Granollers town hall

Granollers Town Hall is one of the most recognisable buildings in the historic centre of Granollers, a Catalan town in the Vallès Oriental region, roughly 30 kilometres north of Barcelona. Its neo-Gothic facade overlooks Plaça de la Porxada, the town's main square and home to a market that has been held every Thursday for centuries.

How to get there?

Granollers is an easy trip from Barcelona. Rodalies de Catalunya's R2 line connects the two cities in about 30–40 minutes, and Granollers Centre station is only a short walk from the old town. Drivers can reach the town via the C-17 or AP-7 motorways, both of which lead directly into Granollers. The town hall itself sits right in the middle of the historic centre, on Plaça de la Porxada, so the last stretch is best covered on foot — traffic is restricted in this part of town, and the square itself is pedestrian-friendly.

What will you see?

The building's current appearance dates from a renovation carried out between 1902 and 1904 by architect Simó Cordomí i Carrera. He reworked an older medieval structure — built partly on the site of the Uyà family house, within the walls of the old town — into a representative town hall in a neo-Gothic style, with touches of the Modernista taste of the period.

The facade's centrepiece is a balcony supported by two richly decorated arches resting on helical, twisted columns, with a pierced stone sill; heavy corbels and brackets carry the whole structure. Below the balcony, two entrances are framed by pointed Gothic arches, echoing the building's overall Gothic Revival vocabulary. The remaining windows and their frames follow the same architectural language.

A wide eave, its panels interspersed with ceramic tiles, crowns the building. On the north side rises a polygonal clock tower, visible from much of the town centre, while the opposite end of the facade carries a pinnacle supported by a female figure — an unusual decorative touch for a municipal building. The town hall faces Plaça de la Porxada, a square that has served as the town's commercial and civic heart since medieval times; every Thursday it still fills with stalls for the traditional market.

When to visit?

The building is best appreciated during the day, when natural light brings out the detail of the stone facade, especially the balcony and the clock tower. If you want to experience some local life alongside the architecture, plan your visit for a Thursday — market day on Plaça de la Porxada has shaped the rhythm of the town for centuries and still draws people from across the region. Summer and early autumn bring pleasant weather for walking around the old town, with more comfortable temperatures than the height of summer. As a working municipal building, the interior is generally accessible during office hours — it's worth checking current opening times before visiting.

Frequently asked questions

When did the town hall get its current appearance? The building as it stands today dates from 1902–1904, when architect Simó Cordomí i Carrera rebuilt an older medieval structure in neo-Gothic style.

What stood on the site before? An earlier building linked to the Uyà family stood there, located within the walls of medieval Granollers.

What is the most distinctive feature of the facade? The ornate balcony supported by two arches on helical columns with a pierced stone sill, along with the polygonal clock tower on the building's north side.

Where exactly is the town hall located? On Plaça de la Porxada, Granollers' main square, where a traditional market has been held every Thursday since medieval times.