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The market

It was 1307 when, officially, James II (Valencia, 1st of August, 1267 – Barcelona, 2nd November, 1327) granted Bernard de Fonollar, General Attorney and Lord of Sitges, permission to hold a weekly market on Thursdays, weekday that has remained unchanged throughout the centuries.

Manuscript (BNF, latin 4670A) of the Catalan constitutions. “Wikipedia.org.llicència Creative Attribution Share Alike

At the end of the 19th century, the Sitges Town Council put forward a project to redesign the plaça de la Constitució (Constitution square), currently plaça de l’Ajuntament (Town Hall Square) and to construct a building to house the local market. In 1889, the town’s architect, Gaietà Buigas Monravà presented his project. On August 15, 1890, the new market building was inaugurated.

The Mercat Vell (Old Market), as it is known nowadays, fulfilled its original purpose until the 90s decade in the past century.

In 1984, Carles Ferrateres presented a project to build a new market in carrer de l’Hort Gran; this was inaugurated on the 21st of May, 1986, and remodeled in 2008. For several years, both marketplaces coexisted.

When Buigas’ building ceased to house the market, it was used as a space for cultural activities and exhibitions until 2010, when it became Casa Bacardí.

The market

The market's origins date back to the Middle Ages. Around the castle, peasants would gather to sell their goods: grains, vegetables, legumes, fruit, fresh pork, cold cuts, salted and smoked meat, poultry, cheese, fish and wine. Doubtless, you could also buy clothing, pottery and many other utensils for the house, as well as tools for working at sea or in the fields.

It was 1307 when, officially, James II (Valencia, 1st of August, 1267 – Barcelona, 2nd November, 1327) granted Bernard de Fonollar, General Attorney and Lord of Sitges, permission to hold a weekly market on Thursdays, weekday that has remained unchanged throughout the centuries.

Manuscript (BNF, latin 4670A) of the Catalan constitutions. Wikipedia.org.llicència Creative Attribution Share Alike

The document granting the privileges was signed in Montblanc, on May 6.

At the end of the 19th century, the Sitges Town Council put forward a project to redesign the plaça de la Constitució (Constitution square), currently plaça de l'Ajuntament (Town Hall Square) and to construct a building to house the local market. In 1889, the town's architect, Gaietà Buigas Monravà presented his project. On August 15, 1890, the new market building was inaugurated.

The Mercat Vell (Old Market), as it is known nowadays, fulfilled its original purpose until the 90s decade in the past century.

By Pere López (Treball propi) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

In 1984, Carles Ferrateres presented a project to build a new market in carrer de l'Hort Gran; this was inaugurated on the 21st of May, 1986, and remodeled in 2008. For several years, both marketplaces coexisted.

When Buigas' building ceased to house the market, it was used as a space for cultural activities and exhibitions until 2010, when it became Casa Bacardí.

We find other examples of the modernist architecture of Gaietà Buïgas (Barcelona 1851-1919) in Sitges. Aside from the market, the Patronat church and Casa Severià Vilella, in carrer Jesus, 16, also bear his signature. Exposed brick facades are one of the most characteristic traits of his architecture.

Gent de sempre de Sitges
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Bibliography:
Artigas Coll, Beli (2008). El Mercat Nou de Sitges. Criticartt.blogspot.com.es, 14-IV-2008.
Coll Mirabent, Isabel (2001). Arquitectura de Sitges (1800-1930). Sitges. Ajuntament de Sitges.
Parés Corretger, Àngels (2000). Avui és dijous? Doncs avui hi ha mercat noia! Notícies del mercat de Sitges al segle XIV. Sitges. La Xermada, revista municipal de cultura popular, núm. 14. Setmana Santa/Sant Jordi.