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Exterior Cathedral Tour

7. The Palau Door

The Palace Door

Location

The Palau Door

Introduction

The Almoina Door, also known as Palau Door due to its proximity to the archiepiscopal palace, is the oldest in the cathedral, being Romanesque in style and differentiating itself from the rest of the predominantly Gothic architectural complex.

“Palace Door”, “Almoina Door” or “of the fruit”

Around the door

Around the door, an arch of exquisite work, with a rich variety of ornaments starting with the first arch. There are six more concentric arches supported by little columns, six on each side, with buttresses of refined taste. In the inner archivolt, close to the door, there are angels and saints. And in the outer one, on the contrary, shows exuberant beasts and monsters among the exuberant foliage.

Known as “Palace Door”, “Almoina Door” or “of the fruit”.

Forming a projecting body that increases the thickness of the wall. Such is the effect that produces in the spirit the combination of arches and small columns strewn with details, intricate drawings of neat and fanciful expression.

“When we contemplate that mass of stone arranged in mathematical proportion, hiding in its Romanesque style all the fantastic art of the middle centuries… we cannot help feeling like artists, and discovering ourselves before the authors of such filigree, of such portentous creation.”

The door

It is dated in the second half of the 13th century, a few years after the conquest of Valencia (1238).

Dated in the second half of the 13th century

The door, inscribed in a Gothic façade, is composed of a canopy on the upper part, and a flared arch that has a series of six degraded semicircular arches and two internal arches supported on the jambs of the wall that, in turn, they frame the wooden door.

The Palace door, or of the fruit

The presence of decoration in arches and columns is observed, highlighting the biblical scenes in the capitals and the portraiture of the canopy, where we find fourteen faces linked to the seven Christian couples repopulating the city.

Biblical scenes in the capitals and the portraiture of the canopy

Infants’ portal

Because of the similarity of the door with the one in Lleida called “dels Infants” (Infants’ portal) and others of Upper Aragon.

Infants' portal in Lerida

In detail

Discover the Palau door
and the elements that compose it.

The capitals

On the capitals there are twenty-three historical passages from the Bible.

The corbels

Fourteen heads of man and woman with the first Lleida settlers.

The pointed window

Year 1962 (Commemoration of the 700th anniversary)

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January at Valencia Cathedral

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Cultural Visit

From 1 January to 30 June
and from 1 October to 31 December

From Monday to Friday, from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM, Saturdays from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Sundays from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM (last entry: Monday to Friday at 5:30 PM, Saturdays and Sundays at 4:30 PM)

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Museum

From 1 January to 31 December

The Valencia Cathedral Museum is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM, and on Sundays and public holidays from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM or from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, depending on the application of winter or summer hours.

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Bell Tower "Miguelete"

From 1 December to 28 February

The bell tower “el Miguelete” is open in autumn-winter (from December 1 to February 28) Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:45 PM, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:45 PM.

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Masses

From 1 January to 30 June
and from 1 October to 31 December

Winter season schedule: Sundays and holidays at 8:00, 8:45, 9:30 (sung), 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 19:00, and 20:00 h.; Monday to Friday at 8:00, 8:45, 9:30 (sung), 19:00, and 20:00 h.; Saturdays at 8:00, 8:45, 9:30 (sung), 18:00, 19:00, and 20:00 h.

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Pastoral Office

From 1 January to 30 June
and from 1 October to 31 December

The pastoral office opens on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Fridays from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM.

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Valencia Cathedral Archive

From 1 January to 31 December

The archive is open in the mornings on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and on Wednesdays also in the afternoon from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and is open from September 15 to July 15.

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Special Celebrations

  • Solemnity of Saint Vincent the Martyr
    January 22.

Pious Exercises

  • Major Exposition of the Most Holy Sacrament
    Every Thursday at 7:30 PM, from October to June.
  • Thursday of the Holy Chalice
    Every Thursday at 7:45 PM, except on Holy Thursday and from July 1 to September 15.
  • Saturday Greeting
    Every Saturday, at 7:30 PM

Cathedral Choir

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Events and schedules are subject to change without notice.