Casa Consistorial de Tarazona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Town Hall of Tarazona |
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| Native name Casa Consistorial de Tarazona (Spanish) Casa d'a Villa de Tarazona (Aragonese) |
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| Location | Tarazona, Aragon, Spain |
| Official name: Casa Consistorial de Tarazona | |
| Designated | 2001 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0010839 |
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The Town Hall of Tarazona is also known as the Casa Consistorial de Tarazona in Spanish. In the Aragonese language, it's called Casa d'a Villa de Tarazona. This important building holds the offices for the local government of Tarazona, a town in Aragon, Spain. It's a great example of Spanish Renaissance art, showing off beautiful designs from that time. You can find this historic town hall in the main square, Plaza de España.
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How the Town Hall Was Built
This building was constructed between 1557 and 1563. It was first built in what was then called Plaza Mayor or Market Square. Its original purpose was to be a loncha, which is like a market hall. It was used for trading goods and storing grain. The city already had other council buildings at that time.
The building was first built freely, meaning it stood alone. Now, it is surrounded by other buildings. In the middle of the 17th century, this market hall became the official Town Hall.
What the Building Looked Like
Like other market halls from that period, the Tarazona Town Hall had a special "lookout" or gallery on its top floor. This gallery had arches and a wooden roof that stuck out. It was designed to protect the building.
From this high viewpoint, the city council members could watch events happening in the square below. They watched bullfights during special celebrations. They also watched religious events, like the Corpus Christi procession. This viewing spot was no longer used for watching events after the late 1700s. That's when a new bullring was built near the church of La Virgen del Río.
What the Town Hall Looks Like Today
The front of the Town Hall has three main levels. The outside of the building has unique and beautiful sculptures. These decorations were added at two different times.
Decorations from 1563
A long, carved plaster design runs across the facade. This design, called a frieze, was made in 1563. It shows a famous event: Emperor Charles V leaving Bologna after his coronation. He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement VII on February 24, 1530.
If you look closely at the frieze, you can see many details from left to right:
- People getting ready for a big celebration.
- Cannons that were part of the parade.
- Squires carrying flags.
- The royal group.
- Nobles.
- The Emperor and the Pope under a special canopy.
- The parade passing under a grand arch.
The center of the decoration features symbols for Emperor Charles V. The left side shows symbols for Aragon, and the right side shows symbols for Tarazona. All these carvings were meant to celebrate the Emperor. They were created around the time he passed away, which was when the building started to be built.
Other carvings on the main floor of the facade have different meanings and were added at different times. You can see two figures representing Justice and Wisdom. One is on each side of the main door. There are also three characters linked to Heracles, who is said to have founded Tarazona. These carvings show the good qualities needed for governing a city, like fairness and good judgment. They also tell the story of the town's beginning.
Changes Made in 1973
A major restoration of the Town Hall happened between 1968 and 1973. Architect Fernando Chueca Goitia led this project. During this work, the top part of the third floor was changed. Chueca added a gallery of arches that looked like those found at the nearby Abbey of Santa María de Veruela. He even included the shields of two abbots from Veruela, Hernando de Aragón and Lope Marco.
See also
In Spanish: Casa consistorial de Tarazona para niños
