Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya stands on Barcelona’s Plaça de Sant Jaume, within the former Jewish Quarter called the Call. This historic palace remains the seat of the Catalan government and the Presidency of the Generalitat. Its stone façades bring together flamboyant Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque details across more than six centuries.
The original headquarters took shape in the early fifteenth century, after Alfons de Tous purchased the first building in 1400. Bishop Marc Safont led an extension in 1416 and later created the Chapel of Saint George. Pere Blai designed the grand Renaissance façade facing the square in 1596. Inside, the Pati dels Tarongers surrounds galleries, a monumental staircase, and orange trees, while the Gothic cloister connects with halls including the Saló de Sant Jordi.
Political upheaval changed the palace’s role, from the Generalitat’s headquarters to a royal court and back again in 1977. Four granite columns at the main entrance began their journey in ancient Troy before reaching Tarragona during Emperor Hadrian’s reign.
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