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Old Town Hall of Pasaia

The Royal Agreement of 1770 permitted Pasaia to build its own Town Hall with all of the rights still existing today, therefore allowing it to rid itself of the long administrative tutelage exercised by Hondarribia, while losing the name of "de la banda de Fuenterrabía" or "de Francia", as it had been called for centuries, to become the town of Pasaia.

Later, on 1 June 1805, Pasai San Pedro became a part of Pasai Donibane, as did Pasai Antxo, in the early 20th Century. Thus, the three parts of Pasaia, plus the district of Trintxerpe, have one single Town Council split into four districts, the administrative offices and headquarters of which are located in Pasai Donibane.

At the centre of the row of houses standing in the Plaza de Santiago, in Pasai Donibane, we will find the Baroque old Town Hall, dating from 1735. This terraced building has a rectangular ground plan and a gable roof with its ridge parallel to the facade. This building does not fully correspond to the typical Basque Town Halls with their large arches.

José de Lizardi and Juan Bautista de Inchaurrandiaga collaborated in valuating the quarry destined to the new Town Hall in Pasai Donibane, the design of which is similarly attributed to José de Lizardi. We don't know if the building marks out a new ground plan or if it was built over one that already existed. It stands between two houses looking onto the square and its facade is a narrow, elevated triangle of four floors, standing out from those on either side for its ashlar work. Its large windows and balconies (the one on the third floor runs from side to side of the facade) are typical of this kind of Town Hall, unlike others designed by Lizardi.

The facade is ashlar. On the ground floor is a central door with a barred window on either side. The second floor has unusual openings. On the main floor we can see the typical projecting balcony with forged iron railings supported by stone brackets. The top floor is presided over by the town coat of arms, on either side of which are long balconies.

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