From the time of its creation in 1856, the Ministry of Public Works occupied the church and premises of the disendowed convent of the Holy Trinity on Calle de Atocha. An increase in its competences led, in 1879, to the need for the construction of a building from scratch and the decision was taken to segregate part of the lands of the Royal Botanical Gardens, specifically those located to the south, and to separate it from the gardens by a new street that would later be called Claudio Moyano. It was on that large plot where the architect Álvarez Capra designed an initial ministerial building, with the main front facing westwards, reserving the rest for a School of Arts and Crafts, with the aim of creating a large university campus. Between 1881 and 1892, a series of successive projects followed one after another, both in the choice of architects and the purpose of the buildings to be built. It is only interesting to note that a Royal Order of 1892 chose the architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco for the construction of the project, which was concluded in 1897. In 1931, it was taken over by the new Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce. After various names and changes, today it is occupied by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment.

© Toya Legido