Casa de la Villa (Madrid) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Casa de la Villa |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Herrerian |
| Address | Plaza de la Villa 5 |
| Town or city | Madrid |
| Country | Spain |
| Coordinates | 40°24′55″N 3°42′39″W / 40.41525°N 3.710736°W |
| Construction started | 1631 |
| Completed | 1692 |
| Owner | Ayuntamiento de Madrid |
The Casa de la Villa is a historic building in Madrid, Spain. For many years, from the 1600s until the 2000s, it was the main city hall for Madrid. This means it was where the city's government met and made important decisions.
It is located in a famous square called Plaza de la Villa, very close to the Calle Mayor street.
Contents
The Casa de la Villa: Madrid's Old City Hall
The Casa de la Villa served as Madrid's city hall for a very long time. It was the central place where the city council, which is like the local government, met to manage the city.
Building Madrid's New City Hall
Before the Casa de la Villa was built, the city council met in other places, including a nearby church. In 1629, the city decided to build a brand new, special building just for the city hall. The first architect chosen for this big project was Juan Gómez de Mora.
Sadly, Juan Gómez de Mora passed away before the building was finished. Other talented architects then took over to complete the work. These included José de Villarreal, Teodoro de Ardemans, and José del Olmo.
More Than Just a City Hall
When it was first planned, the Casa de la Villa was designed to be more than just a city hall. It also had a space that was used as a municipal holding area. This was a place where people who had broken city rules or laws were kept temporarily. The building was finally finished in 1692.
What is the Casa de la Villa Used For Now?
In 2011, the Madrid city government moved its main offices to a different, much larger building called the Palacio de Comunicaciones. After this move, the Casa de la Villa was not used as much as before.
Today, the Casa de la Villa still has some important uses. It holds offices for different political groups that are part of the city council. It is also used for special official events and important meetings.
A Historic Building
The Casa de la Villa is a very old and important building in Madrid's history. Back in 1977, there was a plan to officially declare it a "historic-artistic monument." This would give it special protection because of its historical and artistic value. However, even though the process started, the building has not yet been officially named a Bien de Interés Cultural, which is a top heritage status in Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Casa de la Villa de Madrid para niños
