Ajuntament de Premià de Dalt

Ajuntament de Premià de Dalt is the historic town hall building on Plaça de l'Ajuntament, in the heart of Premià de Dalt, a small town in the Maresme region just inland from the coast north of Barcelona.

Who designed the building?

The town hall dates from 1914 and was designed by Bonaventura Bassegoda, an architect associated with Catalan modernisme. Rather than following the more ornamental strand of the movement, Bassegoda drew on the form of a traditional Catalan country house, or casa pairal, scaling up a familiar rural typology into a public, institutional building.

What does the building look like?

The floor plan is shaped like a U. A taller central volume, covered by a gabled roof set perpendicular to the façade, houses the ground floor, an upper floor and attic space. On either side, two lower wings are topped with flat, terrace-style roofs instead of pitched ones, giving the whole composition a stepped silhouette. The signature feature is exposed brickwork, used around window openings, along the cornices separating the different volumes, in the balustrades, and in crowning details laid in a herringbone-like pattern known locally as "sardinell."

Why is this building protected?

Because of its architectural and historical value, the building is listed as an asset of local cultural interest (BCIL). It stands out in the Maresme area as one of the few municipal administrative buildings built with the full architectural ambition of modernisme, rather than the plainer institutional style common for town halls of the period.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Plaça de l'Ajuntament sits right in the old centre of Premià de Dalt, within easy walking distance of the town's other main heritage sites: the parish church of Sant Pere, with medieval origins later rebuilt in Gothic style; the chapel of Santa Anna, raised over an early Christian burial site; and the town museum, housed in the old farmhouse of Can Figueres, which holds the municipality's archaeological and ethnological collections.

How do you get to Premià de Dalt?

The town lies in the Maresme region, in the strip of land between the hills and the coast, a short distance from Barcelona. The easiest approach is by regional train to Premià de Mar station, followed by a local bus or taxi inland to the centre of Premià de Dalt, a few kilometres away. Drivers can reach the town via the C-32 or N-II roads.

When is the best time to visit?

Since the building is mainly seen from the outside, timing isn't critical — morning light tends to show off the brick façade best. Weekdays are a good choice, when the town centre is at its most active, making it easy to combine a stop at Plaça de l'Ajuntament with a walk to the nearby churches and the museum.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the Premià de Dalt town hall? The building was designed by architect Bonaventura Bassegoda and completed in 1914.

What architectural style is it built in? It follows Catalan modernisme, taking a traditional rural manor house as its reference, most visibly in the extensive use of exposed brick detailing.

Is the building protected as heritage? Yes, it is listed as an asset of local cultural interest (BCIL) for its architectural value.

What else can visitors see close by? The church of Sant Pere, the chapel of Santa Anna and the town museum at Can Figueres are all within easy reach, forming a short heritage walk through Premià de Dalt.