Plaça de Sant Jaume in Barcelona

Sant Juame is a smaller square compared to the Placa de Catalunya, and not nearly as busy. It does not have the tourist appeal that the busier squares in Barcelona have, but the historical sights this square has seen rival all the others. If you sit quietly in the square on a moonlight night, perhaps you, too, will witness the sounds and sights reminiscent of some of the city's greatest historical events. The most important government buildings in the city are here, just as they were in the Roman times. The government of the Autonomous Community of Catalunya makes its home here (the palace of the Generalitat), as does city hall. The proclamation of the Catalan State occurred here in 1931 as well as the return of once exiled Josep Tarradellas in 1977. He was exiled to France in 1939 but returned after negotiating the reestablishment of the Generalitat de Catalunya with Adolfo Suarez, then president of the Spanish government. The best reason to visit the square, however, is to see the dancers on Sunday mornings. Schedule this event into your stay in Barcelona, when the people of Catalonia come to the square to honor their heritage and dance the national dance, called the Sardana.