The Government approves the declaration of the Buenavista Palace as a site of cultural interest.

Yesterday, at the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, the Council of Ministers approved the declaration of the Buenavista Palace in Madrid as a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) in the monument category.

The building, which houses the General Staff of the Army of the Ministry of Defense, is located at the beginning of Paseo de Recoletos and occupies one of the corners of Plaza de Cibeles, where it shares space with emblematic buildings such as the Bank of Spain and the Telecommunications Palace, currently the headquarters of Madrid City Hall, as well as the Linares Palace.

Sober aesthetics

In October 2024, the Ministry of Culture began processing the application for this declaration, which entails applying this protection category, the highest established by Law 16/1985, of June 25, on Spanish Historical Heritage.

Thus, the construction of the palace began at the end of the 18th century with a design aligned with the great palaces of the time and following a sober and rigorous aesthetic that, while characteristic of the neoclassical style, masks a Baroque project.

Protection of the noble area and the fence

The BIC declaration also entails the protection of the so-called "noble zone" of the palace and the iron fence that separates the gardens from the street, which was completed in late 1873.

Construction began under the direction of the French-born architect Juan Pedro Arnal, who in turn may have been inspired by an earlier project by Ventura Rodríguez, a model of which still survives. A hillock in one of the most open areas of the Court was chosen as the site to facilitate viewing of the monument. At the same time, the panoramic view from the palace was what gave rise to its name Buenavista.

The building, along with a garden and several fountains, was designed to serve as the residence of Doña María del Pilar Teresa de Silva, Duchess of Alba, although she never lived there due to two major fires. Despite successive transformations and renovations, the original structure has always been preserved.

The palace was later acquired by the Municipal Corporation to be offered to Manuel Godoy. However, the favourite of Charles IV was also unable to move into it because his property was confiscated following the Aranjuez mutiny of 1808. During the reign of Joseph Bonaparte, it was again taken over by decree and transformed into a Museum of Paintings.