The Plaça de la Verge (Plaza de la Virgen) is the oldest square in Valencia, built over the forum of the Roman city founded in 138 BC. Every Thursday at noon, in front of the cathedral door that faces the square, the Water Tribunal still meets to settle disputes between farmers over irrigation water, as it has for centuries.
Plaça de la Verge at a glance
- Where: in the old town (Ciutat Vella), between the cathedral, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken and the Palau de la Generalitat.
- Built: the site of the Roman forum since the city's founding in 138 BC; the square took its present shape over centuries around the cathedral and basilica.
- What it is today: a pedestrian square and the ceremonial centre of Valencia, used for the Water Tribunal, the Fallas flower offering and the Corpus Christi festivities.
- Time needed: 15 minutes for the square; plan around noon on a Thursday to see the tribunal.
From Roman forum to the Virgin's square
Valencia was founded by the Romans in 138 BC, under the consul Decimus Junius Brutus, and its forum lay here, near the crossing of the main streets. The city was destroyed by Pompey in 75 BC during a civil war and rebuilt under Augustus, with the forum in roughly the same place. Under Muslim rule a great mosque stood on the site of today's cathedral, and after the Christian conquest of 1238 the cathedral was built over it.
The square takes its name from the Virgen de los Desamparados, Our Lady of the Forsaken, Valencia's patroness, whose basilica was built on the west side in the 17th century and is linked to the cathedral by a small arched passage. Today the square is the stage for the city's great religious and civic rituals, and in 2026 Valencia marked 700 years of its Corpus Christi celebrations, which began in 1326.
What to look for
- The Door of the Apostles (Puerta de los Apóstoles) of the cathedral, the Gothic portal where the Water Tribunal sits.
- The Turia fountain by Manuel Silvestre de Edeta: a reclining male figure representing the river, surrounded by female figures with water jars standing for the irrigation canals.
- The Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken, with its domed oval church, and the arched passage linking it to the cathedral.
- The Roman remains on the wall of the basilica, a reminder of the forum beneath your feet.
- The Palau de la Generalitat on the south side, the Gothic palace of the Valencian regional government.
The Water Tribunal
The Tribunal de les Aigües is one of the oldest courts of justice in Europe still working, and UNESCO lists it as intangible cultural heritage. Its members are farmers elected by the communities that share the water of the Turia through its historic canals in the Horta, the farmland around Valencia. They meet in the open air in black smocks, hear the case in Valencian, decide on the spot and keep no written record. The session is short, and anyone can watch from behind the railing.
Tips for your visit
- Be there a little before noon on a Thursday to get a spot near the Door of the Apostles for the tribunal.
- In March, during the Fallas, the square fills for two days with the flower offering, and a giant figure of the Virgin is dressed in flowers: spectacular but crowded.
- Visit early in the morning or in the evening for quieter photos of the fountain and basilica.
- Combine it with the cathedral and the Micalet bell tower, a few steps away.
Nearby
- Valencia Cathedral: Romanesque, Gothic and baroque in one, with a chapel holding a cup venerated as the Holy Grail.
- Micalet: the cathedral's Gothic bell tower, with wide views over the old town from the top.
- Plaza de la Reina: the lively square on the other side of the cathedral, a couple of minutes away.
- La Lonja de la Seda: the late-Gothic silk exchange and UNESCO site, about ten minutes' walk.
See Valencia with World City Trail
Our Valencia scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 43 minutes of walking, and it includes places such as the Plaça de Bous, the City Hall, the Mercado Central and La Lonja de la Seda. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, Valencia also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Valencia scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Valencia →
Play the outdoor escape game in Valencia →
Facts checked in October 2026.