Valencia is a city.
Valencia -LRB- -LSB- vəˈlɛnsiə -RSB- -LSB- baˈlenθja -RSB- -RRB- , officially Valencia -LRB- -LSB- vaˈlensia -RSB- -RRB- , is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona , with around 800,000 inhabitants in the administrative centre .. Valencia. Valencian Community. autonomous community. autonomous communities of Spain. third largest city. municipalities of Spain. Madrid. Madrid. Barcelona. Barcelona. Spain. Spain. Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 1.5 -- 1.6 million people .. Valencia is Spain 's third largest metropolitan area , with a population ranging from 1.7 to 2.5 million .. Valencia. Valencian Community. third largest metropolitan area. List of metropolitan areas in Spain. Spain. Spain. The Port of Valencia is the 5th busiest container port in Europe and the busiest container port on the Mediterranean Sea .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Port of Valencia. Port of Valencia. 5th busiest container port in Europe. List of busiest ports in Europe. Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Sea. The city is ranked at Gamma in the Globalization and World Cities Research Network .. Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Valencia was founded as a Roman colony by the consul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus in 138 BC , and called Valentia Edetanorum .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Roman. Roman Republic. Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus. Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus. In 714 Moroccan and Arab Moors occupied the city , introducing their language , religion and customs ; they implemented improved irrigation systems and the cultivation of new crops as well , being capital of the Taifa of Valencia .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Moors. Moors. Taifa of Valencia. Taifa of Valencia. In 1238 the Christian king James I of Aragon reconquered the city and divided the land among the nobles who helped him conquer it , as witnessed in the Llibre del Repartiment .. James I of Aragon. James I of Aragon. Llibre del Repartiment. Llibre del Repartiment ( Valencia ). He also created a new law for the city , the Furs of Valencia , which were extended to the rest of the Kingdom of Valencia .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Furs of Valencia. Furs of Valencia. Kingdom of Valencia. Kingdom of Valencia. In the 18th century Philip V of Spain abolished the privileges as punishment to the kingdom of Valencia for aligning with the Habsburg side in the War of the Spanish Succession .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Philip V of Spain. Philip V of Spain. Habsburg side. Habsburg Spain. War of the Spanish Succession. War of the Spanish Succession. Spain. Spain. Valencia was the capital of Spain when Joseph Bonaparte moved the Court there in the summer of 1812 .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Spain. Spain. Joseph Bonaparte. Joseph Bonaparte. It also served as capital between 1936 and 1937 , during the Second Spanish Republic .. Second Spanish Republic. Second Spanish Republic. The city is situated on the banks of the Turia , on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula , fronting the Gulf of Valencia on the Mediterranean Sea .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Sea. Turia. Turia ( river ). Iberian Peninsula. Iberian Peninsula. Gulf of Valencia. Gulf of Valencia. Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain , with approximately 169 hectares ; this heritage of ancient monuments , views and cultural attractions makes Valencia one of the country 's most popular tourist destinations .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Spain. Spain. Valencia is integrated into an industrial area on the Costa del Azahar -LRB- Orange Blossom Coast -RRB- .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Costa del Azahar. Costa del Azahar. Valencia 's main festival is the Falles .. Valencia. Valencian Community. Falles. Falles. The traditional Spanish dish , paella , originated in Valencia .. Valencia. Valencian Community. paella. paella