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Cal Pal social and cultural space
Location and contact
Located in the heart of La Cortinada in Ordino, one of the characteristics that make it so special is that it has been able to adapt to the passage of time, adopting characteristic features from each period, making it unique in the Principality.
A little history...
Built in 1347, the Cal Pal house started as an inn owned by Bernat Escoter and his mother, Raimunda, and it was donated, in 1435, to Joan Pal d'Ordino on the condition that it not be sold and that he live there permanently. Over the following years, it became the residence of the Pal family. It was not until the seventeenth century that it was passed on to the Torres family, of the Teixidor de Sispony dynasty. It was finally sold to Serafí Reig Ribó in 1955 by the last inhabitant of the house, Anton Torres Armengol (El Pal), who died in 1956.
The Cal Pal Social and Cultural Space was created with the idea of forming a space to share reflections on Andorran identity, history and heritage.
A changing home:
Since it was first built in the medieval period, the house museum of Cal Pal has undergone various remodelling projects. The first one dates back to the sixteenth century. However, it would not be until the beginning of the nineteenth century that the house would undergo one of the most major remodellings that would give it its definitive appearance: a third part was added to the side, with a pigeon house with a wooden and white stone frame that stands out from the corners of the house, as well as covered galleries on the south-west façade, and several beams with human faces on them on the north-west façade.
The house today
Businessman Serafí Reig, who acquired the property in 1955, wanted to preserve the architectural legacy, and so the house was subjected to a final round of refurbishment work in which the body of the side building, which had been demolished in the ‘60s, was rebuilt in harmony with the original structure and architecture of the home. On 2 March 2011, the house was officially included in the inventory of the Cultural Heritage of Andorra.
First exhibition, first reflection...
After being closed for more than 15 years, the Cal Pal house museum is opening its doors to the public, thanks to businesswoman Maria Reig and her grandson, to host its first exhibition: “La primera pedra” [The First Stone] in order to help unite Andorran identity with the history of this unique location.
This first exhibition by artist Jordi Fulla, in collaboration with the Vila Casas Foundation, presents a sample of 15 dry stone constructions that invite you to discover the history of the Principality: you will see the importance of dry stone in the construction and evolution of livestock and agriculture, as well as its use in other constructions, due to its abundance across the country.
More information:
This museum house opens only on weekends: from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm, on Saturdays and from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm on Sundays.
From the month of July and August through to 8 September (Our Lady of Meritxell Festival), the centre is open from Tuesday to Saturday, with the same opening hours. The building is closed on Mondays.
Free, open event. Guided tours are offered for individuals or groups upon request.
