House of the Common in Soria
The Casa del Común is a building located on Plaza Mayor in Soria, next to Palacio de la Audiencia. It is the former headquarters of Estado Llano de Hombres Buenos de la Ciudad de Soria, that is, the noble estate, which represented the interests and rights of the city’s inhabitants.
This building is associated with the history and culture of Soria, as it houses the Fueros de Soria, a collection of rights and privileges that Alfonso VIII granted to the city in 1181. The Fueros de Soria are one of the oldest and most important legal documents in Spain, as they established democratic and self-governing rules for the city and its surroundings.
The Casa del Común building is built of stone and brick, and has three floors. The facade bears the inscription “Casa del Común” and the city’s coat of arms. This building is also known as “Arco del Cuerno”, because on its wall there is a bull’s horn, which symbolizes the tradition of corrida, which took place on Plaza Mayor.
This horn was used as a signal to start and end the bullfight. In the middle of the building, there is a large arch, which passes over the street and connects with the Palacio de la Audiencia building. This arch was used as a passage for members of Estado Llano, who participated in deliberations and ceremonies.
Inside the building, there are various rooms and halls that serve as a place for storing and displaying the Fueros de Soria and other historical documents. On the ground floor, there is a room where you can see the original manuscript of the Fueros de Soria, written on parchment and adorned with illuminations. On the same floor, there is also a room where you can see other documents related to the Fueros de Soria, such as privileges, contracts, wills, or maps.
On the first floor, there is a room where you can see reproductions of the Fueros de Soria in various languages, such as Latin, Spanish, French, English, or German. On the same floor, there is also a room where you can see other documents related to the history and culture of Soria, such as chronicles, poems, or newspapers.
On the second floor, there is a room where you can see an exhibition dedicated to Antonio Machado, who was a great lover and connoisseur of the Fueros de Soria. On the same floor, there is also a room where you can see an exhibition dedicated to other writers and poets who were inspired by the Fueros de Soria, such as Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Gerardo Diego, or Miguel Delibes.
The Casa del Comun building is open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00-14:00 and 16:00-19:00. Admission is free, but prior reservation is required. It is certainly one of the places worth visiting to learn about the history and culture of Soria. It is a building that combines law and art, and which is a symbol of the city and its inhabitants.
