Valencia: Aragon, birthplace of the Borgias

Alongside its contemporary architecture, Valencia reveals the vestiges of its Golden Age, when one of the most influential families of the 15th century watched over its splendour: the Borjas, a sulphurous lineage better known by its Italianised name of Borgia.

By The Editor -

Published on 11/05/2012

What a family the Borgias were! A dynasty that, according to the memoirists, spent its time plotting, ordering murders, using daggers and poisons, and indulging in a more than sulphurous sexuality against all the odds... During the Renaissance, Pope Alexander VI and his children, the famous Caesar and Lucrezia, made headlines for their escapades, which were considered decadent. However, historians now remember that the Borgias were also learned and astute patrons of the arts and that, thanks to them, the kingdom of Valencia enjoyed a very prosperous period.

We sometimes forget that the lineage is of Spanish origin and that its real name, Borja, comes from a village in Aragon before being passed down to posterity in its Italianised form, obliged by the Papacy. Indeed, the history of the family and that of the Vatican are closely linked. This illustrious clan has given the Church no less than two popes, Calixtus III (Alfonso de Borja, 1378-1458), Alexander VI (his nephew, Rodrigo de Borja, 1431-1503), and also a saint, Francisco de Borja (great-grandson of Alexander VI and King Ferdinand II the Catholic, 1510-1572). Not to mention a dozen cardinals and a host of bishops...

To walk in their footsteps, in the heart of Valencia's old town, is to plunge into the magnificence of the 15th century, and at the same time to understand the influence of this prestigious house on the political and commercial life of the time.

An ever-present imprint

Valencia was now entering its Golden Age, while Spain was witnessing the emergence of the Renaissance in the arts. This new boom had a lot to do with the election of Rodrigo de Borja to the pontificate, under the name of Alexander VI. Prior to this, the city had experienced a period of decline following the Reconquista. The Arab conquerors stayed in the region for more than five hundred years, between 716 and 1238, but left a legacy of their know-how, not only in irrigation systems and the cultivation of rice and oranges, but also in the art of ceramics and silkworm rearing.

A solid economic foundation on which Valencia gradually grew into a prosperous city, trading in the 15th century with all the trading posts in the Mediterranean. The city flourished with buildings that still bear the imprint of the Borgias, as Ana Merelo, general manager of the Valencia Guias incoming agency, explains: "On the first day, we take the groups on a tour of the buildings marked by the family's influence, such as the cathedral, the palace of Las Corts - their former residence - the university and the Lonja, the silk exchange. On the second day, they will explore the city of Gandía and its ducal palace, and on the third, Xàtiva, the birthplace of the Borja family."

In Valencia itself, all these monuments are scattered around the old town, making them easily accessible on foot. Start with Santa Maria Cathedral, where the Borgias were bishops and archbishops. Although predominantly Gothic, the church combines different styles and includes a chapel dedicated to Saint Francisco de Borja, designed by another famous Francisco, a certain Goya... Also of great beauty are the Renaissance frescoes of angel musicians, discovered in 2004 under the dome of the nave, which is currently being restored.

A few hundred metres away, the Palacio de Las Corts, their former residence and now the seat of the Valencian parliament, still bears some signs of the era, including a beautiful, austere façade and a surprising granary. You can also visit the university, which was made possible thanks to the family's benevolence. Guide Pepe Martinez explains:"It was founded by the city council in 1499, in the Jewish quarter. But it wasn't until Pope Alexander VI issued a bull in 1501 giving it the right to honour its students with academic titles that it really took off. Just like the other universities in Europe. A year later, it was the turn of Ferdinand II the Catholic to grant it, by royal privilege, the same rights as the other universities in Spain".

Chapel and cloister available for private hire

Now transformed into a cultural centre, its chapel can be used for chamber music concerts, and its simple cloister for cocktail parties. The chapter house, with its walls illustrated with portraits of the men who made it famous, is ideal for award ceremonies.

Finally, La Lonja, the former silk exchange, is a magnificent flamboyant Gothic building that is well worth a visit for its superb hall with vaulted ceilings resting on spiral columns over seventeen metres high. A major centre of commerce at the time, it can now be hired out for receptions or cocktail parties. Esther, a tourist guide, adds: "Valencian silk was highly reputed and it was Rodrigo Borgia who helped create demand for it throughout Europe by bringing it to Rome to dress the Vatican. He was very close to his roots and imported his favourite cake, arnadi, made with eggs, pumpkin, sugar, lemon and almonds. A sweet that can still be found today in patisseries."

