The Silk Exchange

Close to the market is a group of Gothic buildings that was originally used for trading in silk (hence its name, the Silk Exchange). Built between 1482 and 1533, it has always been a centre for commerce.

For 1 Euro (Seniors’ rates), we were able to wander through this beautiful building with an audio guide explaining the purpose and secrets of each room.

By stepping into the grandiose Sala de Contratación (Contract or Trading Hall), we could only imagine the power and wealth of Valencia, a major Mediterranean mercantile city, in the 15th and 16th centuries.

No expense was spared in this room. The interior, with three main aisles, is covered by a series of cross vaults resting on slender spiral pillars almost 16 metres high. The floor is paved with marble of different colours. On the walls, a Latin inscription in Gothic characters reminds the merchants of their duties as merchants and good Christians: “not to revert to usury (lending money at unreasonable rates) in their trade, so as to be able to attain eternal life”. This is the building where we hunted for gargoyles.

We walked outside into the orange tree courtyard and walked up the outdoor steps. We went into the the Consolat de Mar (Consulate of the Sea). What a room! It has a blue and gold, very ornate coffered ceiling overhead and a disorientating optical illusions created by the patterned, black, white and cinnamon coloured marble floor at our feet. See the photos.

We were very happy to have returned to the old city to see this architectural masterpiece - a World Heritage Site.Read more