Palacio de las Cortes

The Palacio de las Cortes in Madrid is the seat of the Congress of Deputies, one of the two chambers of the Spanish parliament. The neoclassical building stands on the Plaza de las Cortes, not far from the Paseo del Prado, and is considered one of the capital's iconic 19th-century landmarks. The site was originally occupied by a convent, which was badly damaged in a fire in 1823. When the liberal regime was established, it was decided to build a new structure worthy of housing parliamentary sessions. Construction began in 1843 under the direction of the architect Narciso Pascual Colomer, and Queen Isabella II inaugurated the building in a ceremony in 1850. While it was being built, the deputies met on a provisional basis in the ballroom of the Royal Theater.

The main facade, which faces the Carrera de San Jerónimo, impresses with its Renaissance aesthetic, featuring a rusticated ground floor and windows with triangular pediments on the upper floor. A magnificent portico with six Corinthian columns forms the grand entrance, crowned by a relief showing Spain with the Constitution, flanked by allegorical figures. In front of the monumental staircase stand two famous bronze lions, cast from captured cannons, which are known in popular tradition as Daoiz and Velarde. Inside, the semicircular chamber dominates the interior, lit by a glass dome with a painting of Queen Isabella II and historical figures such as El Cid and Cervantes. Large history paintings hang on the walls, including scenes from the Cortes of Valladolid and Cádiz. You can also still see the bullet holes left by the failed coup attempt of 1981, a reminder of that dramatic political episode.

In addition to the chamber, the building houses other stately rooms such as the Conference Hall, designed in the Isabelline style with neo-Plateresque stucco work and a glass dome. Here you can see twelve paintings depicting Spain's historic kingdoms, cities, and rivers, as well as a central agate table donated by Queen Isabella II. The library, which serves as the parliament's official archive, occupies a three-story area with an extensive collection of volumes. Over the decades, the building has been expanded several times, most recently by incorporating former bank buildings to meet the parliament's growing need for space.