Plaça Sant Jaume
Encyclopedia
Plaça Sant Jaume (ˈpɫasə ˈsaɲ ˈʒawmə, in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 "Saint James's Square") is the administrative heart of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...

, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...

. It is the place where the Cardo (modern day Llibreteria and Call streets) and Decumanus (now the streets of Bisbe/Ciutat/Regomir), the main roads of the Roman colony of Barcino
Barcino
Barcino may refer to:*Barcelona, Spain - Barcino in Latin*Barcino, Poland**Barcino...

, crossed. At this junction there was the forum and the Temple of Augustus, of which four columns are preserved on top of Mont Tàber, Paradís Street.

Its current name is due to the church of Church of Sant Jaume which since medieval times was located in this place. In the porch that in front of the temple is where the city council met before buying the homes that would house the future headquarters of the institution on the neighboring city street. It was demolished in 1823 to open the street from the Ferran Square and as it is known today. Note that prior to these demolitions, the square was limited to a small space at an angle, the same church, the cemetery, with the houses of the Magistracy and the General Court of Veguer filled the remaining space.

It was also called Constitution Square in various historical periods and this name still appears on a plaque on the façade of City Hall.

Currently the Palace of the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya
The Palau de la Generalitat is a historic palace in Barcelona, Catalonia, northern Spain. It houses the offices of the Presidency of the Generalitat de Catalunya. It is one of the few buildings of medieval origin in Europe that still functions as a seat of government and houses the institution that...

and the Town House, headquarters of the City Council are located on this square across from one another.
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