Serranos Towers

About this place

These monumental medieval gates survive from Valencia's former city walls. Their paired towers show how a defensive entrance could also communicate the wealth and status of the city. Examine the contrast between the fortified exterior and the open side facing the old town. Built between 1392 and 1398, the towers remained when much of the city's defensive circuit was demolished in the 19th century. They therefore preserve the memory of a boundary that no longer surrounds Valencia. Imagining the missing walls extending from either side helps make sense of their scale and original function.