A grand building in a busy square

Located between Plaza de la Marina and Plaza Poeta Alfonso Canales sits the historic Palacio Provincial. It used to be the main headquarters of the local provincial council. Now it mostly sits there looking very important and slightly out of place among the palm trees.

The structure completely dominates its corner of the city. You cannot really miss it when you are walking towards the port. It serves as a giant stone reminder that local government once demanded absolute architectural respect.

Traditional bricks and heavy columns

A local architect named Juan Jáuregui Briales designed this massive structure in the 1950s. He chose a very traditional and officialist style for the project. The building features a heavy mix of brick and stone on its facade.

The front includes a classic central portico complete with tall imposing columns. At the very top you can spot a grand pediment displaying the coat of arms of the province. It screams government authority in the most traditional way possible.

From boring bureaucrats to busy tourists

Times change and government officials eventually want modern offices with better air conditioning. The main administrative staff packed their bags and moved to a newer area. However they did not completely abandon this architectural dinosaur.

Today the landmark survives as a cultural and institutional space. It houses the Sala Isabel Oyarzábal which hosts various exhibitions and artistic events. The rooms that once heard boring budget meetings now feature actual culture.

More importantly it serves as the home for provincial tourism planning on the Costa del Sol. This means the building now helps sell the sunshine that its thick stone walls so desperately try to keep out. It is a very fitting retirement for such a serious old palace.