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Origin and history

The former courthouse of Perpignan, also known as the deputation palace, was built in the 15th century to house the Diputació al General, a permanent representative of Catalan political power in Roussillon County. Funded by the Generality of Catalonia, it replaced land purchased in 1447 for 2,200 Barcelona pounds. The works, led by the supervisor Marc Safont, began quickly, with a first payment of 1,066 pounds in 1450. Safont, already involved in the construction of the Generality Palace in Barcelona, used nummulitic limestone from Monjuic to sculpt fine and resistant columns, typical of Catalan Gothic style.

Located on the former Place du Pain (now Place de la Loge), the commercial and political heart of Perpignan, the palace was close to the Sea Lodge, the Town Hall and the Merchant Exchange. Its rear façade overlooks the Rue de la Barre. Originally, the building consisted of two symmetrical wings with monumental portals in the middle, surrounding a patio. The additional wings and the transformation of the left wing in the 18th century (stone staircase, wrought iron ramp) changed its original appearance, while retaining medieval elements such as a marble well.

After the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) and the attachment of the Roussillon to France, the palace will house the Conseil Souverain du Roussillon, then the court of first instance. In 1866, the town of Perpignan joined the nearby town hall. Ranked a historic monument in 1886, it now illustrates the Catalan heritage of the region and its institutional evolution, combining Gothic architecture and French adaptations. Its trilobed windows, hardwood capitals and semicircular doors make it a remarkable example of the Occitan heritage.

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