DOCUMENTARY CENTER OF HISTORICAL MEMORY

The building that today houses the CDMH was constructed between 1928 and 1932 as the headquarters of the Provident Fund of Salamanca, Ávila and Zamorade. It was designed by the architect Joaquín Secall, who combined Renaissance, Baroque, and Plateresque elements on the facade, in an unusual but very harmonious stylistic fusion. On the facade, he individualized a section above the door, like a small tower, with cresting and decoration inspired by the Monterrey Palace.

Inside, noble materials were used (American oak doors and windows, Manises ceramic floors, English porcelain sanitary ware). It had central heating and was one of the first buildings to have an elevator. In the entrance hall, artistic stained-glass windows were installed, and granite was used for the columns and marble for the skirting boards. During its construction, the building remained hidden behind a fence for several years, which led the people of Salamanca to nickname it “la linda tapada” (the beautiful hidden one), in allusion to the famous zarzuela.

Subsequently, the building was the headquarters of Social Security and, since 2015, has housed the Documentary Center of Historical Memory with a valuable collection of documents focused on the Second Republic, the Civil War, the Franco dictatorship, and the Transition.

The building has over 3,000 square meters of usable space distributed over four floors, organized to facilitate both the conservation of its collections and public access.

Among its main spaces, a large reception lobby stands out, providing access to the entire center.

It has depositories intended for the conservation of library and periodical library materials, as well as special materials and museum-like pieces.

The center also features a multipurpose hall with a capacity for 150 people, where workshops, conferences, documentary screenings, and book presentations are held. In addition, there are several exhibition halls intended for both permanent displays and temporary exhibitions.

On the third floor is the reading room of the Library and Documentation Center, which provides access to specialized bibliography and reference works from the period between 1931 and 1982.

At the headquarters of the Documentary Centre of Historical Memory, located in Plaza de los Bandos, historical and documentary exhibitions are held, focusing mainly on the contemporary history of Spain.

These exhibitions address topics related to the Second Republic, the Civil War, the Franco dictatorship, and the Transition, through original documents, photographs, posters, publications, and other materials from their own collections.

The centre organizes both permanent exhibitions, which offer a global overview of this historical period, and temporary exhibitions dedicated to specific aspects, such as repression, exile, propaganda, daily life, or the memory of victims.

Overall, these are exhibitions that not only seek to disseminate knowledge but also to foster critical reflection on the recent past and its impact on current society.