Barcelona · Spain
Plaça de Sant Jaume
A practical guide to Plaça de Sant Jaume in Barcelona: the old Roman forum where the Generalitat and City Hall face each other, what to look at in 15 minutes and what to find around the corner.
As a square it's wide and bare; what makes it worthwhile are the two buildings and Catalonia's political history. Fifteen minutes is enough.
Plaça de Sant Jaume is the political heart of Barcelona and Catalonia. It was the forum of Roman Barcino, and for more than six centuries the Palau de la Generalitat and City Hall have faced each other across it. Governments have been proclaimed here, Barça celebrates its titles here and the big demonstrations fill it.
Our experience
We got there a little before 15:00 on Wednesday, May 27, coming down from the Pont del Bisbe on our walk through the Gothic Quarter. We gave it about 13 minutes: the Generalitat, City Hall and the plan to peek into its courtyard if the doors were open. It was a Wednesday, so there was no guided visit. Then we went on to the Temple d’August, a couple of minutes away. The full afternoon is in our arrival in Barcelona.
A bit of history
The Generalitat was born in 1359 at the Corts of Cervera, convened by King Pere III, as a standing commission to manage taxes. Its palace on this square was begun in 1403, and master builder Marc Safont made the Gothic facade on Carrer del Bisbe and the chapel of Sant Jordi, from 1434. It’s one of the few medieval buildings in Europe that still houses the institution that built it.
City Hall raised its Gothic core in 1369. The church of Sant Jaume, which gave the square its name, stood here; after a fire in 1822, it was torn down in 1823 along with its cemetery and the square was opened up. In 1847 City Hall unveiled the neoclassical facade you see today.
From the Generalitat balcony, Francesc Macià proclaimed the Catalan Republic on April 14, 1931. On October 23, 1977, Josep Tarradellas, back from 38 years in exile, greeted the crowd from there with his famous “Ciutadans de Catalunya, ja sóc aquí” (Citizens of Catalonia, I am here).
What to see, in order
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The Generalitat and its Sant Jordi
On the north side, the Palau de la Generalitat, seat of the Catalan government since the 15th century. On the corner balcony by Carrer del Bisbe there's a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon.
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City Hall
On the south side, the 1847 neoclassical facade with statues of King Jaume I and councillor Joan Fiveller, who defended the city's privileges before King Ferdinand I.
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The City Hall courtyard
If the doors are open and security allows it, you can step into the entrance hall and see the Gothic courtyard. Don't go past the barriers.
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The original Gothic facade
Walk around City Hall to Carrer de la Ciutat: the 14th-century facade is still there, older and more interesting than the one on the square.
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The center of the square
Barcino's forum stood here. There's no fountain or monument: the square is empty on purpose, for demonstrations and celebrations.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Arrive from the Pont del Bisbe, from the north: it's the entrance with the best view.
- Leave by Carrer del Veguer or Carrer del Paradís toward the Temple d'August, a couple of minutes away.
- Don't take close-up photos of police officers without permission; security is constant, but nobody minds photos of the buildings.
Do
- Keep your bag in front: this is where tours stop for their talk, and it's pickpocket territory.
- Look for the Gothic facade on Carrer de la Ciutat; it's a two-minute detour.
- If you are in Barcelona on a Sunday morning, take the free City Hall visit to see the Saló de Cent.
Don’t
- Don't sign petitions, now on tablets too: it's the fake "help the deaf" crew's move.
- Don't buy Catalan flags from the stands on the square: at the stationery shops on Carrer de Ferran they cost a third.
- Don't eat on Carrer de Ferran or Carrer de Jaume I at places with photo menus; walk two blocks.
Frequently asked questions
What buildings are on Plaça de Sant Jaume?
The Palau de la Generalitat, seat of the government of Catalonia, on the north side, and Barcelona City Hall on the south side.
Can you go inside City Hall or the Generalitat?
City Hall has a free visit on Sunday mornings. The Generalitat opens on set dates: April 23, September 11 and the second and fourth Sunday of the month, with a reservation.
How much time should you give it?
Between 10 and 15 minutes to walk the edges and read the facades.
Do people dance the sardana here?
Sometimes, on Sunday evenings in the warm months and during La Mercè. The Sunday midday sardana is danced in front of the cathedral.