Turia River
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The River Turia (Valencian: Riu Túria; Spanish: Río Turia; Latin: Turium, Ancient greek Thyrion or Thèrios, Θηριος) is a Spanish river whose source is in the Teruel (province). It runs through the Valencia province and discharges into the Mediterranean sea near the City of Valencia.
After a catastrophic flood in 1957 which devastated the city of Valencia, the river was divided in two at the western city limits. The water has been diverted southwards along a new course that skirts the city, before meeting the Mediterranean. The old course of the river continues, dry, through the city centre, almost to the sea.
The old riverbed is now a verdant sunken park that allows cyclists and pedestrians to traverse much of the city without the use of roads. The park, called the 'Garden of the Turia' (Jardí del Túria/Jardín del Turia) boasts numerous ponds, paths fountains, flowers, football pitches, cafés, artworks, climbing walls, an athletics track, a zen garden and more. The many bridges overhead carry traffic across the park.
Towards the park's eastern end is the Gulliver Park (Parc Gulliver/Parque Gulliver), a children's adventure playground featuring a huge fibreglass model of Lemuel Gulliver tied to the ground with ropes. The model is constructed such that the ropes are climbable. In addition, Gulliver's clothes form slides and ladders on which to play. Also towards the eastern end of the river course is the Valencian Music Palace (el Palau de la Música Valenciana). Marking the park's eastern extreme is Valencia's new City of Arts and Sciences.
Two Valencia Metro stations lie beneath the riverbed, with entrances on either bank: Túria and Alameda.
