València is assessing the condition of the wooden coffered ceiling in the Sala Dorada at the Lonja de la Seda inspect. According to the Ayuntamiento de València preliminary surveys were commissioned at the end of May to document its state of conservation and determine the need for conservation and structural measures. The city links this step to the 30th anniversary of the building’s inclusion on the World Heritage List of Unesco in 1996.
Specifically, the company Noema Restauradores was commissioned on 28 May to develop a methodology for the surveys. Subsequent technical studies were awarded to the same company for €36,070.10. The work is expected to take around three months and be completed by the end of 2026. Scaffolding will be erected on the upper floor of the Lonja for the analyses, providing direct access to the ceiling. The city council describes this as a preparatory phase; interventions on the decoration, structure and painted finishes will only be decided once the findings are available.
Built between the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Lonja de la Seda is considered an important example of late Gothic civil architecture in Spain. The Sala Dorada is particularly valuable for its richly painted wooden ceiling, known locally by the technical term “artesonado”. Historical sources refer to its relocation and several conservation interventions in the 20th century. A central aim of the current studies is to establish a technically robust record of the wood, painted finish and fixings as a basis for future work.
According to the city, the scope, timetable and funding for the restoration itself will only be decided on the basis of the results. As an indication, the council says the subsequent work could be worth more than one million euros. No specific restrictions on public access to the Lonja have yet been announced; the Ayuntamiento de València says it will provide details once the preliminary surveys are complete.
The Unesco listing provides the city with a key framework for conservation planning. According to the administration, professional requirements for preserving historic fabric and documenting interventions are to be closely aligned with the requirements of World Heritage status. There is currently no evidence to support forecasts about when the restoration itself will begin; reliable dates are only expected once the technical assessment is complete.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).