Zaragoza City Hall facts for kids
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The Zaragoza City Hall (which in Spanish is called Casa consistorial de Zaragoza) is a really important building in the city of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. It's where the city's government, called the city council, meets to make decisions for everyone living there. You can find it in a famous spot called the Plaza of Our Lady of the Pillar. The building looks very grand and is built in a style called Renaissance Revival, which means it looks like old buildings from the Renaissance period.
Contents
A Look Back: Where the City Council Met
For a very long time, even back in the Middle Ages, the city council of Zaragoza didn't have its own special building. They used to meet in a place called the Casas del Puente, which means "Houses by the Bridge." These houses were right next to a bridge over the river Ebro. They weren't anything special and looked just like other buildings nearby.
Moving to a New Home
In the early 1900s, the old Casas del Puente were torn down. Before that, in 1837, the council had started using a different building: the Dominican Convent. This happened because of special laws that allowed the government to take over certain properties. By 1912, the old meeting place was in bad shape, so the city council officially moved its main offices to the Dominican Convent.
Building the Current City Hall
The city council decided it needed a brand new, proper home. So, they held a competition to find the best design for a new city hall.
The Winning Design and Start of Work
In 1941, the design created by Alberto Acha, Mariano Nasarre, and Ricardo Magdalena Gayán was chosen as the winner! The actual plan for the building's foundation and main structure was set in 1945. Work officially started on January 2, 1946.
Stops, Starts, and Big Costs
Building a big city hall takes a lot of money and time. In 1951, construction had to stop because they ran out of money. The building site stayed untouched for a few years. Then, in 1954, the mayor decided that at least the front of the building (the facade) needed to be finished. This was important because a big event called the Marian Congress was going to be held in the city. Just building the facade cost 2.4 million pesetas (the money used in Spain back then).
The entire project ended up costing a huge 18 million pesetas when it finally opened on September 6, 1965. One reason it took so long and cost so much was that it wasn't built by one big construction company. Instead, many different groups of skilled craftspeople, called guilds, worked on it. This meant the work was very detailed but also took more time.
More Than Just Offices
Today, the Zaragoza City Hall isn't just a place where the city council meets. It's also used as an art gallery, where people can go to see beautiful artworks.
See also
In Spanish: Casa consistorial de Zaragoza para niños
