The Palau del Batle · Vilafamés (EN)

The Palau del Batle is one of the most outstanding civil buildings in the historic center of Vilafamés and a magnificent example of Valencian civil Gothic architecture. Built between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, it was the residence of the batle, the representative of the lordly authority in charge of administering the territory and exercising functions of government and justice. The building has the characteristic structure of the Valencian Gothic palace-houses, organized on several levels: semi-basement, mezzanine, main floor and attic. The complex is articulated around an interior courtyard, a central element of this type of building, and also has a rectangular tower that reinforces its stately character. This building reflects the importance that Vilafamés reached during the Middle Ages and the modern period. Its Gothic architecture is perfectly integrated into the urban fabric of the old town, where the local stone defines the character of the buildings. In 1971 the building was acquired by the Diputació Provincial de Castelló, which carried out its restoration for cultural use. It currently houses the Museu d'Art Contemporani Vicente Aguilera Cerni (MACVAC), a museum of contemporary art that makes Vilafamés a unique space where historical heritage and contemporary artistic creation coexist in the medieval quarter.