Historic site · Spain · Valencian Community

La Lonja de la Seda

A late-Gothic silk exchange with twisting columns, one of the finest civil buildings in Spain.

UNESCO World Heritage about 45 min

For storytellers

Why La Lonja de la Seda matters

The Lonja was the trading hall of Valencia's silk merchants in the fifteenth century. Inside, slender twisted columns rise like palm trees and fan out across the vault of the great hall. It shows how rich the city was in its Golden Age. Across the street, the Central Market continues the tradition of commerce.

Talking points

  • It was built as a silk exchange when Valencia was a major Mediterranean trading city.
  • The twisted stone columns resemble palm trees.
  • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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