L’Almoina Gate

L'Almoina Gate, so named for being near the now desapeared house of l'Almoina (almsgiving), is the oldest of the Cathedral of Valencia access. Also known as Puerta del Palau for giving access the archbishop's palace (Palau in Valencian language). It’s Romanesque style is clearly differentiated from the rest cathedral, which is mainly Gothic.

Its construction is placed immediately after the conquest of the Kingdom of Valencia in 1238, between 1240 and 1270 according to different authors. Its east orientation, facing Mecca, suggests that the mihrab of the old mosque stood here.

Its Romanesque style, with Moorish influence, and it also has a big infuence from the style used in the city of Lleida (Catalonia). In fact, because of its similarity to the “Gate dels Fillols” at the Cathedral of Lleida, made towards 1220, some see the hand of a master of this Catalan city in its construction. Such is the link between this gate with the one in Lérida that, above the arcade there are sculptured the stone heads of seven marriade couples from Lleida, whom, according to the tradition, represents the founding settlers of the new Christian city, who came to Valencia with three hundred maidens from this city in order to marry them with the soldiers who had fought on the side of Jaime I.

L'Almoina Gate body forms a projection with respect to the wall of the cathedral, with a flared bow with six concentric archivolts point and degradation (from most to least large), which are supported on slender columns with capitals, magnificently decorated with scenes from Genesis on the left side, and the Exodus on the right.

The decoration of the archivolts consists of vegetal and geometric motifs, with varied grinding: diamond tips, figures of seraphim, lobed foliage and delicate scallops, saints in small niches and moldings in zigzag. In the line of imposts there is a border with fantastic animal repertoire. Topping the set and the top fourteen corbels with the heads of the seven aforementioned pairs holding the cantilever.

Above the gate you can see a Gothic window and another one on his right, which where hidden until the last restoration of the cathedral. When you enter the cathedral through the Gate of l'Almoina, on your left, you can found the tomb of the illustrious Ausiàs March. It is a tombstone placed in 1950 by the association the Rat Penat and the City Council in recognition of this poet who is buried somewhere in the cathedral (not sure where) with an inscription of one of his poems, that saith, Yo soc aquest qui en la mort delit prenc, puix que no tolc la causa perquè em ve (I am this who I enjoy the death, because I do not shun the cause that comes).