La Gran Peña

The Real Gran Peña was initially founded by a group of Spanish soldiers from the General Staff and the Army Corps of Engineers who held a gathering at the Café Suizo in Madrid. In 1914, during the construction of the first section of Gran Vía, the building at number 2 (Avenida del Conde Peñalver 25 at the time) was prepared for La Peña. It was inaugurated on May 25, 1916 by the kings of Spain Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia.^[2] and set on the first floors of the building. The headquarters of the Real Automóvil Club, the Institute of Civil Engineers, as well as private homes, occupied the remaining floors.

In 1931 there were worker revolts and protests in front of the premises.^[3] The headquarters remained closed during the first years of the Second Republic. Later in the Civil War, during the defense of Madrid, the building was seized and occupied.^[4] In 2010 a hotel was established in part of the property.