Iglesia de Santa Catalina Mártir

The hexagonal Baroque bell tower is visible from half the city and is one of the shapes that define València's historic-centre skyline. The Church of Santa Catalina Mártir, in the shopping district beside Plaça de la Reina, is one of those monuments you pass a thousand times without going in; it's worth stopping and looking up.

History

The church is one of the ten parishes founded after James I's conquest in 1238, built over a former mosque. In the 16th century it was clad in Renaissance decoration and, after a fire in 1548, partly rebuilt. The tower, however, is what truly sets it apart.

What to see

• The hexagonal bell tower, built between 1688 and 1705 by Juan Bautista Viñes, regarded as an unusually original Baroque tower for Spain, with half-embedded Solomonic columns and a fish-scale carved dome.
• The Gothic interior, with later additions.
• The views from the top, if the tower is open for the climb.

Practical tips

Admission to the church is free. It's ringed by historic horchata parlours, so the visit pairs well with an orxata amb fartons. You can walk here from the Cathedral, the Mercado de Colón or the Silk Exchange in a few minutes.

An insider curiosity

INSIDER TIP: the tower's bells were cast in London in 1729, an unusual detail for a Valencian church. Look at the crowning piece: above the dome sits an orb representing the globe and a weathervane with Saint Catherine's symbols. Many locals fondly call it simply the "Santa Catalina tower" without knowing its history.

To keep discovering the centre, see our guide to things to do in València and the València in 3 days itinerary. Nearby you'll also find San Esteban and the Plaza Redonda. More corners in places.