The beginnings of the iron industry in Madrid in the 19th century: remarkable building enclosures

Abstract

In the mid-nineteenth century, an urban planning project it promoted in the city of Madrid with the aim of adapting the demographic expansion of the capital by expanding it. This plan known as the Castro, had as its axis of development the widening of the city with respect to that of the enclosure of Felipe IV of 1625, expanding to the north, east and south. In the core of the new city, we find a series of notable buildings that incorporate important architectural and urban elements, reflecting the changes produced by the industrial development: gates, railings, balconies, lampposts, etc. made of cast iron. The enclosure railings of the Palace of the Library and National Museums (today home to the National Library and the National Archaeological Museum), the Buenavista Palace and the Bank of Spain, are some of the highlights of this extension.
The main objective of the article refers to the study of metal enclosures and other elements made of iron in the aforementioned buildings. The article focuses on the economic, social and cultural impact of the cast iron industry, the systematization in the production by pieces, the assembly of the works, or the workshops and foundries of Madrid at the beginning of the 19th century. The article also proposes a review of the criteria and interventions associated with the metallic pieces of Industrial Heritage.
Influence the economic, social and cultural impact that the cast iron industry had, the systematization of production by pieces, the assembly of works, or the workshops and foundries in Madrid at the beginning of the 19th century. The article proposes a review of the criteria and interventions associated with the metals artifacts of Industrial Heritage.