Generalitat de Catalunya

The growing importance of the Generalitat created the need to acquire adjoining houses for offices of the Palau.

The new buildings of the XVI and XVII centuries, access to which is through the Gothic gallery, are located around the Pati dels Tarongers (orange tree courtyard), with these fruit trees that are often planted in the gardens of Palaces. The aroma of the flowers and beauty of the fruit justify the custom.

The llotges or lodges, work of Pau Mateu and Tomás Barsa, were the first part of the expansion. They imitate the Gothic gallery, but with Renaissance-style columns of pink marble.In order to maintain the harmony of this new courtyard with the mediaeval building, the Gothic style was followed again in the construction of the upper gallery.

Some strange and interesting characters are dotted among the gargoyles of the courtyard, such as the Turk, a reference to the danger of pirate raids from the Mediterranean, or the mace-bearer in traditional dress, who cleared the path for the deputies when they were going to meetings of the Corts, the Catalan Court.

At a later stage, Pere Ferrer (1570-1591) who was granted responsibility for the expansion of the courtyard built the little Gothic bell-tower and what is called the Sala Tarradellas, formerly Golden Room (Gilded Hall or Government room). This hall is the richest in the Palau and is characterised by its detailed decoration: the gilded panelled ceiling (1578) and the Flemish tapestries by François Geubels inspired by the book of Petrarch “I trionfi”, as they show the triumph of Fame over Death and the triumph of Time over Fame. Recently, the large mural entitled “Les quatre grans cròniques” (The four great chronicles), by Antoni Tàpies has been installed.

The courtyard was completed in the first half of the XVII century with the construction of a series of rooms, among which are the current Press Room (formerly the Map Room) or the Torres-Garcia Room, with its noucentista mural paintings of allegories of Catalonia.

Lastly, there is the Tàpies Room. Other meetings, such as meetings of the technical Council and other commissions, are held at the round table located in this room, made by Santiago Marco and which belonged to the Catalonia Court of Appeal (1934-1939).