January 25, 2024.- The Government of Spain advances with the project of the National Center of Photography. This morning the Cultural Heritage Committee of the Junta de Castilla y León approved in its agenda the necessary authorization of this body to the Project of Works of Adaptation of the former headquarters of the Bank of Spain in National Center of Photography, located in the Plaza de las Mujeres number 1 of Soria. The action, promoted by the General Subdirectorate of Works of the Management of Infrastructures and Cultural Equipment of the Ministry of Culture and drafted by a technical team of Baumar Arquitectos SLP, has received the approval of Heritage with the prescription that the colors foreseen in the PERI are met and that if archaeological remains come out, the works are paralyzed and communicated to the Heritage Commission. The adaptation of the building of the Bank of Spain as a National Photography Center has an estimated work of 4.3 million euros to which later the equipment will have to be added.
This approval is another step towards the construction of this center called to be a national and international reference point for photography. The choice of this enclave allows the definitive transformation of a reference building in the city into a space of civic projection, with a total area of 3,573 square meters distributed over four floors. The will of the CNF is to become a national and international reference point for photography, which the Royal Decree recognizes as “one of the most transcendent expressions of our culture in a double aspect of document and work of art”. Likewise, it is part of the objective of the Government of Spain and Demographic Challenge to promote development tractor projects.
The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, in his appearance on Monday 22, before the Committee on Culture of the Congress of Deputies, to report on the policy guidelines of his department referred to this ambitious project reiterating the commitment of the Government. In his speech, Urtasun pointed out that his area will have as a priority objective “to guarantee the effective exercise of cultural rights throughout the Spanish territory” and, with respect to museums and national centers, he committed his effort “in two new projects such as the National Center of Photography in Soria and the Santander Museum Center”.