Telefónica Building
Encyclopedia
The Telefónica Building, in Spanish Edificio Telefónica, is a skyscraper
in Madrid
, Spain
. It is situated in Gran Vía
28.
. Even though the building is of American inspiration, Cárdenas touch can be felt in its churrigueresque
exterior ornamentation, a nod to Madrid Baroque architecture
.
Its construction lasted from 1926 to 1929. The workforce was composed of more than 1000 workers and the final cost added up to 32 million pesetas
(less than 200.000 euros
). It became the first skyscraper in Europe. It also held the Madrid height record by surpassing the Palacio de la Prensa, which it maintained until it was overtaken in 1953 by the Edificio España
.
During the Spanish Civil War
it was used as an observatory by the Republican
forces to watch the whereabouts of Francoist
troops. This reason, and the fact of being the Office of Foreign Press, made it a target of bombings during the war. Ernest Hemingway
and John Dos Passos
sent their reports from inside the premises.
Flagship Store".
Since November 2009 the Telefónica Building has closed its doors with the purpose of opening a new Museum of Telecommunications during 2010. The first two floors will host a telecomms shopping mall, another storey will show a Technological Museum plus an auditorium
. Another two extra floors will be used for exhibitions, and the rest of the floors will be office space.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It is situated in Gran Vía
Gran Vía
Gran Vía is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España....
28.
History
The Telefónica Building was designed by Ignacio de Cárdenas, who conceived it after a previous study of Lewis S. Weeks in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Even though the building is of American inspiration, Cárdenas touch can be felt in its churrigueresque
Churrigueresque
Churrigueresque refers to a Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural architectural ornament which emerged as a manner of stucco decoration in Spain in the late 17th century and was used up to about 1750, marked by extreme, expressive and florid decorative detailing, normally found above the...
exterior ornamentation, a nod to Madrid Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
.
Its construction lasted from 1926 to 1929. The workforce was composed of more than 1000 workers and the final cost added up to 32 million pesetas
Spanish peseta
The peseta was the currency of Spain between 1869 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra .- Etymology :...
(less than 200.000 euros
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
). It became the first skyscraper in Europe. It also held the Madrid height record by surpassing the Palacio de la Prensa, which it maintained until it was overtaken in 1953 by the Edificio España
Edificio España
The Edificio España is one of the tallest buildings in Madrid, Spain. With its 25 storeys and 117 meters of height, it is the eighth-highest building of the Spanish capital, including the skyscrapers of the Cuatro Torres Business Area. It is also one of the better examples of twentieth century...
.
During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
it was used as an observatory by the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
forces to watch the whereabouts of Francoist
Spanish State
Francoist Spain refers to a period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975 when Spain was under the authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco....
troops. This reason, and the fact of being the Office of Foreign Press, made it a target of bombings during the war. Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
and John Dos Passos
John Dos Passos
John Roderigo Dos Passos was an American novelist and artist.-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dos Passos was the illegitimate son of John Randolph Dos Passos , a distinguished lawyer of Madeiran Portuguese descent, and Lucy Addison Sprigg Madison of Petersburg, Virginia. The elder Dos Passos...
sent their reports from inside the premises.
Skyline
The Telefonica Building rises to 89 meters. It comprises 14 high-ceiling floors plus a basement, a semibasement and a central tower, which is currently topped by mobile communication antennas. It can be seen from many places in Madrid centre, and its red lit clock has become a landmark at dusk and night. It prevails as the tallest building in Gran Vía, with the exception of Edificio España at the end of Gran Vía.Nowadays
It currently hosts the "TelefónicaTelefónica
Telefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
Flagship Store".
Since November 2009 the Telefónica Building has closed its doors with the purpose of opening a new Museum of Telecommunications during 2010. The first two floors will host a telecomms shopping mall, another storey will show a Technological Museum plus an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
. Another two extra floors will be used for exhibitions, and the rest of the floors will be office space.