Andorra's Casa de la Vall Reopens After 60-Year Overhaul

Andorra's Casa de la Vall, the historic seat of the Consell General, hosted its traditional Sant Tomàs session on Monday following the completion of its first-phase modernisation works, with a media preview held on Sunday. The building reopened to the public on Tuesday, December 23, offering free entry to all visitors until Constitution Day on March 14; residents will continue entering gratis thereafter, while tourists face a €5 fee. Some areas, including the Corts tribunal and attic, remain inaccessible.

Initiated in April—over 60 years after the last major works in 1962—the project, directed by architect Enric Dilmé and restoration supervisor Eudald Guillamet, prioritised a non-structural "deep update" to enhance institutional functionality, accessibility, sustainability, and safety while restoring the site's original austerity. Dilmé emphasised concealing visible installations like wiring and radiators, using noble materials such as oak flooring and lime mortar walls, and removing incongruous 20th-century additions, including 1960s saddles from a junk dealer and 'gotelé' plaster that evoked an unwanted "parador" style.

Accessibility improvements feature a new lift and ramp, alongside underfloor heating, upgraded electrics, fibre optics, 4K cameras, advanced microphones, refined acoustics, and better insulation to curb heat loss. On the ground floor, reception now sits beside the stairs for greater visibility, with an expanded shop near the passage to the Corts. Restored items on display include Andorra's first official flag under protective glass and the archive chest in the chapel area.

In the Passos Perduts hall, new parquet overlays the original floor, transparent lamp shades replace yellowed ones, and adjustable lighting spotlights restored Passion cycle murals. Facsimiles of the Pareatges and Constitution have supplanted a 1970s clock and 1960s shield. Síndic General Carles Ensenyat described these as symbols of Andorra's foundational statehood and democratic principles. His office temporarily houses a Joaquim Mir painting of the 1933 revolution, loaned by a private owner.

The hemicycle underwent the deepest changes, regaining original symmetry with seating for 14 national and 14 territorial councillors, space for 12 ministers and the head of government, and a new blue executive table replacing 1980s provisionals. Ensenyat noted the layout "explains Andorra's political reality at a glance" and enables uses like minister oaths, Sant Tomàs councils, and reserve parliamentary sessions. The oratory has been desacralised, restoring the Six Keys chest, Sant Ermengol figure, and Crucifixion altarpiece.

The Monday event drew positive reactions from authorities, including eight living former síndics from the 1980s onward, who joined a group photo amid snow and rain. Ensenyat highlighted preservation of the nation's key cultural asset during the session, which marked a successful return after months of disruptions.

Pending phases include second-floor musealisation on Andorra's political history, exterior restoration (roof, joinery, stone cleaning) with tenders slated for February and completion by late 2026, and attic upgrades around 2027 for better access.