Cybele Palace

Cybele Palace
Native name Spanish: Palacio de Cibeles
Cybele Palace, with the fountain of the same name in the foreground
Location	Madrid, Spain
Coordinates	40°25′08″N 3°41′32″W / 40.418906°N 3.692084°W / 40.418906; -3.692084Coordinates: 40°25′08″N 3°41′32″W / 40.418906°N 3.692084°W / 40.418906; -3.692084
Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Palacio de Comunicaciones
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	1993
Reference no.	RI-51-0008214
Location of Cybele Palace in Madrid

The Cybele Palace (Palacio de Cibeles), formerly the Palace of Communication (Spanish: Palacio de Comunicaciones) until 2011, is a palace located on the Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain. Currently the seat of the City Council, it opened in 1919 as the headquarters of Correos, the Spanish postal and telecommunications service. It was designed by Antonio Palacios and Joaquín Otamendi.

History

Like the eighteenth century fountain in front of it, the palace has become an emblematic monument of the city.^[1][2] However, since 2007 it no longer serves its original function. There is a post office in part of the building, but Correos headquarters has moved to Campo de las Naciones and the Postal and Telegraphic Museum to Aravaca.^[3] Now it is the seat of the Madrid City Council. The mail sorting office has been converted to serve as the council chamber.

Conservation status and access

Palacios is seen as a modernist architect, but his work is also of interest for its historical references, for example to the work of Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón. As the Palacio de Comunicaciones, the building was given a heritage listing (Bien de Interés Cultural) in 1993.

Access

As well as the city hall, the building houses a cultural centre called CentroCentro.^[4]

The central tower has a viewing point (mirador), a terrace from which visitors can view the city.^[5]

References