Town Hall, A Coruña, Galicia
A Coruña Palacio Municipal
The Town Hall in the central Plaza de María Pita in A Coruña is a striking neoclassical building that also features modernist elements.
Its 64-meter long façade displays four statues representing Galician provinces, iconic bronze domes, and a prominent clock tower.
History
The building was constructed between 1908 and 1912, with the external work completed around 1914. King Alfonso XIII officially inaugurated the Town Hall in 1927. The edifice is the work of architects Pedro Mariño and Julio Galán Carvajal.
The interior houses a free Clock Museum (Museo de los Relojes) with over 80 historic clocks from Spain, England, France and The Netherlands donated by local collector Antonio Rios.
Design
The facade displays four white stone statues representing the four Galician provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense, and Pontevedra. Enscribed is the city's coat of arms and a legend styling it as the "very noble and very loyal city... strength and antemural of the Kingdom of Galicia".
The building's highest tower houses a clock with bells made of bronze and tin, weighing over 1,600 kg. The opulent interior has a majestic central staircase leading to three decorated lounges: the Red, Blue, and Golden Salons.
The Town Hall is situated in Plaza de María Pita named after the 16th-century heroine and defender of the city from English attack in 1589. The square was designed by municipal architect Juan de Ciórraga and laid out in 1877. The central monument to María Pita, created by artist Xosé Castiñeiras, was installed in 1998.
Accommodation
The town and surrounding area has some great places to stay.
The DoubleTree by Hilton offers 4-star accommodation near the Convention Center.
The NH Collection A Coruña Finisterre is a 5-star property. Facilities include 3 outdoor pools, sea views, bar and restaurant.
Eurostars Atlántico has large rooms in a pleasant 4-star hotel.
Other places include Hotel Alda Orzán a 2-star property, which offers more budget lodgings near the beach.
Hotel Brisa is another budget option close to Riazor beach and stadium.
See a listing of hotels in A Coruña
Access - Getting to A Coruña
The railway station (A Coruña-San Cristovo) is at Avenida del Ferrocarril 10. High-speed rail services link the city with Santiago de Compostela, Ourense-Empalme, Pontevedra and Vigo-Guixar. Regional trains provide connections to Lugo, Monforte de Lemos and Ferrol, while intercity services run to Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao.
The bus station at Rúa Caballeros 21, 15009 has buses from A Coruña to Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, León-Valladolid, Ourense, Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela (1 hour), Verín, Vigo (about two hours, 30 minutes) and Zamora. There are also buses south to Aveiro, Braga, Porto (3 hours, 30 minutes), Fatima and Lisbon (9 hours to Oriente; 9 hours, 30 minutes to Sete Rios) in Portugal as well as a long-distance service to Paris in France.
Eat & Drink
Some recommended places to eat and sample the local wines are Pulpeira de Lola la Antigua de Melide (Tel: 981 23 61 64) for excellent octopus, mussels and cheese plates on Ronda de Outeiro and the Michelin-starred Taberna 5 Mares which has fine food and sea views at Parque Monte San Pedro (Tel: 981 10 08 23).
Other Attractions
The Torre de Hércules is an ancient lighthouse and an iconic symbol of A Coruña and Galicia. It is the oldest functioning Roman lighthouse in the world and the city's main tourist attraction and must-see.
The city's main square, Praza de María Pita is named after local heroine María Pita, who drove off the invading English back in 1589.
The town's two main city beaches are Orzán Beach and Riazor Beach which both get very busy in summer. The local football team Deportivo de La Coruña play at the nearby Estadio Abanca-Riazor.
The galerías of A Coruña are glass-enclosed balconies that line many of the city's waterfront buildings, especially along Avenida da Mariña. Built mainly in the 19th century, these white-painted structures were designed to maximize available sunlight while shielding homes from the often strong Atlantic winds and rain. Their continuous rows of windows create a bright, reflective façade facing the harbor, earning A Coruña the nickname "City of Glass."
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