This grand Modernist building was designed in 1914, although not inaugurated until 1928.
The Central Market in Valencia covers more than 8,000 square metres, over two floors, with a predominantly eclectic pre-Modernist style. Its unusual roof comprises original domes and sloping sections at different heights, while the interior seems to be lined in a range of materials such as iron, wood, ceramics and polychromed tiles. The beauty of the building stands out especially on account of the light that enters through the roof at various points, and through coloured window panels.
Perched high above the ornate iron and glass dome, its feet resting on a golden ball, is the Cotorra del Mercat, the big green parrot that is the symbol of the Central Market in Valencia. "Cotarro" means parrot in Spanish, but it also means chatterbox, and the weather vane is meant to represent the chatter and bustle of the business taking place fifty metres below its feet – although some local wags suggest that it’s more representative of the gossiping women stall-holders.
New logo of the Central Market