Historical Archive
Collection
The Banco de España Archive stores a vast collection of records covering its activities, dating from the foundation of the Banco Nacional de San Carlos to the present. This collection occupies roughly 35 kilometres of shelves. The documents –one-quarter of which are considered of historical interest with the rest related to the Bank's general management– are kept at the Banco de España headquarters in the centre of Madrid. The Archive was officially opened to researchers in 1982, and it has a reading room for 12-14 persons.
The collection is formed by historical archives, general archives (management records) and a coin collection. The documents are classified in sixteen sections or collections, reflecting the main departments and divisions of the Bank. They contain a wealth of documents covering every aspect of the Bank's history and activities: a full collection of the minutes of the Board of Directors' meetings; a large collection of accounting books; the charters and regulations of the Banco de España; records of shareholders and ownership documents; relations with the government and other public and private institutions; documents on monetary policy; records on issues of bank notes and public debt; accounts of private customers; records on branches and personnel; maps and drawings of the Bank's buildings in Madrid and its branches in other cities; documents on the inspection of private banks, and records on the financing of public works such as canals, ports, roads, railways and monuments.
Catalogues
The Archive has an inventory for each of its sections and collections, and, though not in the form of a publication, these inventories are available for consultation. Plans to computerise the Archive's contents are under way, and a guide to the entire Archive is now being prepared.
Use of the archive
To use the Archive –as in the case of the Library–, a user's card must be presented. It is available in one of the following forms:
Research card (valid for two years), requiring:
- University degree.
- Presentation by two reputable academics linked to a university.
Temporary research card (valid for one month):
- Issued to university students in final year of their degree course.
- Requiring presentation by two reputable academics linked to a university.
Consultation card (valid for two days):
- Extended for reasons of pressing need or brief consultation.
Researchers are allowed to consult documents dating back 40 years or more, although some of them may require special authorisation.
The Archive is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 15:30 to 17:30, except in San Isidro Week and the month of August, when it is open from 9:00 to 14:30.
Inquiries
Banco de España
Archive Section
Historical Archive
Alcalá, 48, 28014 Madrid
Telephones: 34 913 385 362, 34 913 385 579 y 34 913 385 226
Fax: 34 915 310 059