Triumphal Arch on Alcalá: Banco Mercantil e Industrial's Art Deco Jewel

The Banco Mercantil e Industrial building, at number 31 on Madrid's Calle Alcalá, showcases exceptional Art Deco architecture. Originally commissioned as the new headquarters for Banco Mercantil e Industrial, it was designed by the visionary architect Antonio Palacios Ramilo before the Spanish Civil War and unveiled in 1943. Inside, various offices reside, including the Secretaría General Técnica de la Consejería de Culture y Turismo de la Comunidad de Madrid and the contemporary art exhibition space Sala Alcalá 31. The building's façade along Calle Alcalá features a triumphal arch design, with bronze elements adorning the lower section. Inox steel is featured prominently in the building's architecture, marking a first for Palacios. The story clarifies that the basement did not receive the special attention reserved for the grand reception area, as some sources suggest.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons