The Dragon of Aldaia

Artwork: The Dragon of Aldaia

Artist: Miguel Ángel Sena

Location: Joan Fuster Avenue Tunnel

Date: 2021

The mural is a real tribute to the cultural heritage of the town of Aldaia. It is the continuation of the Green Belt and shows a dragon with a long body running along the wall of the tunnel, ending at the tail with the name of Aldaia. Just like the immense park of the Green Belt, the dragon’s body is made up of various plant elements (roots, trees, leaves) mixed with the sculptures “Mother earth, teeth” by Carlos Monje, “Maimara, star of the earth beyond” by Sebastià Miralles and “Ugarit Gate” by Mustafa Ali. Also, intermingled in the body of the dragon water from the Comuner irrigation channel appears, which waters the Aldaia market garden, with a farmer working the land. The Huerta of Aldaia is a protected horticultural area in the General Urban Development Plan of Aldaia and in the Territorial Action Plan for l’Horta of the Generalitat Valenciana. The farmers of this area settle irrigation disputes in the Comunero Tribunal and are declared of intangible local relevance by the Generalitat Valenciana. The dragon’s tail merges with a representation of the toponym of Aldaia where emblematic elements of the local cultural heritage are intermingled, such as Bacchus of Aldaia, the sculpture “Homage to the Kyoto Protocol”, the parish church of the Annunciation, the chapel of the Virgin Mary of La Salita, the TAMA, the handcrafted fan, the Aldaia Palm Heart Museum (MUPA)/Museo del Abanico and the Water Deposit. A rich heritage that in 2021 has received two recognitions from the Generalitat since the Comunero Tribunal and the Aldaia Handcrafted Fans have been declared of Intangible Local Relevance in the Valencian Community.