Ever wonder about the story behind these walls? We are standing before the Instituto de Educación Secundaria Ramiro de Maeztu. This Madrid school is more than just classrooms and hallways. It is a place with a rich history and tradition.
The Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu has interesting roots. It is the heir to the Instituto Escuela. The Junta de Ampliación de Estudios e Investigaciones Científicas established that school in 1918. The current Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu is administratively separate from the primary school of the same name. However both share a legacy.
In 1999 the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu had over 2000 students. They were divided into 67 classes. The school had 144 teachers. The curriculum included ESO Bachillerato and international options.
Interestingly in 2006 the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu was unique. It was Madrid’s only public school offering the International Baccalaureate. This program allows graduates to attend universities abroad. Many students go to the United States the United Kingdom France Germany and Ireland.
The school’s origins trace back to the early 20th century. The Junta de Ampliación de Estudios followed the ideas of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. Santiago Ramón y Cajal presided over the Junta. In 1911 the Ministry of Public Instruction gave the Junta land called Altos del Hipódromo. This area overlooked the old hippodrome. Juan Ramón Jiménez later called it La Colina de los Chopos.
Architect Zuazo planned the expansion of the Castellana. The Residencia de Estudiantes and the Instituto-Escuela became known as Colina del Viento. The Instituto-Escuela aimed to expand the ILE’s teaching methods. It began operating in 1918. The school featured coeducation a focus on languages and sports and a European outlook.
The architect Carlos Arniches Moltó designed buildings for the school. Between 1931 and 1933 the school built a high school pavilion a library and an auditorium. In 1934 a primary school pavilion was inaugurated. The Spanish Civil War interrupted this progress.
The Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu was established after the war in 1939. It was created by ministerial order. It along with other schools replaced the Instituto-Escuela. The new institute adopted different educational principles. It became an all-male school. It also emphasized Spanish nationalism and Catholicism.
The Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu was associated with the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. It included a high school a primary school and boarding facilities. There were also workshops for various trades. The goal was to train young people to lead the new state.
Architect Eugenio Sánchez Lozano remodeled and expanded the original buildings. He added a large theater. A building constructed in 1969 blocked access to the Natural Science Museum. The high school building featured an astronomical observatory. Statues by Fructuoso Orduna were placed around the grounds.
Classes began in 1939 after a women’s prison and aviation troops vacated the buildings. The school remained exclusively male until the 1984 to 1985 school year. At that time it reintroduced coeducation.
The Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu offered optional languages like French German English and Italian. The English department organized summer courses in England.
Sports have always been important at the school. The Club Baloncesto Estudiantes was founded in 1948. The school also had a fencing club and a rugby team.
Many cultural activities have taken place at the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu. These include theater performances film screenings and concerts. Television Española recorded programs there.
The Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu is bordered by Serrano Street Jorge Manrique Street and Vitruvio Street. It is near the Museo de Ciencias Naturales and the Residencia del CSIC. José María Albareda Herrera was the first director of the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu.
Notable teachers included Luis Ortiz Tomás Alvira and Antonio Magariños García. Magariños García founded the Club Baloncesto Estudiantes. He also ran the night school for workers.
Today the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu continues its mission. It provides education to students from Madrid and beyond. Its history reflects Spain’s changing social and political landscape. As you leave take a moment to appreciate the Instituto Ramiro de Maeztu. It is a place where education and history meet.