The Archive of the Crown of Aragon (ACA) is the historical archive which contains the documents from the institutions of the ancient Crown of Aragon, as well from other historical Spanish collections. The former Royal Archive of Barcelona brings together more than seven centuries of history between its walls.
King Jaume II of Aragon created the Royal Archive of Barcelona in 1318 with the aim of unifying the collection from all the Crown territories. At the beginning, it was mainly to safeguard the written records relating to the Royal Heritage, as well as government and legal documents. During the Bourbon monarchy the building was modernised (1738), a new internal regulations were approved (1754) and with the change of name began the task of incorporating the files of institutions of the Ancient Regime into the collection of the Crown of Aragon.
Until 1993, it was housed in the Palau del Lloctinent, a building constructed between 1549 and 1557 as an extension of the Palau Reial Major in Barcelona. Subsequently, the majority of documents, as well as the task of research, conservation and custody, were moved to the current location on Carrer Almogàvers. The historical headquarters is maintained for the dissemination, through courses and exhibitions, and for ceremonial events.
From a manuscript of the tenth century, to the Proceedings of the Governing Council of the Republican Government, and including archives and personal collections of illustrious personages of the Catalan society in the 19th and 20th centuries such as Francesc Macià, Prat de la Riba, Eugeni D'Ors and Carles Riba. Since 1980, the National Archive of Catalonia (Arxiu Nacional de Catalunya, ANC) has been the institution in charge of gathering, preserving and disseminating the documentary heritage of the country.
As the general archive of the government, the ANC receives, restores and manages the documentation generated by the political and administrative actions of the Generalitat de Catalunya. As a national historical archive, it is dedicated to the restoration of documentation which is key to the knowledge of our past.
In addition to the archives from the administration, associations and foundations, and from the Church, particularly notable among its more than 900 holdings and documentary collections are the personal holdings and the manuscript, scroll and printed collections.
The history of the national archives of Catalonia began in 1936, during the Spanish Republic, and was restarted with the end of Franco's dictatorship. The current headquarters in Sant Cugat is a modern building featuring the latest technologies to ensure the best preservation of documents.
The Historic Archives of the City of Barcelona (AHCB) is the institution in charge of custody, preservation, treatment and dissemination of historical documents generated by the government of the city since the 13th century, when the Barcelona municipal government was created, and until the liberal revolution of the mid-19th century.
Over time, a wide range of archival materials, bibliographic and newspaper collections of historical interest have been incorporated and it has become one of the most important archival centres of Catalonia and an essential reference for historians.
From the 1920s the headquarters of the archive has been the
Currently the holdings and collections of the historical archive of the city of Barcelona are divided into three main sections: documentary collections, the library and the newspaper library.
The Regional Archives Network (XAC) is made up of regional archives that work to ensure the principles of provenance and regionality in the treatment and access to documents.
Each of the 41 archives of the network is responsible for organising, preserving, disseminating and facilitating access to the documentation and documentary heritage of their region, and also collaborates with the various public administrations.
In addition, they are also in charge of the custody of the documents of the municipalities of less than 10,000 inhabitants, notary protocols more than 100 years old, the documentation regarding the administration of Justice, the public records of the State, and any other documentation of historic or cultural interest for the area.
Since 1981 the three provincial archives (Girona, Lleida, Tarragona) also form part of the Regional Archives Network of the Catalan Government.
