Plaça Sant Jaume

Plaça Sant Jaume (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈpɫasə ˈsaɲ ˈʒawmə], in English "Saint James's Square") is the administrative heart of Barcelona, Catalonia. It is the place where the Cardo (modern day Llibreteria and Call streets) and Decumanus (now the streets of Bisbe/Ciutat/Regomir), the main roads of the Roman colony of Barcino, crossed. At this junction there was the forum and the Temple of Augustus, of which four columns are preserved on top of Mont Tàber, Paradís Street.

Its current name is due to the church of Church of Sant Jaume which since medieval times was located in this place. In the porch that in front of the temple is where the city council met before buying the homes that would house the future headquarters of the institution on the neighboring city street. It was demolished in 1823 to open the street from the Ferran Square and as it is known today. Note that prior to these demolitions, the square was limited to a small space at an angle, the same church, the cemetery, with the houses of the Magistracy and the General Court of Veguer filled the remaining space.

It was also called Constitution Square in various historical periods and this name still appears on a plaque on the façade of City Hall.

Currently the Palace of the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the Town House, headquarters of the City Council are located on this square across from one another.