Beneath this French Renaissance facade lies a tale of leisure that turned into learning. We are standing before the Palacio de Hielo y del Automóvil. It began as a grand idea in the early 1920s. A Belgian hotelier named Georges Marquet envisioned a place for Madrid’s elite. He imagined a space where they could skate, dance, and admire automobiles.
The Palacio de Hielo y del Automóvil was designed by the Belgian architect Edmond De Lune. Construction started in 1920. It was quite innovative for its time using reinforced concrete. The building opened its doors in October 1922. King Alfonso XIII himself attended the inauguration. Imagine the scene: champions of ice skating from France and Belgium gliding across the ice. The interior boasted a luxurious Louis XVI style salon. There were lavish dressing rooms and reading rooms. The ground floor featured a large ice rink. Salons and leisure areas surrounded it.
The Palacio de Hielo became a popular spot. It attracted guests from the nearby Hotel Palace. However its success was short-lived. The high society crowd that had arrived due to the global conflict, began to dwindle. By 1926, the Palacio de Hielo closed its doors.
But the story of Palacio de Hielo does not end here. In 1929, the Spanish State acquired the building. Architect Pedro Muguruza transformed it into the Centro de Estudios Históricos. The ice rink became offices. The building’s purpose shifted from leisure to academic research.
After the Spanish Civil War, the building became the headquarters of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC in 1939. Miguel Fisac designed a library for the CSIC in 1948. The library sold scientific publications.
In 1978, a fire struck the Palacio de Hielo. It severely damaged the renovated parts of the building and destroyed countless books and research. The building was abandoned in 2007.
Today, the Palacio de Hielo y del Automóvil stands as a reminder of Madrid’s past. It is a blend of leisure, luxury, and learning. Its story is etched in its walls. It is a unique landmark in the heart of Madrid. It has witnessed the changing tides of time.