Manises Valencia Spain (Also Valencia Airport)

Description:

Manises

On the right hand bank of the river Turia, on a small hill, extends Manises, cradle to the production of artistic ceramics.

Patience and imagination are two of the virtues that can be contemplated in each and every one of the laborious pieces the maniseros produce.

Along with traditions, history, and an urban nucleus replete with beautiful architecture, their biggest and best claim, are their ceramics.

Handicrafts

Art, imagination and skill are some of the characteristics that have built up the international reputation of the handcrafted techniques used in Manises' ceramics.

The municipality is considered as being a nucleus for ceramics, enjoying a reputation demonstrated in the shops and factories by offering to the public a huge variety of products and handcraft techniques. In these establishments, on show, are pieces and hand painted murals of great beauty. The process of production begins on the wheel of the master potter, who gives shape to the piece. Later it passes on to be decorated, step in which the design, the selection of the colours and the ingenuity of the craftsman determine the final result. Finally comes the glazing, which seals the procedure.

The Museum, and the School of Ceramics are the best testimonies to the importance of this industry in the locality.

The Municipal Ceramics Museum

The museum shows a complete collection of the ceramics produced in Manises from the XIV century to the XX century, represented is the complex reality of the continued dedication of the village of Manises to the manufacturing of ceramics over the last six hundred years. The origin of the museum was the legacy of Casanova Dalfó-Sanchis's Causes, and includes a good number of works of art and ceramic objects. Private donations, archaeological finds and selective procurements make up the funds of over 2.500 pieces, from among which are ceramic pieces from the Gothic-Spanish Muslims living under Christian rule, decorated in blue, polychromatic Valencian tiles from the XVIII century and the pieces produced during the XIX century.

Openening Times:   Tuesday to Saturday: 10 to 13h and 16 to 19h.     Sundays and holidays: 11 to 14h.   (Monday closed).

Address:    Sagrari, 22.    Tel. 961521044      Fax. 961520453

THE ‘ELS ARCS’ AQUEDUCT

This construction is one of the jewels of water architecture still preserved in the region. The aqueduct maintains the arches of its original construction and still, today, gives service to Quart's irrigation ditches.

 

Over time stalactites have formed on the lower part of the arches, giving it a special aspect. Its origin has not been determined since many people locate the structure as being from the Roman epoch, while others assure that it is a Moslem construction.

 

Location:  Next to the Tourism Information Office (Avenida País Valencià)

Beauty Spot

The city of Manises, strategically located in the right hand bank of the river Túria, includes the north-western zone of L'Horta Sud (an agricultural area of great importance). This circumstance awards a landscape of special beauty made up of the irrigated crops, which are the essence of the agriculture of the municipality.

Surrounding Manises are natural areas such as the Cañada, near to Paterna, an environment marked by abundant woodland that owes its name to having been a former grazing route for cattle, made up of indigenous coniferous species. The pine forest of the Cañada is the last Mediterranean forest of climatic vegetation in the Metropolitan Area of Valencia.

The Salt del Moro, a 49.000 square metre natural park crossed by the vía pecuaria, is home to abundant vegetation and the monument to the covered irrigation ditch.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy of the municipality is linked to the products provided by the fertile Valencian horticultural area, that allow the elaboration of dishes such as "els fesols rodats", or the "coca escudellà" that appear as specialist dishes on the culinary menu. Typical local products of the area also offered are their sausages.

Festivities

The main ones are Holy Week and the Moors and Christians festival.  The latter celebration, on the second weekend of July, is still relatively young in Manises, beginning with a group of neighbours. Today it includes the majority of the municipality. The parades and the capture of the castle are celebrated at the weekend and has turned into one of the most eagerly awaited acts counting on major public assistance.

Access

Access to the population is via the NIII, Madrid - Valencia, which has an exit to Manises, it is home to Valencia’s airport. On the, Alicante-Castellón by-pass take the exit "Aeropuerto-Manises".

Ayuntamiento de Manises
Plaça del Castell, 1
46940  MANISES
(Valencia) Tel.:  961545116
Fax:   961520453