The place chosen for 365 days in Madrid Today it owes its name to Bartolomé Santamarca, a banker in Elizabethan Madrid society and especially to his daughter. Ennobled with the pontifical title of Count, upon his death in 1874, he transmitted his estate and a rich artistic collection to his daughter Carlota, Duchess of Nájera and Countess of Santamarca.

On January 17, 1914, the Countess of Santamarca, widow of the Duke of Nájera since 1910, died. Childless and owner of a vast fortune, she decided to found a school-asylum for orphaned and poor children in Madrid. Initially, the countess's intention was for the school to be installed in the palace that she owned on Alcalá Street, next to the old palace of the Marquis of Alcañices (demolished in 1884 to build the Bank of Spain). However, the rehabilitation presented various problems and the executors in charge of the foundation decided to build a new building on the outskirts of the city, on 50 Marcenado Street. The project for the building was carried out by Manuel Ortiz de Villajos.
Work began in 1921, but financial problems led to its halt. In 1923, the Bank of Spain purchased the palace on Alcalá Street to expand its headquarters and with the new income obtained, the work on the Asylum, completed in 1928, was resumed.  

At that time in Madrid, the neo-Mudejar style was very popular, especially for this type of buildings, but this is already a late work and this led him to incorporate other elements, with neo-Gothic details in the windows and the pinnacles that finish off the roofs.

The Santamarca School and another monumental school College of San Ramón and San Antonio they are part of FUSARA a social entity whose main objective is the training of children and young people.

It also has a wonderful garden, with all the traces of having been a splendid orchard, which unfortunately is not open to the public.

A abrazo.