La Lonja

The Lonja also known in its early days as Lonja de los Mercaderes (The Merchants’ Market) is an emblematic building of the city and one of the most famous civil Gothic monuments in Europe. It was built during València’s Golden Age (15th century) as a trading centre and a veritable temple of commerce. The building’s current name, Lonja de la Seda (The Silk Exchange), derives from the fact that silk weaving was the city’s most powerful industry from the 14th to the 18th century. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 1996.