Palacio de Perales

At Calle Magdalena, 10 is the former palace of the Marquis of Perales del Río, built between 1730 and 1732 by the architect Pedro de Ribera. Today, only the impressive façade and the main balcony stand out, with the baroque ornamentation characteristic of Ribera. The building was completely remodelled between 1979 and 1983 by the architects Manuel Sainz de Vicuña y García Prieto and Sainz de Vicuña y Melgarejo. It is the administrative headquarters of the Filmoteca Nacional, which is why you can only visit the interior if you are doing business there. It is a pity because the main staircase is quite well preserved and the palace has unique galleries in the basement.

Text and photos by Antonio Castro Jiménez, Chronicler of the City of Madrid.