MADRID.- A new exhibition at the Archaeological and Paleontological Museum of the Community of Madrid sheds light on a dramatic chapter in Spanish history: the devastating fire that engulfed the Archbishop’s Palace of Alcalá de Henares in 1939, and its subsequent partial reconstruction. “The architect Rodolfo García-Pablos at the Archbishop’s Palace of Alcalá. 1943-1948” offers a poignant look at the palace’s past, the destruction it endured, and the dedicated efforts to preserve what remained.

The fire, which raged for three days starting on August 11, 1939, reduced the former alcazar of the Archbishops of Toledo to ruins. This tragic event marked the culmination of wartime destruction in Alcalá de Henares and represented a significant loss for the nation, not only destroying the physical structure but also the valuable documentary collections housed within the Central General Archive.

In a post-Civil War Spain grappling with severe economic and social hardship, the fate of the palace ruins was uncertain. Ultimately, much of what remained was demolished, with a portion rebuilt as a Minor Seminary. This difficult task fell to architect Rodolfo García-Pablos, who meticulously documented his work on the fragile, charred remains of the once-splendid Renaissance palace.

García-Pablos’s detailed photographic record, recently discovered and digitized in 2019, forms the heart of this exhibition. This remarkable collection, now part of his legacy at the Historical Service of the Official College of Architects of Madrid (COAM), transports visitors back to post-war Spain and the final vestiges of the destroyed palace.

Organized by the Archaeological and Paleontological Museum of the Community of Madrid in collaboration with COAM and the Association for the Recovery of the Archbishop’s Palace (ARPA), the exhibition is divided into five thematic sections.

• “History of the Archbishop’s Palace”: This section introduces the building’s origins and its Renaissance heyday, showcasing photographs and drawings that depict its pre-fire grandeur.

• “The Fire of the Archbishop’s Palace”: Here, visitors witness the devastating impact of the 1939 fire, through powerful images captured by García-Pablos before reconstruction began. Fragments of his written memoirs provide context for the challenges and limitations of the project.

• Other Works by Rodolfo García-Pablos: This section explores García-Pablos’s broader architectural contributions to the diocese of Madrid-Alcalá, including both reconstruction projects and new constructions. It highlights the evolution of his design approach and his impact on Spanish religious architecture in the latter half of the 20th century, notably featuring the Church of the Sacred Hearts of Madrid, one of his most recognized works.

• García-Pablos’s Renovation Project (Parts 1 & 2): These final sections focus on García-Pablos’s meticulous reconstruction efforts at the Archbishop’s Palace. Original plans, photographs, preparatory drawings, and excerpts from project reports detail the progress of the work and the architect’s intentions. Images of workers during the 1940s provide a glimpse into the working conditions of the time.

This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore a pivotal moment in Spanish history and architectural preservation. The García-Pablos archive not only provides a poignant reminder of what was lost but also illuminates the technical approaches to monumental restoration in the post-war era and deepens our understanding of the palace’s surviving elements. The exhibition curators are Luis Manuel Marco Fernández, Álvaro Valdés Menéndez, and the Association for the Recovery of the Archbishop’s Palace (ARPA).