Río de La Plata Bank
| Caryatid Building | |
|---|---|
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|
| Former names | Río de la Plata Bank |
| Alternative names | Cervantes Building |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Eclecticism |
| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Address | Calle de Alcala, 49 28014 Madrid |
| Coordinates | 40°25′10″N 3°41′43″W / 40.419356°N 3.695319°W |
| Current tenants | Instituto Cervantes (October 11, 2006-) |
| Construction started | 1911 |
| Completed | 1918 |
| Renovated | 1944-1953 |
| Owner | Government of Spain |
| Height | 25 meters |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Floor area | 18,000 m² |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
Antonio Palacios Joaquín Otamendi Manuel Cabanyes |
| Structural engineer | Ángel Chueca Sainz |
| Other designers | Manuel Cabanyes |
Edificio de Las Cariátides (English: Caryatid Building) is a building in the Spanish capital of Madrid built by Spanish architect, Antonio Palacios. The building was later the head office of the Central Bank and later of the Santander Bank. As of 2006 it is the headquarters of the Instituto Cervantes.
Alcalá street, one of the oldest streets in Madrid, which ends at the Puerta del Sol, at the beginning of the 20th century, points to a relevant financial center in the city. The demolitions of the Nueva Gran Vía in 1911 already indicate the beginnings of important urban transformations in the capital. The collaboration of two young architects, initiated in 1904, already has several previous successes. The success of both engineers begins when winning adepts after winning in the municipal public contest of the Palace of Communications. It is noteworthy that the architecture of Madrid is dominated at the beginning of the 20th century by the existence of banks and churches. This building is a novelty that is the first office to be built in Madrid. These types of buildings are typical in American cities like Boston and Chicago or in England.
The Spanish architects Antonio Palacios Ramilo and Joaquín Otamendi received the commission to project the branch office of the Spanish Rio de la Plata Bank in 1910. Both are occupied in the construction process of the Palace of Communications and the Maudes Hospital. The new headquarters of the Bank acquired the 18,000 square meters of land belonging to the rectangular plot of the former Marqués de Casa-Irujo Palace. The building of the palace of Irujo, that gave rise to the lot, was highly praised in its time. On the ground floor was the Café Cervantes.
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