18.60 m and the side aisles 9.70 m, plus 6 m overhangs.

The building opened on Christmas Eve in 1916. After a period of decline, it underwent a comprehensive restoration from 2003 to 2009. Today, the former market houses cafés, restaurants, food shops, and cultural activity, while three original businesses remain: a delicatessen, a fishmonger, and a fruit shop. Its ornate structure still makes commerce feel like architecture.