The Honesty of the Silk Exchange in Valencia

Built between 1482 and 1533, the Lonja de la Seda in Valencia, Spain, is a late Valencian Gothic-style civil building. It served as a center of commerce, functioning as a silk exchange during subsequent centuries. The building consists of three main sections: the Trading Hall, the Pavilion of the Consulate, and a central tower. The Trading Hall, supported by twisted columns, served as the financial center where merchants worked out contracts.

Behind the current building stood an earlier 14th-century structure used for trading agricultural oils. In 1348, a type of silk called perxal was traded. The current building's design was derived from a similar structure in the Lonja of Palma de Majorca. Architect Pere Compte built the main body of the building - the Trading Hall - in only fifteen years. A blue band along the walls features a golden inscription proclaiming the building's history and the importance of honest trade.

The inscription highlights that a righteous trade does not deceive, keeps its word, and avoids usury. According to the local Valencian scholar Joan Francesc Mira, this showed that it was not necessary to be a Protestant or a foreigner to enter into a good trade. It also illustrated the integration of ethical principles with the economy. In 1996, the site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an exceptional example of a secular building in late Gothic style.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons