La Lonja de la Seda

Valencia, Spain

The Lonja de la Seda or Llotja de la Seda (Silk Exchange) is a late Valencian Gothic-style civil building in Valencia. It is a principal tourist attraction in the city and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Built between 1482 and 1533, it is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a secular building in late Gothic style of outstanding artistic value.  It bears eloquent witness to the role played in the Mediterranean and far beyond by the merchants of the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th and 16th centuries.

 la Lonja is composed of three parts. The main hall, Sala de Contratación (The Trading Hall), is a large lavishly decorated space supported by gorgeous twisted columns. This was the financial centre of La Lonja, where the merchants work out contracts. The side-wing is named the Pavilion of the Consulate, and this was the seat of the Tribunal del Mar - the first marine merchant tribunal to ever be formed in Spain. The first two floors were the main function rooms, with the upper one hosting a richly decorated ceiling. These rooms are still maintained original furnishings. On occasion, the Tribunal would imprison merchants for debts in the central tower of La Lonja - the third part of the structure.

In addition to being a very representative example of medieval places of commerce, the building incorporates elements of the new architectonic language that developed in Europe at the end of the 15th century incorporating the most daring progress in the field of construction techniques (admirable twisted columns and vaults of remarkable complexity, all in freestone of the highest quality).

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Details

Founded: 1482-1533
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Spain

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Mr Wong (5 months ago)
The building was very impressive with a nice orange grove courtyard (1 rogue lemon tree). A short film to watch to provide historical background. It was worth the 2€ admission.
Monica Widman (6 months ago)
Incredible UNESCO site, built between 1482 and 1533, originally used for trading silk, architecture in Flamboyant Gothic style. What touched me most was the inscription on the walls, in Latin as a reminder to the merchants of their duties as merchants and good people. It is absolutely worth the visit. Go early in the morning to avoid long lines. Has restrooms. Guide tours allow visitation to otherwise restricted areas( example spiral staicase)
Tom Courtney (6 months ago)
Fascinating building with an interesting history. The audio guide is worth the 2.5 euro and if you listen to everything it will take about an hour. Without the guide it is a few impressive rooms that will take about 20 minutes. For some reason this place gets mixed up with the silk museum and people post photos of this place for the silk museum, which is really frustrating. The building is open all days (thankfully it is open on Monday when everything else seems to be closed) and is worth the visit.
Liviu-Cristian Mihon (6 months ago)
Amazing building where silk trading used to take place between the 15th and 16th century. The ticket is €2 and includes access to all rooms and an inner courtyard and there's an additional ~€2 cost for the audio guide. The architecture is amazing and the rooms are unique. The inner courtyard has a small orange orchard and a small seating area where visitors can enjoy the shade.
Eva S. (7 months ago)
It's one of the highest-rated tourist attractions in Valencia for a reason - it's a breathtakingly beautiful building. The entrance fee was a measly 2 euros and the guided audio tour was really fascinating; I'm used to feeling ripped off when I visit tourist attractions but this was accessible, incredibly well-maintained, cheap and very informative. Highly recommend.
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