design by Francisco Jareño

North elevation on Calle de Jorge Juan from the design by F. Jareño, 1865. BNE 17/186/024

Francisco Jareño received the commission in 1860 and designed a Neoclassical building comprising a square floor plan around a monumental central space, occupied by the reading room, and two simply adorned main facades. Salto de línea Álvaro Rosell replaced Jareño in 1882 with the intention of drawing up a new design to accommodate the Ministry of Public Works, although this idea was never put into practice.Salto de línea