Palau del Parlament de Catalunya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Palau del Parlament de Catalunya |
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Palacio del Parlamento de Cataluña
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West façade of the palace
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| General information | |
| Status | Intact |
| Type | Arsenal (later palace) |
| Location | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Address | Plaça de Joan Fiveller 1, Parc de la Ciutadella |
| Coordinates | 41°23′17″N 2°11′20″E / 41.38806°N 2.18889°E |
| Current tenants | Parliament of Catalonia |
| Construction started | 1717 |
| Completed | 1727 |
| Owner | Generalitat de Catalunya |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Montjuïc stone and red tile |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Floor area | 5,532 m2 (59,550 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Jorge Próspero de Verboom |
The Palau del Parlament de Catalunya (which means Palace of the Parliament of Catalonia) is where the Parliament of Catalonia meets. This important building is located in Barcelona, a big city in Catalonia, Spain. It was first built a long time ago, between 1717 and 1727. Back then, it was used as a military storage building, called an arsenal, for a fortress known as the Ciutadella.
After the fortress was taken down in the mid-1800s, the building was used for different things. It was a place for soldiers to live, a royal palace, and even an art museum. From 1932 to 1939, it served as the meeting place for the Parliament of Catalonia. However, the Parliament stopped meeting during the Spanish Civil War.
When the Parliament of Catalonia started up again in 1980, the palace was fixed up. It became the official home of the Parliament once more. In 2012, a special sign for the Catalan government (the Generalitat de Catalunya) was placed on the front of the building. This sign was put above an old coat of arms from King Philip V.
Contents
The Palace's Long History
The palace began its life as the arsenal for the Ciutadella. This Ciutadella was a strong, star-shaped fort built by King Philip V of Spain. He built it after a big war called the War of the Spanish Succession, where Catalonia had supported a different leader.
The design for the arsenal was created by a skilled military engineer named Jorge Próspero de Verboom. Construction took place between 1717 and 1727. The building had some small repairs later in the 1700s.
From Fortress to Public Park
After a revolution in 1868, most of the Ciutadella fortress was torn down. But the arsenal, a chapel, and the governor's palace were kept. The rest of the area was turned into a beautiful park, which is now the Parc de la Ciutadella. At this time, the old arsenal was used as a temporary place for soldiers to stay.
In 1889, the city council of Barcelona decided to change the former arsenal into a Royal Palace. An architect named Pere Falqués made many changes to the building. He added three balconies on the first floor and decorated the entire front of the palace. The middle part of the front was also made taller and decorated with a stone shield.
Becoming an Art Museum
In 1900, the building was changed again, this time into the Museu Municipal d'Art (Municipal Art Museum). The building was too small for all the art, so two new sections were added on the sides in 1915. These new parts were built with the same materials as the original building. The fronts of these new sections are decorated with sculptures of famous Catalan artists. The area in front of the palace, which used to be a parade ground, was turned into a garden in 1927. This garden has a pond with a copy of a famous sculpture called Desolation.
Home of the Parliament
On October 14, 1932, the Barcelona city council gave the palace to be the home of the Parliament of Catalonia. The building was updated by a decorator named Santiago Marco. The first meeting of the Parliament in this building happened on December 6, 1932.
However, during the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona was taken by the Nationalist side. On January 26, 1939, the building was turned back into a barracks for soldiers. In 1945, it became an art museum again, known as the Museu d'Art Modern (Modern Art Museum).
After Spain became a democracy again, the Parliament of Catalonia was brought back in 1980. The palace was repaired and improved for its new role. The city council eventually gave the building to the Generalitat de Catalunya, which is the government of Catalonia. The Modern Art Museum stayed in part of the palace until September 2004. Its art collections were then moved to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Since then, the palace has been used only for the Parliament.
The building is recognized as a Bé Cultural d'Interès Local (Local Cultural Heritage Site).
Building Design
The palace is shaped like a cross, with a dome in the middle and four courtyards (open areas). The building has two main floors and an attic space. It covers an area of 5,532 m2 (59,550 sq ft). It is built using stone from Montjuïc mountain and red roof tiles.
The room where the Parliament meets today was originally designed by architect Falqués. It was meant to be the "Saló del Tron," which means the Throne Room, for the Royal Palace.
See also
In Spanish: Palacio del Parlamento de Cataluña para niños
