The Palacio de la Prensa de Madrid, located in the heart of Gran Vía and witness of almost a century of Madrid’s cultural history, is preparing to face one of the most ambitious reforms of its history.
Almost one hundred years after its inauguration in 1930 by Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia, the legendary building will close its doors from 2026 to start works that will last two years and will completely change its structure and cultural programming, according to information provided by El Confidencial.
The reform, which will be carried out by the company Forter Unicorp Spain, aims to change the current organization and give prominence to the commercial galleries and leave a single room for the cinema. At a cultural level, they want to give more prominence to the colloquiums before and after the screenings and continue with their commitment to podcasts.
The Palacio de la Prensa will change its interior structure.
One of the most striking changes is the transfer of the main cinema to the second floor, with a room that will allow theatrical performances and premieres, while the first floor and basement will be converted into a large multipurpose leisure area open to the Plaza de Callao.
The works will not be easy to carry out due to the historical relevance of the building, which has been the headquarters of the Madrid Press Association since it was inaugurated, as well as housing different media, a hotel on some of its floors, and even became the headquarters of the Socialist Party of Madrid. Added to this, it was declared an Asset of Heritage Interest in 2017 by the Community of Madrid.
While it prepares for this transformation, the Palacio de la Prensa offers one of the most curious initiatives for movie buffs and nostalgics, in which its emblematic cinema seats will be put on sale. The sale, managed by the association Grupo Envera, will begin in January 2026 and will allow the acquisition of a physical piece of the city’s past, in its stores in the Islazul and Carrefour Ciudad de la Imagen centers.
From the famous magazine La Codorniz and García Lorca’s theater company in the 1930s, to podcasts and comedy shows such as Estirando el chicle, Martita de Graná or Valeria Ros, have passed through its halls, the building is a must-see reference of Madrid’s cultural leisure.