CASA DE LA VALL MUSEUM

The Casa de la Vall, built in 1580 by the Busquets family, was acquired by the County Council in 1702 and tastefully restored in 1962. This emblematic stone house is the original adaptation of a military construction for civilian use. A watchtower, loopholes and machicolations are reminders of the old fortifications. On the entrance gate, the arms of Andorra were carved in 1761 on a stone brought from Montjuïc in Barcelona. On the ground floor there is an old courtroom. On the first floor, the meeting room of the Council of Andorra contains a cupboard that deserves some explanation. Built into the thick walls, closed by a double oak door, the cupboard is more than just a piece of furniture, as it symbolises Andorran democracy. It has 7 locks, one for each parish, independent of each other. It was only opened on very special occasions. On the same floor, the Noble Hall was once the dining room. Its walls preserve old religious frescoes from the 16th century. In one corner of this room was the kitchen, with its fireplace and cauldrons in the middle of the room, where the members of Parliament warmed up and ate. There are other rooms to discover, such as the bedroom on the second floor. Outside, works by Josep Viladomat, Emili Armengol and Luigi Terruggi bear witness to the political history of Andorra. An essential visit to get a closer look at Andorran history.