Let’s walk back in time, in 1492… Seville holds the monopoly of trade with the New World; A great number of merchants from all regions of the nation and Europe live in the city; Money exchange shops are located all around the Cathedral, while, on days when the weather was not ideal, they did business inside the Cathedral, where they would enter even on horseback. Now let’s imagine you are a member of the Spanish clergy… Would the situation please you? Hard to believe so. In fact, the bishop himself threatened to excommunicate anyone attempting to do their transactions in the Cathedral to the great disappointment of the bankers and the businessmen. The tension was eased as a result of an initiative led by King Phillip II, who decided to take action when visiting Seville in 1570. He encouraged the construction of a Lonja, a House to host the merchants, which was finally built right in front of the Cathedral.