The ceramic façades in El Cabañal: a recognizable and recognized popular heritage

The huge variety of the built heritage spread all over the world derives by the extraordinary uniqueness of the natural environments in which it has been built. The architectural features of the coastal cities are strongly linked to the presence of the sea, which more than any other natural factor affects the cultural heritage in its entirety. The City of Valencia is a rare example of coastal cities of difficult reading due to its complexity and contradictions. There is a lively debate between those who argue that Valencia is a typical coastal city open to the influence of the sea and those who claim that the city has grown without being affected by the sea. Actually, there are arguments for and against these two different opinions depending on the context of analysis of the city. Therefore, it is better to give the opportunity to the past to explain the present rather than siding in favor of a theory or the other one as appropriate. This work describes the popular neighborhood of El Cabañal facing on the sea with a peculiar urban identity and a remarkable constructive heritage.