Silk Exchange Valencia Spain
by Joan Carroll
Title
Silk Exchange Valencia Spain
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Photography And Digital Art
Description
Based on the number of visitors I met here, one would hardly know that the Silk Exchange (La Lonja) in Valencia Spain is one of the main monuments in the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built during Valencia’s golden age, the 15th century, when Valencia was at its economic and cultural peak. At this time Valencia was an important point of commerce in the Mediterranean area. Silk was one of the products fueling the economy and the Silk Exchange was the only building in Valencia devoted solely to mercantile transactions. The is the Contract Hall, where commercial deals were struck. The hall is divided into three aisles lengthways and five across, divided by the eight columns reaching up to the 17.4 m high ceiling. The spiral columns have been described as huge monuments, the ropes of a ship, or skeins of silk. “They fan out as they touch the vaulted ceiling, like Mediterranean palm-trees, and transform into the ribs of the vaults, once painted with gold-leaf stars.” The floor is made up of slabs of black, white and cinnamon-colored marble, joining to form six-pointed stars surrounded by squared. The frieze that runs around the room has gold lettering which reminds tradesmen of their duties:
"…Fellow countrymen, see how kind trade can be,
when there is no fraudulency in words, when
promises are made to ones fellow men and not broken,
when money is not given with usury…"
FEATURED PHOTO, The Weekenders group, 3/23/19
FEATURED PHOTO, The Niche group, 11/18/18
FEATURED PHOTO, Just Perfect group, 10/10/18
FEATURED PHOTO, UNESCO World Heritage Sites group, 10/10/18
Joan carroll, vaulted, spiral, commercial, indoor, interior, building, architecture, travel, landmark, lonja de la seda, europe, famous, spanish, gothic, sightseeing, tourism, column, european, medieval, history, renaissance, historical
Uploaded
October 9th, 2018
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Viewed 2,640 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/23/2024 at 2:57 AM
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Comments (55)
Joan Carroll
thank you Frozen in Time Fine Art Photography for the feature in The Niche group, 11/18/18
Christopher James
One of your peers nominated this image in the 1000 views Groups nominated images by your fellow artist in the Special Features #10 promotion discussion. Please visit and pass on the love to another artist.