Silk was first brought to Valencia by the Muslims, then by Jews and converts, and it was from the 15th century onwards that it made progress, thanks to the techniques of the Italian masters.
The silkworm feeds on the leaves of the mulberry tree, which comes from Asia, so the landscape of Valencia was full of these trees, in orchards, courtyards and fields, both in the city and in the villages. The farmhouses had in their andanas prepared and bred the worms there.
In the centre of Valencia, in the Velluters neighbourhood, you could find many small family-run workshops where artisans transformed thread into fabric. The period of maximum splendour was from the 16th-18th century and it was used by the noble classes as a social distinction.
Today they can be visited, La Lonja and the Silk Museumwhere you can appreciate the vestiges of this important industry, which today is still alive in the dresses of some falleras and which has been recognised as heritage by UNESCO in 2017.
Leave A Comment