Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies and Valencia’s white arcades
Published on 09/05/2026 at 08:55 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies in Valencia is a large architectural complex by Santiago Calatrava. Its long sweep of white structures and reflecting water gives the place its identity at a glance.
White concrete and water in Valencia
The ensemble stretches across a broad site in the south-east of the city, close to the former Turia riverbed. It belongs to the best-known works associated with Calatrava and opened in phases from 1998 onwards.
The complex brings together the Hemisfèric, the Museu de les Ciències, L’Umbracle, L’Oceanogràfic, the Palau de les Arts and l’Àgora. Félix Candela’s thin-shell forms appear at the aquarium, while Calatrava’s language of arches, ribs and smooth surfaces runs through the rest.
A civic landscape in sections
The setting reads as a sequence of linked buildings rather than a single block. Long pools, bridges and open passages connect the parts, and the repeated white surfaces keep the composition coherent.
The site occupies a major stretch within Valencia’s urban fabric and is tied to the city’s modern profile. The relationship between science, performance and exhibition is visible in the programme of the individual buildings.
Calatrava’s language across the complex
Calatrava’s name matters here because the architectural family resemblance is strong. The same designer’s work also appears in other projects that use structural expression as part of the visual identity.
The complex is not a single monument but a group of pieces that read together. That makes its scale feel architectural and urban at once, with each building carrying a different function inside the wider composition.
Visiting Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The complex stands in Valencia, Spain, near the former Turia riverbed and south-east of the historic centre.
- It is reached on city roads and by public transport within Valencia; the site is spread out, so the buildings are approached on foot.
- The terrain is flat, with long open walks between the separate structures and broad areas of paving and water.
- English is not an official language in Spain. The official language is Spanish and the currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies
Where is Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies?
It stands in Valencia, Spain, near the former Turia riverbed. The site sits south-east of the historic centre.
What should visitors expect?
A group of white buildings, open water and broad pedestrian spaces. The complex is spread out, with each part serving a different cultural function.
What makes it distinctive?
Santiago Calatrava’s architecture gives the complex its recognisable profile. The combination of the Hemisfèric, the museum, the opera house, the aquarium and the gardened walk makes the ensemble read as one urban landscape.
