And while walking the narrow old streets of the Barrio de las Letras (neighborhood of muses or letters) ,I came upon a building had heard but never bothered to stop by. It is the recipient of the history of Spain which complicated as it is, has its detractors and accusations of favoritism on certain figures of our history. Nevertheless, it is interesting piece of architecture and history of my beloved Spain and my lovely Madrid.
I like to tell you a bit on it and keep as a memory in my blog. The Real Academia de la History or the Royal Academy of History in Madrid!
The Real Academia de la Historia is an institution in charge of the study of the History of Spain, «ancient and modern, political, civil, ecclesiastical, military, science, literature and arts, that is, of the various branches of life, civilization and culture of the Spanish peoples ».
Subsequently, they transferred their gatherings to the halls of the newly created Real Biblioteca (royal library) and requested the protection of King Felipe V, who granted it by officially creating the Royal Academy of History on April 18, 1738, and approving its statutes by Royal Decree on June 17 of the same year, where it was established that the purpose of the Academy was to clarify “the important truth of the events, banishing the fables introduced by ignorance or malice, leading to the knowledge of many things that obscured in antiquity or buried carelessness”. Since then, the Academy enjoyed royal protection like the other similar corporations, an institutional link that endures, being His Majesty the Patron King of all the Royal Academy created , all of them, from the illustrated action that, in the 18C, culminated in the foundation of the three oldest: Spanish, History and Fine Arts of San Fernando.
In 1785, king Carlos III ordered its transfer to the Casa de la Panadería, in the Plaza Mayor, where the library of the Royal Academy of History was already located since 1775. In 1836, the Mendizábal government granted the Academy large number of codices, documents and books, in addition to the mansion called Nuevo Rezado at Calle del León, no. 21, which had belonged to the Jeronimos monks of El Escorial until the confiscation of the assets of the religious orders, where they moved officially by Royal Order of July 23, 1837, although in practice it would not be transferred to the new location until 1874.
Since January 1, 1938, date of its creation, it is part of the Institute of Spain. The palace of the Marquis de Molins and a small house on Calle de las Huertas were annexed in 1974 to the Nuevo Rezado house, thus completing the whole block between León, Huertas, Amor de Dios and Santa María streets. As it is today.
The official webpage in Spanish is here: Official Real Academia de la History in Madrid
And they publish a webpage where they say you can find all the personages of the history of Spain (however I try some who were not ::)) call the Diccionario Biografico Espanol or the Spanish Biographical Dictionary. Webpage here: Official Spanish Dictionary Biographical
There you go another off the beaten path trivial architecture and historical spot in my old lovely Madrid. Worth the detour if only to see the quant streets of this neighborhood. Hope you enjoy it as we did!
And remember, happy travels good health, and many cheers to all!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 