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Origin and history

The hall of Granada, built in the center of the bastide founded in 1290 by the monks of Grandselve, occupies a square of 72x74 meters at the crossing of the main axes. Its wooden frame, dated by late 13th century dendrochronology, rests on 36 octagonal piers in foraine brick. The pyramidal roof, with three landings, houses a belfry added to the seventeenth century as a watchtower and public clock, mentioned in 1417 by royal authorization.

As soon as it was created, the hall performed a dual function: commercial and administrative. It housed a weekly market and two annual fairs, with permanent lodges for merchants (such as butcher shop or mazel) and a box of weights and measures to control trade. Upstairs, the common house housed local institutions (justice, consulate, assemblies) and grain attices. An inventory of 1617 confirms its consular use since 1305, while an act of 1668 already describes its 30 pillars (up to 36 later).

The hall underwent major changes in the 17th and 18th centuries, including work on the belfry (threatened in 1671 and 1773) and the addition of a wooden staircase to access the floors. An 1879 engraving reveals that she was then girded with low walls. Ranked a historic monument in 1979, it was restored in 1992-1993 (grounds and pillars). Today, it remains a central place for the Grenadains, hosting the Saturday market, the Saint-Luc Fair, and summer events such as dances.

Its square plan and its dimensions (41 meters side) make it one of the largest medieval halls covered in France. Dendrochronological studies revealed that its oldest woods (reinous and oak) were felled around 1293, confirming its link to the foundation of the bastide. The belfry, surmounted by a bell, was initially closed by wooden panels and barred with boards. The upper floors, accessible by ladders and stairs, served as attices and reserve for communal archives.

The hall symbolizes the agricultural and commercial boom of the region, as evidenced by the charter of 1290 authorizing one market per week. Its judicial role is attested by the presence of a royal audience with bailli, notaries and consuls. Consular records of the 17th century mention regular repairs (posts, cover), stressing its continuing importance. Today, it embodies the collective memory of Granada, ranked among the best preserved hippodamian bastids in France.

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