# Valencia Cathedral > Valencia Cathedral is the old town's great church, begun in 1262 and added to over centuries, so Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque portals sit side by side. It holds the Holy Chalice, revered by many as the Holy Grail, and the Miguelete bell tower looks out over the whole city. On Thursdays at noon the ancient Water Tribunal meets by its portal. Allow about an hour. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/valencia/valencia-cathedral - City: [Valencia](https://yesgo.io/spain/valencia), Spain - YesGo score: 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - Opening hours: Daily; separate hours for services and tourists - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Paid, with audio guide - Bell tower: The Miguelete, separate ticket, 207 steps - Highlights: The Holy Chalice, the angel frescoes, the tower view - Time needed: ≈ 1 hour, longer with the tower - Water Tribunal: Thursdays at noon, Apostles' Door - Location: Plaza de la Virgen, the old town - Coordinates: 39.47561, -0.37514 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1262** — construction began (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 51 m** — height of the Miguelete tower (source: English Wikipedia) - **207** — steps up the tower (source: English Wikipedia) - **2009** — the Water Tribunal joined UNESCO's intangible heritage list (source: UNESCO) ## About Valencia Cathedral The cathedral was begun in **1262**, soon after King James I took Valencia. Work went on for centuries, so the building has three completely different entrances: the plain Romanesque Palau Door, the Gothic **Apostles' Door** and the flamboyant Baroque Iron Door facing Plaza de la Reina. Inside, **Renaissance frescoes** of musician angels survive above the high altar: long hidden behind a later vault, they were rediscovered only in the early 21st century. The chapels hold paintings by Goya, and the cathedral museum has a silver monstrance and old vestments. ## The Holy Chalice and the Miguelete The cathedral's most revered treasure is the **Holy Chalice** in its own Gothic chapel: a small cup of dark red agate on a gold stem set with pearls and stones, venerated by tradition as the Holy Grail. It has been in Valencia since the 15th century, and the chapel draws pilgrims ever since. Above the cathedral rises the octagonal **Miguelete** bell tower, about **51 metres** high. **207 steps** of narrow spiral stair lead to a platform with a 360-degree view over the old town's roofs, church domes, the Turia Gardens and the City of Arts and Sciences in the distance. ## What to see in the cathedral - **The Holy Chalice** — an agate cup revered as the Grail. - **The angel frescoes** — Renaissance paintings above the altar. - **The Miguelete tower** — 207 steps and a city view. - **The Apostles' Door** — Gothic sculpture. - **Goya paintings** — in one of the chapels. - **The Water Tribunal** — Thursdays at noon. > **The Water Tribunal** Every Thursday at noon, eight judges in black smocks, representing the old irrigation canals around Valencia, gather at the Apostles' Door to settle disputes over watering fields aloud, as they have for centuries. The session is short and open to all; in 2009 the tribunal joined UNESCO's intangible heritage list. ## Around the cathedral The cathedral is ringed by three squares. **Plaza de la Virgen** has a fountain with a figure representing the Turia and the basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken, the city's patron. **Plaza de la Reina** has cafés facing the Baroque portal, and the Almoina square hides an archaeological centre with Roman remains. The Central Market and the Silk Exchange are about 10 minutes' walk west, and the Turia Gardens lie north beyond the Serranos Towers. The old town is compact and easy to explore on foot in half a day. ## How to get to the cathedral 1. On foot from the centre, 10 minutes from Plaza del Ayuntamiento along Calle San Vicente. 2. Metro to **Colón** or **Xàtiva**, then 10 to 15 minutes on foot. 3. City buses stop by Plaza de la Reina. 4. The tourist entrance is on Plaza de la Reina, through the Iron Door. ## Tips for your visit Cover your shoulders and knees. Tourist entry is ticketed with an audio guide, and during services the church is open to worshippers only. Climb the Miguelete in the morning before the heat: the stair is narrow and long. If you're here on a Thursday, be at the Apostles' Door at noon for the Water Tribunal, one of Valencia's most unusual sights. Afterwards, wander the old El Carmen quarter with its narrow lanes and street art. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Wear clothes covering your shoulders - [ ] See the Holy Chalice - [ ] Find the angel frescoes above the altar - [ ] Climb the Miguelete - [ ] Come on a Thursday for the Water Tribunal ## Places in Valencia: compare and choose Places in Valencia rated by YesGo. - [Valencia Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/spain/valencia/valencia-cathedral) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid ## Don't mix it up Valencia Cathedral and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken stand side by side on Plaza de la Virgen but are different churches. The basilica is a small domed church dedicated to the city's patron. ## Tips - Cover shoulders and knees. - Climb the Miguelete in the morning. - Thursday noon: the Water Tribunal. - El Carmen is next door. ## Questions ### What is there to see in Valencia Cathedral? The Holy Chalice, the Renaissance angel frescoes, Goya paintings and the view from the Miguelete. ### Is the Holy Grail in Valencia? The cathedral keeps the Holy Chalice, venerated by tradition as the Grail. ### Can you climb the Miguelete? Yes, 207 spiral steps, on a separate ticket. ### What is the Water Tribunal? An ancient irrigation court that meets by the cathedral on Thursdays at noon. ### How long do you need at the cathedral? About an hour, an hour and a half with the tower. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia and UNESCO. Hours and prices weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Valencia Cathedral - UNESCO: Irrigators' tribunals of the Spanish Mediterranean coast (intangible heritage) - Official site, catedraldevalencia.es --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.