Spain’s King Felipe VI Inaugurates New Foreign Ministry Head Office

The new Ministry office is located in Plaza del Marqués de Salamanca (Madrid)

The refurbishment of the head office, which was completed in spring 2021, has combined the historical value of the building with improvements in energy efficiency and sustainability. With a surface area of 50,455 square metres, the new head office will accommodate around 1,300 people.

King Felipe toured several rooms in the main building, where most of the public employees of the central services are now working. He visited the public service area, the press room, the new auditorium and other work areas. He also had the opportunity to talk to workers at the new head office and to sign the Ministry’s Book of Honour in the temporary exhibition hall. The visit concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and a group photo at the main entrance of the building.

“This renewal has a direct impact on the strengthening of our foreign policy and will make us more effective in working together,” explained the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, who accompanied the King during the visit. José Manuel Albares stressed that the new head office will improve the efficiency of the preparatory work for the NATO Summit in Madrid in June and the six-month Spanish Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2023.

The relocation of almost all staff to the Marqués de Salamanca head office will improve inter-departmental communications and contribute to the principle of unity in Spanish foreign affairs actions. The employees have multi-purpose rooms, different common work areas and an early childhood education centre to facilitate family reconciliation.

In addition, the work has been carried out so that all the spaces are accessible so that no one, whether due to reduced mobility or sensory difficulties, is interrupted or hindered in carrying out their activities independently. Other improvements have been the complete insulation of the façade or the inclusion of renewable energies through the solar panels on the roof.