The new Plaza de la Reina is once again open to visitors, now fully pedestrianized

The singular and iconic Plaza de la Reina in Valencia is open once more after the remodeling work that has turned its almost 12,000 m2 into pedestrian areas. After several months of work, the entire area is again open to visitors, who will be able to access it from anywhere on foot, and by car from Calle de la Paz. There is a two-story underground garage, which has also been completely remodeled. 

The remodeling work, which started in April 2022, has turned the square into an open and accessible space, showcasing the city's historical heritage and providing a renewed vantage point of the Micalet, the baroque door of the Cathedral, and Santa Caterina. 

A pedestrian square

To pedestrianize the square, it was paved with non-slip limestone, the same material used to build the Cathedral, in different shades that prevent heat absorption. A series of awnings, set up at different heights to ensure the visibility of the square, protect pedestrians from the sun during the hot months, and can be removed in the cooler months. 

A children's play area, public toilets, 1,378 shrubs and 115 trees of 30 native species have also been installed, helping to create a green and friendly setting for the public, with a series of tree and pavement walking routes that recreate the locations of the ancient houses that existed here before it was a square. 

In addition, a section of the old tramway rail and other archeological finds have also been preserved. The toilets, the information and tourism office, the pedestrian accesses to the garage and the ventilation exhausts have all been designed to be fully integrated into the environment, as has the night lighting that accentuates the monuments in the square.

The new square also has two water fountains, 900 seats, adapted benches, underground containers, 30 bike parking spaces, water sprinklers/diffusers, points of light on the ground, authorized emergency points, an information and tourism office, panels and columns with information in Braille, and a representation of the historical shields of the city. 

This new Plaza de la Reina brings back the Valenbisi shared bike station, and relocates the kiosks that existed before the remodeling. A sculpture has also been installed in tribute to Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino, who had a successful career in the United States by exporting Mediterranean architectural techniques.

Renovation of the garage 

The remodeled 8,634 m² underground garage does away with the previous circular ramps and replaces the old entrances with an entrance in Calle de la Paz, and an exit in Calle del Mar. The garage has 228 spaces for cars, six spaces for persons with reduced mobility, 48 spaces for motorcycles, 20 for bicycles, nine chargers for electric bicycles and/or scooters, and seven chargers for electric vehicles.

This remodeling brings Valencia on par with other big European cities by offering its residents and visitors an outdoor space in which to enjoy the city, promoting sustainability and well-being.