Casa de la Vall, or House of the Valley, which looks like a small fortress, is one of the oldest buildings in Andorra la Vella.
The building was built of natural stone in 1580 on the cliffs, overlooking the valley of the Gran Valira River. The building, which started belonging to the parliament of the state at the beginning of the 18th century, is now a monument of architectural and historical importance. You can take a tour of the house and visit the guest room, the kitchen with antique tableware, and the General Council Hall, the place where important decisions for the country were made. Historically, the house also housed a court, a hotel, and a prison.
The Casa de la Vall is one of Andorra's most notable landmarks and one of the most visited monuments in the principality. In 1962, a significant reconstruction of the building was carried out: it helped to improve its condition. Until 2011, the house still served the needs of the state by hosting meetings of the representatives of the country's communities. Later, the General Council moved to the new capital building.
This majestic building with three enfilades houses a historical chapel and the hall of the Supreme Court of Andorra on the first floor with a lobby. On the third is a multifunctional space with exhibitions of the Postal Museum. The atmosphere in the building is still historic: in the evening, candle lights appear on the windows of the building as the museum staff light the old candelabra.
An impressive courtroom with wooden furniture and decor can be seen on the grounds of the house. The second floor is the Hall of Lost Steps, originally the Sala de los Pasos Perdidos: the room is decorated with original 16th-century wall paintings. Here is also the office of the General Syndic, closed to the public. This is the reception room for official delegations.
In the courtyard, you can see the dovecote and details of the facade of the mini-fortress and the sculptures installed in memory of important moments in the history of Andorra. They are the signing of the Pareage of Andorra and the referendum on the adoption of the constitution in 1993. The central facade bears the coat of arms of the historical owners, the Busquet family, with the motto «Virtus, Unita, Fortior» which can be translated as «Virtue, Unity, Strength».