If you don’t know what to do in Banyoles and you want to discover this municipality, from COOLTUR Cultural Tourism we recommend you to visit the Pia Almoina of Banyoles!
Banyoles is a hidden treasure in the heart of Catalonia that captivates all its visitors. Located in the Pla de l’Estany region, Banyoles is a tourist destination that combines a rich and fascinating history with a stunning natural environment. With its lake and its welcoming soul, Banyoles is a jewel that we invite you to discover.
Pia Almoina of Banyoles
The Pia Almoina of Banyoles, a building with medieval origins, is located in Font Square, in the centre of Banyoles.
The Pia Almoina of Banyoles was a medieval charitable institution. This institution was founded in Banyoles in 1307 by Guillem Reixach. Its function was to distribute food and clothing to the poorest residents of the town. From the 14th century, this building was the headquarters of the University of Banyoles (what we know today as the Town Hall), and was the seat of the Town Council until 1927. Since 2020, the Pia Almoina of Banyoles has been the headquarters of the Regional Archaeological Museum, the Historical Archive of the town and the Regional Studies Centre.
The entire building of the Pia Almoina of Banyoles is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles. The entire building is built with well-crafted stone ashlars. On the ground floor you can see a voussoired entrance door with a semicircular arch. The coat of arms of Banyoles can be seen sculpted on the central voussoir.
Inside the building there is a quadrangular skirting board with a gallery of pointed arches from the 14th-15th centuries. This is one of the most characteristic elements of the Pia Almoina of Banyoles.
The entire external garden of the Pia Almoina of Banyoles has a grille sculpted by Rafael Masó. This is one of the noucentist elements that are still preserved in this building.
(Cover image: Pia Almoina of Banyoles Photo: COOLTUR Cultural Tourism)