Mercat Municipal d'Abastos

The Mercat Municipal d'Abastos stands on the site of the former convent of the Discalced Augustinian nuns, founded in the 17th century in the Casco Antiguo of Jávea, whose orchard once held a tower containing the remains of Sister María Gallard, the community's founder. At the start of the Civil War, the town council tore down the convent intending to build a covered market on the site, but the conflict halted the work and the current building wasn't inaugurated until 1946.

Tosca stone arches

The building follows the area's traditional style: a rectangular plan, a gabled roof, and large arches of tosca stone that carry the structure and leave an open interior, drawing on the Gothic architecture of medieval shipyard buildings for reference. Under those arches sit the stalls selling bread, fruit, meat and seafood that still supply the neighbourhood today, a trading space that has run largely unchanged since the mid-20th century. Unlike other markets along this stretch of coast that have been rebuilt or moved into modern buildings, this one keeps its original post-war construction largely intact, with stalls still arranged under the arches much as they were on opening day.

Visiting

The market itself takes only a few minutes to walk through, but it pairs well with a stroll through the old town's streets, close to the Iglesia-Fortaleza de San Bartolomé. Going early in the morning, when most stalls are open and the atmosphere is busiest, is the best way to see the market working as intended rather than as a historic building alone. It remains one of the area's simplest free things to do, since simply walking through costs nothing.