On June 14 and 15, it will be possible to experience the birth of the current Spanish democracy in first person. The Congress of Deputies opens its doors so that citizens can visit the chamber of representation for free, but this time there will be for the first time a cast of actors playing the historical characters of the Transition.
This special event will be held to commemorate the first general elections after the dictatorship that were held to form the Constituent Courts on June 15, 1977. The resulting Cortes were the ones that drafted the 1978 Constitution and now the most important debates of this Constituent Legislature will be revived in the walls where they were born.
In these Open Days, which have been held since 1997, the usual thing is to see the empty chamber, and take a guided tour in which historical moments are explained, but this time the benches will be occupied and in the corridors there will be a lot of movement.
The micro-theater company OLVIDALOTODO will be in charge of recreating this part of recent history with performances that will tour different parts of the Congress. For example, in the Ernest Lluch Hall, the largest after the hemicycle, there will be a simulation of the pasting of electoral posters for these first elections.
To conclude the visit there will be an exhibition that the Chamber is organizing with the Association of Parliamentary Journalists (APP) on political reporting.
How to book a visit to the Congress
The reservation of tickets is free of charge and as usual will be made through the website of the Congress, but the deadline has not yet opened. Although visits have been falling over the years, from 20,000 visitors in the early years to the current 10,000, capacity is limited and it is advisable to book as soon as possible. Visiting hours are from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm.