The Fish Market

The Lonja of Zaragoza is one of the city's most emblematic and historic buildings and a jewel of Aragonese Renaissance architecture.

Today it is an impressive exhibition hall belonging to the City Council.

By the 16th century, Zaragoza was experiencing one of the greatest periods of economic prosperity in its long history, to the point of being considered the Florence of Spain. Many merchants came to the city to trade.

However, at that time there was no specific space for this type of activity. Therefore, in 1541, at the request of Don Hernando de Aragón, Archbishop of Zaragoza, and the city council, it was decided to promote the construction of this majestic building whose main function was to serve as a place for commerce and the holding of important meetings and events. Thus, to carry out this project, which would be officially inaugurated in 1551, a renowned architect was chosen: Juan de Sariñena, who was in charge of designing and building this Aragonese Renaissance-style building. What does this mean? Well, it means that La Lonja is a unique work of art! It combines the elegance and classical proportions of the Italian Renaissance style with the nuances of Aragonese Mudéjar architecture. The building has a rectangular floor plan and its facades are structured into three levels, although in reality it only has one story, plus an attic or loft that served as an armory. But what stands out most on its facade is a gallery of twin semicircular arches, which give it an elegant and majestic air. It was built with brick. Although considered poor in other parts of the world, brick was highly valued in this region due to the scarcity of stone and the influence of this material on Islamic and Mudéjar art, as can also be seen in the Aljafería Palace. Zaragoza has no nearby quarries, and since only the Romans were able to transport stone from distant areas, the stone from the Roman wall was reused time and again. On the façade facing the river is a sculpture known as the Caballito de la Lonja (Little Horse of the Lonja). A monument that pays homage to the street photographer Ángel Cordero.