Sometimes it was too happy and overflowed its river banks, but this was not a major concern, at least until the Iberians and Romans arrived to cultivate its fruitful plains. After two millennia of flooding and repairs, a catastrophe occurred in 1957. Following a major deluge, the downtown districts were underwater, sixty deaths occurred, and the city was unrecognizable to its residents. Valencia’ s citizens became angry and demanded a solution to these floods. It was decided that the Turia River would be diverted to the south of the city, and in 1959 the project began.
Thus began the second phase of the river’ s existence. For the next two decades, its fate and purpose were argued and quibbled over. Valencia’ s city council wanted to construct a major freeway
Museum de les Ciencies( interactive science museum)
Reflecting pool
through the now-drained river bed. Valencians protested and demanded a green space. In the meantime, the riverbed remained a neglected boggy mess of mud and bushes.
After much debate, it was decided that the riverbed would be transformed into the Turia River Gardens. Landscape architects designed different themed“ zones” for the gardens, beginning its metamorphosis into one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world. Finally, by 1986, the Gardens were officially completed and the river was once again happy! Even with the disastrous mud flood in November 2024, the historic downtown remained protected.
Hosting three million visitors a year, the river gardens meander nine kilometres east to west through the centre of Valencia, bookended by an African-themed bio-park and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences. With a width of about 150 metres, the gardens are flanked by flower-spotted stone retaining walls stacked centuries ago by craftsmen when the river ran free.
The sunken garden is spanned by eighteen bridges, some for traffic and others for pedestrians only. Most bridges have stairs and ramps leading down into the tranquil river gardens. Some bridges are modern, and some are ancient with carvedstone grinning gargoyles and demigods silently watching.
These bridges also serve as guide markers for famous landmarks and museums at the top of the river banks. We happily hiked through the
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