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an emerald— and ordered the cons-
truction of the Town Hall at the precise
point where the three former borou-
ghs converged. That building, which
still presides over the council square
today, is an emblem of balance and co-
existence: on its Baroque façade, each
8 September, the echo of that gesture
that transformed the destiny of the city
can still be felt.
The original text of the Privilege, written
on parchment and sealed with red wax,
is preserved as a historical treasure. It
stipulates the abolition of internal cus-
toms, equal rights for all inhabitants,
and the creation of a unified body of ju-
rors and officers. In essence, it marks
the birth of a modern, open and cohesi-
ve city, which would soon begin to grow
around the Way of St James
The Festival of the Union:
a living memory
Each year, Pamplona celebrates this
event with the so-called Fiesta del Pri-
vilegio de la Unión, a day that goes far
beyond a simple historical commemora-
tion. It is a meeting of identities, a reclai-
ming of roots and a tribute to the com-
munal spirit.
At the official ceremony, the municipal
authorities lay a wreath before the monu-
HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE
ment to King Carlos III, and the mayor
presents a replica of the Privilege to the
cathedral chapter, recalling the founda-
tional act of 1423.
But what truly brings the festival to life
are its streets. In the Casco Antiguo,
the squares fill with medieval music,
dancing, street theatre and demonstra-
tions of traditional crafts. The artisans of
Pamplona, heirs to a tradition that was
the economic engine of the old borou-
ghs, play a leading role. Goldsmiths,
ceramicists, wood-carvers, leatherwor-
kers and embroiderers display their tra-
des to the public with the same skill their
forebears showed in the markets of the
fifteenth century.
The artisan associations, many of
which maintain family workshops pas-
sed down through generations, see in
this celebration an opportunity to highli-
ght their role in Navarre’s identity. Plaza
de San José and calle de la Estafeta
are transformed into small living mu-
seums of manual craftsmanship: there
you hear the hammer striking copper,
the crackling of blown glass and the
smell of freshly tanned leather. It is a
way of remembering that the unity of
Pamplona was not only sealed with ink
and parchment, but also with the hands
that shaped its history.
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