Valencia is a large city on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It is famous for its history, parks, canals, ancient and new unique buildings. However, there is another Valencia, located in Venezuela. It is also a very large city, two times even becoming the capital of the country. Some confuse these two Valencia, especially since the lands of present-day Venezuela were conquered by the Spaniards and brought much of their culture into their lives. Let's try to figure out which animal is the symbol of the city of Valencia in Spain.
A look into the history
Valencia is a very ancient city, founded in an immensely distant 138th year BC. It was at that time a small settlement easily captured by the Lusitanians, the ancestors of modern Portuguese, and completely destroyed. The Roman Consul Junius Brutus rebuilt it and named it Valentia, which meant "fortress". Also this word means "a good omen". In the future Valencia was attacked many times, was under the rule of the Moors, the Visigoths, again the Moors, until in 1238 was finally conquered by the King of Aragon, Jaime I. Then the dragon was on the arms of the city. But since 1503 he was replaced by a bat, which became the symbol of the city of Valencia. Why it? After all, for Europeans, unlike the Chinese and Hindus, this night animal represents demonism and the forces of evil.
Merit of the bat
Some are surprised to learn which animal is the symbol of the city of Valencia. More often people for characters of the cities choose the good-natured fluffy animals or beautiful and proud birds. And then there is not much for a cute nightly bloodsucker who is also a symbol of vampires. But in fact the bat is not as scary as some think about it. It is even useful because it destroys insects. A prejudiced attitude to this animal has earned its secretive and nightly way of life. It is present in the arms of several cities in Spain. In some eastern countries, the bat symbolizes health, wealth, luck and even happiness. But why did this animal become a symbol of the city of Valencia? There are several legends living in the people who answer this question.
Legends of the Bat and King Jaime I
King Jaime I is called the Conqueror, because he was lucky in military campaigns, having conquered the Boléars Islands and expelled the Moors that dominated there from Valencia. The city was proclaimed a kingdom, the life of its subjects flowed along a new channel. Many are wondering which animal is the symbol of the city of Valencia and why it is. Legends say the following. When the king was preparing for the decisive battle, his bat dropped to his helmet. Before, people regarded any extraordinary event as a sign. It was decided that the mouse was the forerunner of victory, but she warns the king of danger. A small half-blind animal knew about future events, or there was a simple coincidence, but both omens had come true. First, Jaime and his army won. Secondly, during the battle the king barely escaped death. And again the bat intervened in the course of events, substituting his own body for the arrow and covering himself with the king.
Winged Symbol
To understand which animal is the symbol of the city of Valencia is very easy. You just need to look at his coat of arms, travel tickets, even sewer hatches. Everywhere a bat flaunts. Why it happened, tells such a legend. It would be like before the decisive storm of Valencia, King Jaime I and his army set up camp. At night, soldiers were awakened by strange sounds heard from the royal tent. It turned out that the bat had flown there. Zverek desperately tried to break free and in search of an escape flew across the tent, touching various objects. Some of them fell to the floor. This sound awakened the soldiers. All would be nothing, but it was on this night that the Moors crept up to the camp to kill the sleeping enemy. The bat broke their plans. Jaime I's soldiers successfully attacked and killed scouts. Many useful things the bat did for the inhabitants of Valencia. Therefore, it was chosen as the symbol of the city. The townspeople are sure that this animal brings them luck.