Murcia City is full of buildings which reflect the city’s history. However, there are also more modern emblematic buildings which reflect the city’s development and architectural styles over the last 200 or so years.
A selection is given below. Of course, there are also many other examples similar to those cited and, indeed, some buildings which would probably claim to be at least as, if not more important. This must be the case with the Casino or Teatro Romea, which have featured in earlier articles. There are also obviously some very new and grand constructions in the city such as the Auditorium and Conference Centre on the Avenida de Primero de Mayo, if at a little more distance from the very centre of the city. However, what follows should give a good feel for buildings and architecture in modern Murcia City.
Casa Cerdá
A feature of the Plaza de Santo Domingo is the variety of buildings which surround it. A modern representative is the impressive Casa Cerdá built between 1934 and 1936. It is a huge building compared to many nearby and extends to seven obvious storeys. The ground floor appears to be occupied by expensive shops before a first floor with arched feature windows and doors opening on to iron railed balconies. At the very top, there is an open cupola supported by columns at the front corner of the building. It is also noticeable how the windows of the middle three floors project into the square and a side street over those of the bottom two.
Escuela Pública Cierva Penafiel
On the opposite side of the road from the Casa Cerdá, is the Escuela (school) Pública de Cierva Penafiel. As the Spanish and English signboard outside explains, this building was constructed in 1909 to the plans of the prominent architect of the time, Pedro Cerdán. It is typical of the wave of school building then, with large windows and courtyards. It is a sharply angled building, with the central part of the building having three main storeys.
Casa de Andrés Almansa
This is also known as the Colegio de las Luisas and is situated at the corner of the Plaza de San Bartolomé. It is another 20th Century building by Pedro Cerdán and was constructed between 1903 and 1905. Its façades are decorated with stained glass ceramic and it is of modernistic style. Today, it is the location of Murcia’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation. The building extends over three floors. There is a large ground floor, followed by a first floor with double doors opening on to iron railed balconies, where the brightly coloured bricks begin. Then there is the second floor, also with doors on to railed balconies and finally columns and bright decorations before a very ornate roof level.
Casa Guillamón
If you continue down toward the river, initially along Calle Sociedad, you will come to another modern Murcian building of some style. This is the Casa Guillamón, a building of 20th Century design by José Antonio Rodriguez, constructed between 1920 and 1924. It is to be found in Calle Freneria and is of four storeys. The corner of the building projects out and has ornate stonework before it is topped off by a small dome and spire. According to the signboard outside, Casa Guillamón is of eclectic style with modernistic elements and its interior was restored in 1982.
The Victoria Building – Edificio Victoria
This is a building of which you have an excellent view as you walk over the Puente Viejo towards the centre of Murcia. It is directly to your left at this point and the name on the outside confirms its precise location. At one time it functioned as a prestigious hotel before, towards the end of the 20th Century, it was converted into private apartments. However, the fascination of the building is in its style of architecture which is Mudejar (ie Moorish), with a prolific use of bricks and tiles to give it its distinctive character. It extends over four floors.
Edificio Zabálburu
This building is adjacent to the Edificio Victoria, separated from it by the narrow Pasaje de Zabálburu. It is also next to the Murcian College of Architects building. As the explanatory sign outside says, this strangely named building was constructed around 1890 by Juan Segundo de Lena. It has a neo-Mudejar style façade which, fortunately, escaped the modernization of the interior which took place in 1990. Again, like the College of Architects, it is suggested that, inside, there are preserved fragments of the city’s Muslim past with sections of a 12th Century mural to be found in the basement.
Casa Díaz Cassou
This house is to be found in Calle Santa Teresa, not far from the Teatro Romea. It dates from 1906 and is described as modernistic in style, but with Catalonian influences. It is also said to be characterized by ornamental stylistic and naturalistic features. When you look at it you will notice that it has a particularly interesting roof profile. The front corner of the house has an undulating stone carved top. There are also flowers and a carved woman’s head above a semi-circular windowed balcony at the corner of the house, which has an unusual iron staircase inside. There are also carved heads to be seen in the stonework below this first floor protrusion. Today, the house is utilised by the Murcia Council of Sport and Culture.
Casa de los Nueve Pisos
This building is located west of the San Esteban Palace, across Calle Burruezo with frontage also along Calle Acisclo Diaz. We have seen it described as Murcia’s first skyscraper! However, as you will probably have gathered from its Spanish name, it is all of nine floors high. After the Spanish Civil War, the building, built to house a sweet and toy factory, became flats for private occupation. Within it, however, are conserved some historic remains – the façade of an old silk works as well as part of the lower cloister of the Colegio de la Anunciata founded on this site by the Jesuits in the 18th Century. The present building was erected on the site of these two former buildings between 1914 and 1942, designed by the Murcian municipal architect, José Antonio Rodríguez.
Part taken from “Exploring Murcia – Murcia City”, by Clive and Rosie Palmer. Clive and Rosie have written several guide books on towns and regions in Murcia which are available, from www.lulu.com, or contact clive.palmer5@btinternet.com. Their book, “Exploring Murcia, Days Out” is available to buy from the Costa Cálida Chronicle office on Camposol B, Best Wishes (who also stock other of their books, or phone Patti on 968 433 978.