Palace of Music of Valencia

Brief Information

The Palace of Music stands not simply beside a park, but in the former bed of the Turia: the building appeared where, after the flood, a section of the river was drained and turned into the Turia Gardens. That is why its glass dome-conservatory is important not as a striking shell, but as part of the concept: the main facade was meant to visually connect the foyer with the surrounding park.

The complex opened in 1987 and is designed as a place for music and public events. Inside there are several specialized halls, from a large symphonic hall to chamber and multipurpose spaces. The building’s reputation was largely shaped by its acoustics: after the first concert, Plácido Domingo compared the Palace to a Stradivarius. This helps one see the building not only as an architectural object, but as an instrument assembled around sound.

What to Notice Right Away

The main focus is the connection between music, glass, and the former river landscape. It is worth noticing the glass dome of the main facade: it was conceived as a conservatory and as a transparent boundary between the foyer and the park. In the main José Iturbi hall, the seats are arranged in a fan around the stage; this form is directly connected with visibility and the balance of sound, not only with capacity.

Outside, this same idea is continued by Bofill Garden at the foot of the building. Its centerpiece is a large artificial pond with musical fountains, where in the summer months, during open-air concerts, the water and lighting move in time with the music. On either side of the pond stand two decorative structures resembling ancient Greek temples. The underground extension with rehearsal halls is built into the landscape of the Turia riverbed, so the expansion of the complex does not cancel the site’s main principle: here, music is connected with the form of the building and the layout of the garden.