LA SEDA

Silk has its own special chapter in Murcia's history. Of ancient origin, it is believed that Justiniano introduced it to Spain, although it was not until the arrival of the Moors, with the plantation of white mulberry trees, that it boomed and a silk was produced which became renowned throughout the East.

The 16th century was a time of expansion for Murcian silk. It was so great that its production was directly linked to the general state of the economy, as the silk industry in the 17th century and early 18th century was the trigger for the process of industrialisation in Murcia. The dominant position which Murcia held in silk production and commerce was contributed to by the fact that the mulberry tree was virtually the only tree grown, as the Huerta provided optimum conditions. Other factors which influenced the rise of this industry were the good conditions provided by the valley of the river Segura for the breeding of the worm and the excellent quality of the silk produced.

The Murcian Council built the Contraste building in Santa Catalina Square at the beginning of the 17th century, and it was from here that silk production was controlled, turning Murcia into the centre of silk activity in the region. The city benefited greatly from the taxes collected for silk in El Contraste. The irrigation channels were repaired, the Malecón -a containment wall against floods- was reinforced, and the bridge of "Los Peligros" was built.
This activity also influenced the communication routes as all of the interior routes had to pass through the capital, and therefore the Contraste building. As for exterior routes, thanks to the volume of Murcian silk exported via Toledo, the old Castille Road, now known as the Silk Road, re-emerged, at the same time as the Andalucia -Levante route.

Finally, factories were built. The first of these was the Piamontesa silk spinning factory in 1770. Among others were "La Grande" and "La Pequeña" and you can still see a chimney in the Seda Park from these days. In 1892, the Estación Serícola was built in La Alberca and today, it is occupied by the Centre for Agricultural Research and Development.

Particularly significant was the guild of silk spinners (torcedores) and weavers, which was rich and powerful and had its own procession, that of The Betrayal. The procession no longer exists but the "paso" or Easter sculpture is now paraded on Easter Monday by the brotherhood of Christ the forgiver (Cristo del Perdón).

On the morning of Good Friday, a large branch of silk cocoons is placed at the feet of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth. When spring arrives the Huertano group (peña) "The Silk", who keep up the commendable tradition of silk worm breeding as a symbol of what it represented, goes to the Santa Catalina convent during the pilgrimage in order to bless the crops. Nowadays, in spring, it is not strange to see children coming out of school holding boxes containing silk worms and mulberry leaves, as a reminder of what silk meant in not too distant a past.