Valencia, Spain - the Silk Exchange

 

After exiting the Cathedral, we were hungry, there was some discussion of eating at MacDonalds, which was handily in the square next to the Cathedral. I told them they were welcome to, but I wont eat at MacDonalds at home, let alone here.

We made our way

through narrow streets

and open squares

to the central market.

Here we searched for

appropriate lunch items.

I bought 3 mushroom croquettes and shared a plastic cup of assorted cheeses and another of divinely sweet strawberries. Chris and Kristin each chose baguette sandwiches filled with ham and cheese. Kristin also bought some seafood paella that we shared for dinner when we returned home.

Christine again tried to get her bank card to work (no luck)

 

while I took pictures of the surrounding buildings.

So many spires.

Down a side street was the entrance to the Silk Exchange (1Euro for me, 2 for the youngsters) and we walked into a lovely little courtyard.

From there we walked into the Sala de Contratacion. My photos just can't do it justice. A huge room, with high ceilings and 8 columns that spiral from a black marble floor to

a stone vaulted ceiling.

In the very heart of Valencia stands the Silk Exchange (Lonja de la Seda), one of the most beautiful examples of European civil Gothic architecture. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, the Lonja is not just a monument: it is a journey back in time to an era when the city was a key hub of international trade.

Built between the 15th and 16th centuries, the Lonja was the setting for transactions, agreements and meetings that shaped the economic destiny of Valencia and the Mediterranean. Today, it continues to impress with its monumental scale and its spaces, from the Columned Hall to the Orange Tree Courtyard.

from visitvalencia.com 

 

From there into

a small chapel in the base of the prison tower. Built to house merchants who failed to pay their debts or went bankrupt.

Next to that, the Consulado del Mar which housed the trades tribunal, has an elaborate wooden coffered  ceiling.

Then back out to the courtyard to take outside stone stairs up to 

the Sala Dorada with another magnificent

ceiling and

marble floor. Both of these later 2 rooms had videos playing on the walls with English subtitles, explaining the history, purpose and architecture.

Back out into the streets and we opted to head home

Making our way to the nearest Metro station

we passed this elaborate building.

I will certainly be back to explore this.

From the train; an Azulejos  tile manufacturer.

Beside the road where we parked the car was a row of these trees with what looks like roots hanging from their branches. 

I googled and this is what I came up with;

 The banyan tree has roots that hang down from its branches, called aerial roots. When these roots reach the ground, they grow into a woody trunk, creating a unique and sprawling tree structure. shutterstock.com