Castelló de la Plana's Municipal Palace: A Baroque Heart Allegorizing the City

The Municipal Palace of Castelló de la Plana, a historic structure, serves as the seat of the Municipal Council of the city. It occupies a prime position on the Plaza Mayor, opposite the co-cathedral of Santa Maria and the Fadrí. The building follows a three-floor, rectangular plan, with a Central staircase granting access to its various sections. The facade is composed of three distinct bodies, each separated by horizontal bands that resemble cornices. The ground floor boasts a five-arch portico, alternated with Tuscan pilasters.

The noble floor is divided into five sections, with Corinthian pilasters and a smooth entablature. There are three balconies, with the central one resting upon ornate brackets, and five openings. The third floor, of smaller dimensions, is separated from the rest by a flying cornice, and sports five simpler balconies flanked by pilasters. The building is crowned with a balustrade. The Salon de Sessions was renovated and the ceiling was adorned with an allegorical representation of the city of Castelló in the first half of the 19th century.

In the early 20th century, the balcony overhang on the top floor was replaced by individual balconies. After the Spanish Civil War, the lateral and main facades were restored, disappearing the two towers at the corners and the balcony overhang, which was replaced by the current balustrade.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons