Located in Plaza Mayor, this emblematic Baroque building was given its name as the ground floor used to house the town's main bakery. Its origins date back to 1590, and throughout history it has been the headquarters of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, the Real Academia de la Historia, and the Municipal Library and Municipal Archives. As well as this, some of the rooms on the main floor have, in the past, been used by the royal family. Today, however, you can find both the Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre and the tourist offices belonging to the municipal company Madrid Destino located here.
The construction of the building began at the end of the 16th century, on top of what was once a vaulted basement. It was carried out by builder Diego Sillero, who followed plans set by architect Francisco de Mora. In 1617, his nephew (and architect) Juán Gómez de Mora carried out a transformation of the building to integrate it into the Plaza Mayor square. The result was a symmetrical structure of four floors, including an arcade ground floor and a penthouse top floor, with the sides of the building framed by angular towers.
The fire of August 1672, the second to happen in the square, completely destroyed the Casa de la Panadería. And so, architect Tomás Román was in charge of the reconstruction of the building, with painters Claudio Coello and José Jiménez Donoso completing the interior decoration and frescoes on the façade.
Another fire in the summer of 1790 destroyed three-quarters of the square, but this time the Casa de la Panadería was saved. This was thanks to its height and architectural features which would later be applied to the design of the rest of the square, when Juan de Villanueva took on the reconstruction project the following year.
The beautiful murals that we can see today on the building´s façade are the work of Carlos Franco (Madrid, 1951). The artist and member of the New Madrid Figuratism art movement, was commissioned in 1988 to update the paintings by Enrique Guijo (which were originally completed in 1914, but had deteriorated due to climate and restoration work). The current murals celebrate the Baroque origins of the square and the building, with mythological references to the goddess, Cybele, and her wedding to Attis, as well as details that reveal the history, traditions and identity of the Spanish capital. Inside, there are three spaces that stand out:
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The Salón Real (Royal Hall) was a suite of rooms used by the monarchs until 1745. It is decorated with tiles and 17th century tapestries, and features high ceilings. These high ceilings allow us to really appreciate the frescoes on the ceiling of the main hall. Today, the space hosts civil weddings as well as receptions held by the Madrid City Council.
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The Sala de Bóvedas (Vaulted Room), which is located in the basement, is used for exhibitions and has a capacity of 80 people. Here we can admire vaulted ceilings of four metres in height.
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The Sala de Columnas (Hall of Columns) is located on the ground floor of the building and is home to the Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre.
Shop at the Casa de la Panadería
On the ground floor, inside the Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre, you’ll find the city´s official tourist shop. Designed by architect Izaskun Chinchilla, here you´ll find souvenirs of the capital made by local artisans who celebrate the city´s old trades.
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