In Spanish, the phrase mi media naranja literally means “my half an orange” and is used to refer to one’s soulmate. For Valencia, the expression feels particularly fitting. Here, the orange is not simply a fruit, but a system of coordinates that has shaped the architecture, landscape, and character of the region.
Citrus determined the routes of the first railways connecting the orchards with the ports and became the foundation of markets around which urban life developed. Today, oranges remain an important part of Valencia’s economy. Spain produces around 2.8 million tonnes of oranges a year, with almost half of that volume coming from the region. Citrus exports are worth billions of euros annually — behind these figures lies the labour of generations and a culture that has become an everyday backdrop to life. Infrastructure originally built to transport fruit has gradually changed its functions, but continues to shape the structure of the city.
