Source: Abandoned and Forgotten blog

The set of buildings that we see today in the Puerta de Toledo Market It is the result of the work of architects Ricardo Aroca, Martin Dominguez y Jesus Penalba about a key building in the rationalist architecture of the 1930s, the old Central Fish Market. The building was the work of the architect Francisco Javier Ferrero. A cattle slaughterhouse was built on these lands in 1855 and operated until 1928. That year the Slaughterhouse to Legazpi, an emblematic place that we already visited in 365 days in Madrid. In 1930 the old slaughterhouse was demolished and Ferrero built the Fish Market.

The Fish and Seafood Market It was operational from 1934 to 1982. Its volume and the variety of products it received from the Spanish coast earned it the title of “the largest port in Spain” which later became MERCAMADRID. It is not in vain that Madrid can boast of offering very fresh fish with great variety in its fishmongers and restaurants. On these Christmas dates, few tables will lack fish and seafood, very traditional for dinners such as Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. I remember that when I was little, they were one of the few days that we saw prawns on our table.

I love the photo in which we can see some workers unloading the fish next to the beautiful Puerta de Toledo, the photo is from the late 50s, a time when the market was in full activity.

The years went by and the market has gone through several stages, Mercado Puerta de Toledo Shopping Center, antique market, leisure market, shops, offices, a gourmet market, fashion market, the Madrid Antique Toy Fair, but nothing It worked, it was not profitable.

In 2011, a protocol was signed between the Madrid City Council, the Community of Madrid and the Carlos III University to convert the Market building into a university headquarters. In 2013, an agreement for the transfer of spaces was signed between Mercado Puerta de Toledo, SA and the Carlos III University, through which the market has been ceding space to the University Campus.

Process that continues to advance, but that will be another story.

A abrazo.