Real Academia Española headquarters, Language institution headquarters in Madrid, Spain
The Real Academia Española headquarters is a Neoclassical palace in Madrid with symmetrical stone facades and classical design elements throughout its exterior. Inside are large libraries, formal meeting rooms, and galleries displaying historical documents and portraits of language scholars.
The Academy was founded in 1713 and spent its early years in various rented buildings before relocating to this grand palace in 1894. The move to this location marked formal recognition of the institution's role as the principal authority on the Spanish language.
The building reflects how language care is woven into Spanish national identity and pride in maintaining standards for the language. You can see the spaces where scholars gather to decide on new words and grammatical rules that shape how people speak.
Tours of the building are available but require advance booking through the official website or local tourism offices. Plan to wear comfortable shoes since the visit involves walking through multiple floors and extensive corridors.
The institution maintains a detailed dictionary that has recorded every official word change and new addition since its founding. This living archive shows how the Spanish language has evolved over centuries and continues to change.
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