Torres dels Serrans, Valencia

Torres dels Serrans is a fortified medieval gateway: a pair of polygonal towers joined by a passage, with the arched entrance between them. Its solid stone construction gives the monument a powerful, defensive presence, while the limestone facing adds a more refined finish. The architect was Pere Balaguer, and the building belongs to Valencian Gothic.

Construction took place from 1392 to 1398, replacing an earlier gateway on this site. It served both as a defence during attacks and as a ceremonial entrance for visiting rulers and ambassadors. After a prison fire in 1586, the towers held knights and members of the nobility until 1887.

Their history became even more extraordinary during the Spanish Civil War, when artworks from Madrid’s Prado Museum were protected inside. The building survived the demolition of Valencia’s medieval wall in 1865, helped by its prison use, and restoration later repaired its altered interior and exterior. Look at the broad stone stair and the heavy openings in the towers: they express both welcome and fortification. Today, this is also the setting for the Fallas opening ceremony, when the Fallera Mayor proclaims the festival open from a platform before the gateway.