The Palace of Fomento (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''Palacio de Fomento''), also known as the Ministry of Agriculture Building, is a nineteenth-century office building in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Designed by

Ricardo Velázquez Bosco Ricardo Velázquez Bosco (1843–1923) was a Spanish architect, archaeologist and scholar. Velázquez's most notable architecture was erected in Madrid, buildings such as the Palacio de Cristal and the Palacio de Velázquez (both in the Parqu ...

, and built between 1893 and 1897, it is on a prominent site opposite Atocha railway station.

Use and name

The building's name has changed over the years reflecting the official name of the Ministry which occupies it.Palacio de Fomento
. Ministerio de Agricultura... It was originally occupied by the Ministerio de Fomento ( Ministry of Public Works and Transport). For most of its life the building has been the seat of the Agriculture Ministry, and the words "Ministerio de Agricultura" are prominently displayed in a cartouche on the facade. In 2008, the Agriculture Ministry merged with the Environment Ministry. The building houses civil servants belonging to the current Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (''Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente''). Caballos del Ministero - 2011

Sculptures

In 1905, a group of marble sculptures by Agustí Querol Subirats entitled ''La Gloria y los Pegasos'' was placed on top of the building. The damage suffered during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

and the inclement weather suffered over time deteriorated the sculptures, which were replaced by bronze replicas in 1976.

Heritage status and access

It was put on Spain's national heritage register in 1989 under the name ''Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación'' (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food). It is classed as a ''

Bien de Interés Cultural A Bien de Interés Cultural is a category of the heritage register in Spain. The term is also used in Venezuela and other Spanish-speaking countries. The term literally means a "good of cultural interest" (" goods" in the economic sense) and incl ...

'' or Property of Cultural Interest. As at 2016 guided tours are available to the public outside normal office hours.

References

Buildings and structures in Jerónimos neighborhood, Madrid Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in Madrid {{Spain-struct-stub