Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya facts for kids

The Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

The Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya is a famous old palace in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It's where the President of Catalonia and the Catalan government (called the Generalitat de Catalunya) work. This palace is special because it's one of the few medieval buildings in Europe that is still used by the same government group that first built it!

The palace is in the old part of Barcelona, known as Ciutat Vella. It's surrounded by streets like Carrer del Bisbe and Carrer de Sant Honorat. Its main front door faces the Plaça de Sant Jaume, right across from Barcelona's City Hall.

The first part of the building was bought in 1400 by Alfons de Tous, who was the president back then. It was on Carrer de Sant Honorat. The palace grew over time. In 1416, Bishop Marc Safont added more to it and built the chapel of St. George in 1434.

Later, in 1596, a designer named Pere Blai created the main front of the palace that you see today. It's in the Renaissance style, which was a new and grand style for Catalonia at the time. More houses were bought and added to the palace over the years.

History of the Palace
Architecture of the Palace
- The First Building
- The Palace Today
Gallery
See also

History of the Palace

The Palau de la Generalitat is more than just an old building. It is the main place where the Government of Catalonia and its President work.

Many leaders have governed from this palace. From Berenguer de Cruïlles in 1359 to the current President, Pere Aragonès, 131 presidents have served here.

How it Started

In 1289, the Catalan 'Corts' (which was like their Parliament) created a group. This group was in charge of collecting taxes for the King. By 1300, this group was seen as representing all of Catalonia, or the 'Generalitat'.

In 1359, the Corts made this group official. It was called the Deputation of the General. It had members from three main groups: nobles, church leaders, and regular citizens from towns.

The 1400s

By the early 1400s, this Deputation of the General, or Generalitat, became very powerful. It started to act almost like a king, carrying out the decisions of the Catalan Corts. Because of its growing importance, the Generalitat decided it needed its own building.

So, in 1403, they built the oldest part of the current Palau de la Generalitat. This makes it one of the oldest government buildings in Europe still used by the same group that built it.

First Time it Was Shut Down

In the early 1700s, King Philip V of Spain fought against Catalonia. Catalonia had chosen to support Archduke Charles of Austria to be the next King of Spain. This fight was part of the War of the Spanish Succession.

The war ended on September 11, 1714. Barcelona fell to Philip V's forces. The Generalitat and the Catalan Parliament were closed down. The Palau de la Generalitat then became the King's Court in Barcelona.

First Time it Was Reopened

The Generalitat was not brought back until the 1900s. In 1931, Francesc Macià won the local elections. He then made a deal with the Spanish government to bring back the Generalitat. He became its President from 1931 to 1933.

Macià closed down the four local councils. The Palau became the home of the Generalitat and its government again. In 1932, Catalonia got its own rules, called the Catalan Statute of Autonomy. This gave Catalonia its own Parliament, its own Justice system, and its own police. In 1934, the next President, Lluís Companys, finished making Catalonia's government fully independent.

Second Time it Was Shut Down

After the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Generalitat had to go into exile. Francisco Franco's new government closed down the Generalitat again. President Lluís Companys was arrested and put on trial. He was sentenced to death and shot in 1940 at Montjuïc Castle.

After Companys died, Josep Irla became President of the Generalitat in exile. In 1954, Josep Tarradellas took over from him, also in exile.

The central government in Madrid took control again. They put their own governors and councils in charge. The Diputación de Barcelona (a local council) was moved back into the palace. Catalonia was divided into four provinces, ignoring its traditional regions called comarques.

Second Time it Was Reopened

Spain became a democracy again. After the 1977 elections, the Palau became the home of the Generalitat once more. It was officially brought back on September 29, 1977.

A new Catalan Statute of Autonomy was passed in 1979. In 1980, elections were held for the Parliament of Catalonia. The Parliament met on April 10. With the election of the President of the Parliament and the President of the Generalitat, the Catalan government was fully back in action.

Architecture of the Palace

The Palau de la Generalitat is a very old building. It was built and changed from the early 1400s to the mid-1600s to fit its role as a government building. It has beautiful Gothic features. For example, it has a central courtyard with a grand staircase and galleries around it.

The original front of the building, facing Carrer del Bisbe, was built in the fancy flamboyant Gothic style. The chapel of Sant Jordi was also built in this style. The main front of the building, facing Plaça de Sant Jaume, was built in the Renaissance style. Its four dark granite columns at the main entrance are very old. They were first carved in Troy and brought to Tarragona around 122-123 AD.

Between 1610 and 1630, Pere Ferrer and his son Pere Pau Ferrer worked on the fronts of the palace facing Carrer Sant Honorat and Carrer Sant Sever. They also built a new gate on Carrer Bisbe.

After the War of Spanish Succession, the Royal Audience (a court) moved into the palace. They added walls and changed the inside a lot. Later, in the 1800s, architect Miquel Garriga i Roca fixed parts of the building. He mainly worked on the front facing Carrer de Sant Honorat and the Gothic gallery.

From the 1920s to the 1940s, architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch led a big restoration project. He worked with Josep Borí and Joan Rubió i Bellver. They brought back many of the palace's original features. They also added new parts in a neo-Gothic style. A famous addition is the bridge over Carrer del Bisbe, which connects the palace to the Casa dels Canonges. This bridge opened on April 23, 1928.

The First Building

At first, the Generalitat meetings did not have their own building. They met in the Saint Francis monastery. As the Generalitat became more important, they decided to get their own place. On December 3, 1400, they bought Pere Brunet's house on Carrer de Sant Honorat.

This first building was small. It had a front on Carrer de Sant Francesc, a central courtyard, another space closer to Carrer del Bisbe, and a small garden. On the Sant Honorat front, there was a doorway with a round arch. Above it, there was a sculpture of a beadle (a church officer). It also had six windows with three lights each, divided by columns. On the first floor, there were two rooms that still exist today: the Council Chamber and the Chamber of the Judges.

In the central courtyard, there was already a staircase in the same spot as the one today, but it was simpler. There were three arched galleries on the first floor and lofts above them. An archive was located in the small building near the Carrer del Bisbe.

The Palace Today

The Palau de la Generalitat is one of Catalonia's most important symbols. It has survived many difficult times in history. It stands for democracy in Catalonia, along with the Parliament building.