Declared a World Heritage monument by UNESCO, this is the most beautiful and important Gothic style civic building in Valencia, a veritable paean to the virtues of money and economic activity. The Lonja de la Seda (literally, "silk market") is located in the heart of Valencia, opposite the Central Market and the Church of the Saint Johns. Its walls housed an intense commercial and financial activity. Work started in 1483 under the direction of Pere Compte and were paid in full by the Taula de Canvis, Valencia's first banking institution.

The Salon Columnario - the Hall of Columns - is a grove of twenty-four spiral columns, 17.4 metres tall, that reach to the ceiling to open up like palm trees. In the area between these columns, tables would be set out at which the buying and selling transactions were sealed. The central tower contains a small chapel and a staircase with 110 steps leading to the prison for dealers. From the Patio de los Naranjos - the Orange Tree Courtyard - an inside garden with a central fountain, a steep stone staircase leads to the boardroom of the Consulado del Mar (the Sea Consulate), a luxurious room with carved coffering ceiling, which was used by the original Valencia government.