Terpene

Casa Sindical
Map
General information
LocationCortes, Madrid
AddressPaseo del Prado, 20
CountrySpain
Construction started1949
Completed1951
Inaugurated27 October 1955
Height60 m
Technical details
Floor count16
Design and construction
Architect(s)Francisco de Asís Cabrero
Rafael de Aburto

The Casa Sindical (the "Syndical House")[1] is a building in Madrid, Spain. It currently hosts the headquarters of the Ministry of Health of Spain.

History[edit]

The contest guidelines for the draft project, convened by Fermín Sanz Orrio, the then national delegate of trade unions of FET y de las JONS, were published in April 1949.[2] The project was finally entrusted ex-aequo to Francisco de Asís Cabrero and Rafael de Aburto.[3] Finished in 1951,[4] some dependencies were opened in July 1955, taking advantage of the celebration of the III National Congress of Workers.[5][n. 1] It was formally inaugurated by Francisco Franco on 27 October 1955.[6]

Description[edit]

Located in front of the Prado Museum, it features a central prismatic 16-floor brick tower,[7] that reaches a 60-metre height.[8] The landmark symbolically marked the acceptance of modern architecture by the Francoist regime in terms of architectural language, straying away from previous traditionalist aesthetics.[9] It has often been linked to the works of Italian Fascist architect Giuseppe Terragni.[10]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ José Antonio Girón de Velasco, the Falangist minister of Labour, declared then 'this modern and arrogant tower, claims to the 4 poles of the horizon that the "Movement" is in movement'.[5]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Links[edit]

40°24′48″N 3°41′38″W / 40.413411°N 3.693969°W / 40.413411; -3.693969

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