Editing Valencia (section)

===20th century===
[[File:Baldomer Gili Roig. El Palmar (La Albufera de València), c. 1915 (2).jpg|thumb|right|Women working at the Albufera ({{circa|1915}})]]
[[File:Bombardeo sobre la estación del Norte en Valencia.jpg|thumb|right|Bombing of the city by the Italian ''[[Aviazione Legionaria]]'' (1937) during the Spanish Civil War]]
In the early 20th century, Valencia was an industrialised city. Although the silk industry had disappeared, there was a large production of hides and skins, wood, metals, and foodstuffs, the latter with substantial exports, particularly of wine and citrus. Small businesses predominated, but with the rapid mechanisation of the industry, larger companies were being formed. The best expression of this dynamic was in regional exhibitions, including that of 1909 held next to the ''L'Albereda'' (''Paseo de la Alameda''), which depicted the progress of agriculture and industry. Among the most architecturally successful buildings of the era were those designed in the [[Art Nouveau]] style, such as the [[Estació del Nord (Valencia)|Estació del Nord]] and the Central and Columbus markets.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

[[World War I]] (1914–1918) greatly affected the Valencian economy, causing the collapse of its citrus exports. The [[Second Spanish Republic]] (1931–1939) opened the way for democratic participation and the increased politicisation of citizens, especially in response to the rise of Conservative Front power in 1933. The inevitable march toward civil war and combat in Madrid resulted in the relocation of the capital of the Republic to Valencia.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

After the continuous unsuccessful [[Francoist Spain|Francoist]] offensive on besieged Madrid during the [[Spanish Civil War]], Valencia temporarily became the capital of Republican Spain on 6 November 1936. It hosted the government until 31 October 1937.<ref>{{citation |url=https://elpais.com/ccaa/2015/11/16/valencia/1447694968_672284.html |title=Valencia, capital de la Segunda República española |work=[[El País]] |author=Cristina Vázquez |date=16 November 2015 |access-date=17 April 2018 |archive-date=18 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032348/https://elpais.com/ccaa/2015/11/16/valencia/1447694968_672284.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Francoist Spain ====
During the [[Spanish Civil War]], Valencia was heavily bombarded by air and sea, mainly by the [[Fascist Italy (1922–1943)|Fascist Italian]] air force, as well as the Francoist air force with [[Nazi Germany|Nazi German]] support. By the end of the war, the city had survived 442 bombardments, leaving 2,831 dead and 847 wounded, although it is estimated that the death toll was higher. The Republican government moved to Barcelona on 31 October of that year. On 30 March 1939, Valencia surrendered and Nationalist Spanish troops entered the city.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

The postwar years were a time of hardship for Valencians. During Franco's regime, speaking or teaching [[Valencian language|Valencian]] was prohibited; in a significant reversal, it is now compulsory for every schoolchild in Valencia. Franco's dictatorship forbade political parties and began a harsh ideological and cultural repression countenanced and sometimes led by the Catholic Church. During Franco's regime some leading Valencian intellectuals, such as [[Juan Peset]], [[Rector (academia)|rector]] of [[University of Valencia]], were executed and many of them, including [[Josep Renau]] and [[Max Aub]], went into exile.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

[[File:Historia30-valencia - Valencia anegada por la riada de 1957.jpg|thumb|right|Image of the 1957 flood]]
[[File:Barraques de Beniparrell abans de la Gran Riuada de València (País Valencià, 1957).jpg|thumb|Valencian houses following the Valencia flood of 1957]]
In 1943, Franco decreed the exclusivity of Valencia and Barcelona for the celebration of international [[fair]]s in Spain.<ref name=ventoso>{{Cite web |url=https://www.abc.es/espana/20140210/abci-como-cataluna-volvio-rica-201402100444.html |website=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]] |title=De cómo Cataluña se volvió rica y Galicia, pobre |date=11 February 2014 |first=Luis |last=Ventoso |access-date=20 July 2020 |archive-date=28 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828171157/https://www.abc.es/espana/20140210/abci-como-cataluna-volvio-rica-201402100444.html |url-status=live}}</ref> These two cities would hold the monopoly on international fairs for more than three decades, until the rule's abolishment in 1979 by the government of [[Adolfo Suárez]].<ref name=ventoso /> In October 1957, [[1957 Valencia flood|a flood]] from the Turia river resulted in 81 casualties and extensive property damage.<ref name=levante>{{Cite web |url=https://www.levante-emv.com/valencia/2017/10/04/riada-57-valencia-aniversario-60-anos/1623886.html |first=Sara |last=Cañada Guillen |website=[[Levante-EMV]] |date=4 October 2017 |title=Riada de 1957 en València: Se cumplen 60 años |access-date=15 June 2020 |archive-date=15 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615211323/https://www.levante-emv.com/valencia/2017/10/04/riada-57-valencia-aniversario-60-anos/1623886.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The disaster led to the remodelling of the city and the creation of a new river bed for the Turia, with the old one becoming one of the city's "green lungs".<ref name=levante /> The economy began to recover in the early 1960s, and the city experienced explosive population growth through immigration spurred by jobs created with the implementation of major urban projects and infrastructure improvements.

==== Post-Franco ====
With the [[Spanish transition to democracy|advent of democracy]] in Spain, the ancient kingdom of Valencia was established as a new autonomous entity, the [[Valencian Community]], the Statute of Autonomy of 1982 designating Valencia as its capital. Valencia has since then experienced a surge in its cultural development, exemplified by exhibitions and performances at such iconic institutions as the ''Palau de la Música'', the ''Palacio de Congresos'', the Metro, the [[City of Arts and Sciences]] ''(Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències)'', the Valencian Museum of Enlightenment and Modernity ''(Museo Valenciano de la Ilustracion y la Modernidad)'', and the Institute of Modern Art ''(Institut Valencià d'Art Modern)''. The various productions of [[Santiago Calatrava]], a renowned structural engineer, architect, and sculptor and of the architect [[Félix Candela]] have contributed to Valencia's international reputation. In 1983 the statue of Francisco Franco in ''Plaza del [[Caudillo]]'' was torn down and the plaza renamed ''[[Plaza del Ayuntamiento]]''. Some time after, the bronze statue ''La Paz y la Concordancia'' by José Puche was erected in ''[[Plaza de la Reina]]'' and dedicated to victims of terrorism. These public works and the ongoing rehabilitation of the "Old City" ''(Ciutat Vella)'' have helped improve the city's livability, and tourism is continually increasing.