Palacio del Senado

{{Infobox building | name = Palace of the Senate | native_name = Palacio del Senado | native_name_lang = es | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | image = Senado fachada Madrid.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Facade of the Palace, Madrid, Spain | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_label = | pushpin_mark = | pushpin_relief = | former_names = Incarnation School Doña María de Aragón School | building_type = | architectural_style = [[Herrerian style|Herrerian]], [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] | classification = | location = | address = | location_city = [[Madrid]] | location_country = Spain | coordinates = {{coord|40.421183|-3.711817|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | altitude = | current_tenants = [[Senate of Spain]] | est_completion = 16th century | renovation_date = 19th and 20th century | client = {{Lang|es|[[Cortes Generales]]|italic=no}} | owner = [[Kingdom of Spain]] | architect = Francisco de Montalbán (original) Aníbal Álvarez Bouquel and Emilio Rodríguez Ayuso (19th renovation) Salvador Gayarre Ruiz de Galarreta (20th renovation) | references = | footnotes = }}

The '''Palace of the Senate''' is the home of the [[Senate of Spain]], the [[upper house]] of the {{Lang|es|[[Cortes Generales]]|italic=no}}, the national parliament of [[Spain]]. It is located in the Spanish Navy Square, in the center of the [[City of Madrid]].

==History== The building was built in the 16th century and was the home of a [[Order of Saint Augustine|Saint Augustine Order]] school called Incarnation School or Doña María de Aragón School. The school was one of the most outstanding institutions of the capital, and its church contained several masterpieces of [[El Greco]], today in the [[Prado museum|Prado Museum]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2000/09/14/cultura/968882404_850215.html|title=El Prado reconstruye un retablo de El Greco|date=2000-09-14|work=El País|access-date=2019-02-15|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref>

In 1814 and between 1820 and 1823 the palace was the home of the [[Cortes of Cádiz]], the first official parliament of Spain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.madridiario.es/noticia/405064/madrid/el-senado:-dos-siglos-de-arte-e-historia-parlamentaria.html|title=El Senado: dos siglos de arte e historia parlamentaria|last=Madridiario|website=Madridiario|language=es|access-date=2019-02-15}}</ref>

With the approval of the [[Spanish Royal Statute of 1834|Royal Statute of 1834]], the {{Lang|es|[[Cortes Generales]]|italic=no}} was established as a bicameral parliament with the [[Chamber of Peers (Spain)|Chamber of Peers]] as the upper house. The Chambers of Peers moved to the palace in 1835 and with many name and powers changes, this palace continued serving as the home of the upper house of the Cortes until 1923.

During the [[dictatorship of Primo de Rivera]] (1923–1930), the Cortes were dissolved and was created the National Consultative Assembly which had its home in the [[Palacio de las Cortes, Madrid|Palacio de las Cortes]]. With the arrival of the [[Second Spanish Republic|Second Republic]], the unicameral parliament established its home at the Palacio de las Cortes and the constitutional debates were held at the [[Palacio de Cristal del Retiro]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.retiromania.com/un-parque-muy-republicano/|title=» Un parque muy republicano|language=es-ES|access-date=2019-02-15}}</ref>

During the [[Francoist Spain|dictatorship of Francisco Franco]], the palace was the home of the [[National Council of the Movement]], a pseudo Senate controlled by Franco.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lacabezallena.com/ciudad/edificios-dictadura/|title=¿A qué se dedicaban los edificios democráticos durante la dictadura?|date=2017-04-10|website=La cabeza llena|language=es|access-date=2019-02-15}}</ref>

With the return of democracy in 1977, the Senate was restored in its original home and, along with the [[Congress of Deputies]], wrote the democratic [[Spanish constitution of 1978|Constitution of 1978]].

[[File:Senado de España ITU 150 National Celebration (17391038852).jpg|thumb|left|Old Session Room, currently used for ceremonial purposes or for important Committees meetings.]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1850]] [[Category:Legislative buildings in Spain]] [[Category:Legislative buildings in Europe]] [[Category:Herrerian architecture]] [[Category:Neoclassical architecture in Madrid]] [[Category:Palaces in Madrid]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Palacio neighborhood, Madrid]]