Opposite the Lonja stands a modernist jewel with a metal frame covered in glass and topped by a huge green parakeet. Iconoclastic, the iron bird symbolises the chattering of the vendors at the Mercado Central. It's here, in this gigantic covered market, amidst stalls brimming with fish, wriggling eels fished from the Albufera lake, tins of saffron needed to make paella, fat and tasty hams like pata negra... it's here, between mountains of oranges that groups come to taste thehorchata de chufaa typical, highly nutritious milky drink made from nutsedge tubers, also known as ground almonds.

Opposite the market is the small hotel - just three rooms! - Casa Azul, owned by Vicente Gracia. This internationally renowned jeweller is so fascinated by the Borgias that he has dedicated one of his rooms to the sensual Lucrezia, a kitschy nod to the illustrious family. Fond of anecdotes, he recounts: "the Borgia coat of arms is a red bull on a gold background, proudly prancing in a meadow. In the time of Alexander VI, his children Caesar and Lucrezia used to bring bulls from Spain by boat to hold bullfights in St Peter's Square in front of Bernini's colonnades. The Pope would attend from his loggia."

Contemporary interlude

Today, Valencia remains an important Mediterranean port. But it's a port that's evolving into a real tourist magnet. Ana Merelo, from Valencia Guias, adds: "As a very contemporary counterpoint to a visit followed by lunch in the old town, we never fail to take groups to visit the City of Arts and Sciences."This complex designed by architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela includes the Science Museum, the Palace of Arts - an avant-garde opera house - , the Hemisfèric - an IMAX cinema - and the Oceanogràfic, Europe's largest aquarium... Futuristic buildings with curves of steel, concrete and glass offering a new cultural stopover before moving on to more festive things. "After that, we're going to take a trip out to sea, our catamarans holding eighty people, says Ana MereloAlternatively, we can organise a fun regatta in eight-person boats, under the command of a captain, culminating in a picnic on the beach".

After a little rest, it's time to head further south to continue the Borgia route. The town of Gandía, the epicentre of a dukedom purchased by Alexander VI from Ferdinand II the Catholic in 1485, is only around sixty kilometres from Valencia. Groups visit the ducal palace and its imposing square Gothic courtyard, ideal for a cool cocktail. This fifteenth-century residence is the birthplace of Saint Francisco de Borja, restored and transformed into a sanctuary by the Jesuits in honour of the man who was their Superior General.

Inside, there is an extraordinary oratory - which can be reserved for private use - with a ceiling simulating a coffin lid, as well as large rooms such as the somewhat austere Crown Room.

Francisco Pascual de Borgia commissioned the construction of the Golden Gallery in the Palacio Ducale de Gandia to celebrate the canonisation of his ascendant.

What remains is a sumptuous white and gilded baroque gallery, which brings light and cheerfulness to this rather severe palace. The town, once inward-looking, has gradually blossomed along one of Spain's most beautiful beaches. It's a great opportunity for groups to take a seaside break in one of the large hotels along the coast and take part in some team-building sessions on the sand, which here is truly extra-fine.

Jealous Italians

Xàtiva, the start of a family and romantic story.

From this beach, Xàtiva, the birthplace of the Borja family, is just 30 kilometres away. Dominated by impressive walls originally erected by the Arabs and a 19th-century castle where groups can enjoy lunch on the terrace, the town of Xàtiva is a maze of narrow streets lined with colourful facades. You can organise a treasure hunt to discover the charm of the arcades of the market square, the Borja house where Alexander VI was born, the church of St Peter where he was baptised, the museum housed in the old corn exchange and the great collegiate church, which was never recognised as a cathedral.

Opposite, the former 15th-century hospital, completed thanks to the support of the papacy, boasts the finest Renaissance façade in the region, and its blonde stonework proves that the Borgias were indeed enlightened patrons of the arts. A far cry from the rumours circulating in Rome. Tourist guide David Antunez adds: "I have the impression that the sulphurous reputation of the Borgias is also due to the jealousy of the great Italian families, such as the Colonna and Orsini families, who at the time couldn't stand the fact that Spaniards were able to ascend to the throne of St Peter's! "