Municipal Market, Tortosa

While walking on the Ferrocaril Bridge, I noticed a large building on the left bank of the Ebro River. This is the city market (Mercat Municipal), one of the largest in Catalonia.

The market was built in 1884-1887, designed by the city architect Joan Abril i Guanyabens. The building is made in the eclectic style, here we see a Romanesque arched portal, Gothic battlements and buttresses, and early Art Nouveau decor.

The space of the market measures 32 by 84 meters and is covered by an arched roof that rests only on the walls of the building. This is the first experience of a single-nave building of this width. The steel structures were designed by engineer Joan Torras i Guardiola, who was called the Catalan Eiffel.

The roof is supported by 14 openwork arches of a parabolic shape and a length of 26 meters, which rest on the buttresses of the walls. From the floor to the ridge of the roof along the pediment 22 meters. Arches really impress with their lightness, giving the impression of decorative elements, rather than load-bearing structures.

After inspecting the roof structure, I asked about the prices of products. They were pleasantly surprised by their accessibility, they are much cheaper here than in Barcelona.

Today is Saturday, and the New Year is coming soon, so the market is busy.

Opposite the market there is another interesting building - the former fish market (Mercat del Peix), built in 1935 in the style of rationalism. The author of the project is Agustí Barlett Zaldivar. In 2008, the building was renovated and the Viena restaurant opened.

On the table of a street cafe near the walls of the market, I saw an improvised still life with oranges, which at this time were already ripe and they were strewn all over the streets. I must say that they taste sour.