Torrent, Valencia

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Torrent
Coat of arms of Torrent
Coat of Arms
Location
Coordinates : 39°26′20″N, 0°27′56″W
Time zone : CET (GMT +1)
- summer : CEST (GMT +2)
General information
Native name Torrent (Valencian)
Spanish name Torrente
Administration
Country Spain
Autonomous Community Valencian Community
Province Valencia
Comarca Horta Sud
Mayor Maria José Català Verdet (PP)
Geography
Land Area 69.32 km²
Altitude {{{altitude}}} m AMSL
Population
Population 74,616 (2006)
Density 1,076 hab./km² (2006)

Torrent is a city located within the metropolitan area of the city of Valencia. It is the largest municipality of the Horta Sud comarca, with 74,616 inhabitants (2006). It is situated some 7 km from Valencia city proper, to which it is connected via the metro.

[edit] Government

The city mayor (as of 2007) is Maria José Català Verdet (Partido Popular).

[edit] Landmarks

The Medieval Tower was built by the Muslims in its origin and was part of an ancient castle. It was double-walled and had some underground passages in order to protect it.

The tower, which lays in a square, has a truncated pyramid shape and is 30 meters high, with 5 floors and a terrace where The Cross of the St. John of Jerusalem order and a Valencian "rat penat" are held on four upper corners. The access to the tower is through an exterior staircase connecting to a door at the height of the first floor. Around 1613 porches were built around the tower so the butchers, fruit sellers, etc. could have their market around the Tower. In 1847 it became the property of Torrent.

The tower has often been used as a prison throughout the history, and the porches have hosted the Courts in its upper floors since 1908 (when new ones were built). Under those porches, the Central Market was located. The porches were demolished in 1970. After its restoration the Tower houses two exhibition halls.

Sant Lluís Bertrán's Hermitage

The shrine dedicated to Sant Lluís Bertrán is a traditional and beloved church by all people in Torrent, since Sant Blai among other festivities are held in the hermitage. In 1634 the City Council tooks the agreement to build the chapel dedicated to Sant Lluis Bertran. After many changes and reconstructions -it served to military uses during the civil war- and was finally restored after the Spanish civil war.

Internally, it consists of a nave and two sides. The neoclassical facade is divided into three parts. The door has an arc with archivolt, St. Louis' image and a large rosette appear over the door. The bell is hexagonal base and construction was finished in 1829. It has four bells and a clock with three spheres that was located there in 1950.

Esglèsia de l'Assumpció The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción was built in the 13th century, in the same place as the current one, but much smaller. Its rector attended the diocesan synods in the fourteenth century. A beautiful image of the "Verge del Pòpul", which disappeared in 1936, was likely the main image in the ancient parish. It has had many fires and thefts so the church that exists nowadays has had many restorations and modifications.

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Horta Sud
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