Gran Hotel de Albacete, Art Nouveau building in Plaza del Altozano, Albacete, Spain.
The Gran Hotel de Albacete is an early 20th-century building on Plaza del Altozano that blends multiple architectural styles across its exterior facade. The structure spans five stories and sits in a central location within the city's business and commercial district.
Built between 1915 and 1920, the hotel served as a meeting place for the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War when the city housed their command headquarters. This wartime role gave it significance beyond serving as a typical lodging facility.
The building transformed how travelers experienced hospitality in the city by introducing luxury accommodation where simple inns once dominated. It became a gathering space for visitors and business people from across the region.
The building sits on a central plaza in the heart of the city and is easy to reach on foot. Visitors can appreciate the facade and the three large lanterns that sit atop the roof from the street.
Three distinctive lanterns crown the roof and give the building a recognizable skyline silhouette. Following a major restoration in 2000, it received a regional architecture award.
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