INSTITUTO DE HISTORIA Y CULTURA MILITAR

MILITARY HISTORY & CULTURE INSTITUTE

The Military History & Culture Institute is the institution charged with the protection, preservation, research and promotion of the historical, cultural, documentary and bibliographical heritage of the Spanish Army.
The Institute has its origins in the War Depository created in 1810 as a section of the Staff Corps with a mandate to compile and preserve the historical and topographical documentation needed to assist commanders in military operations, based on the experience gained in previous campaigns (notably the Peninsular War, known in Spain as the War of Independence) and on knowledge of the theatres of operations.
In 1847 Depository Regulations established two sections: one focused on Geography and the second, on History. In 1873 the Historical Archive was set up to take charge of the Military History & Statistics section. From 1904 the War Depository was intermittently assigned to the General Staff of the Army until it was abolished by decree on 28 June 1931.
On the other hand, in 1843 the General Military Library was funded in Madrid to collect military works, both old and new; the National Library was asked to hand over an issue of any military works it held in triplicate. Regional libraries were also created. Different branches and corps subsequently set up their own libraries.
On 8 November 1939 the Military History Service was established in order to bring together the Historical Archive of the War Depository and the General Military Library. It was located at the former Jesuit school Seminario de Nobles (Mártires de Alcalá 9, Madrid).
Ministerial Decree 220/1997 of November (published in the 278 issue of the Official State Gazette BOE) created the Military History & Culture Institute, based in the same building. In 2009 it was transferred to Cuartel Infante Don Juan in Paseo de Moret (Madrid).

Seminario de Nobles

Garrison Infante Don Juan

Office of Communications: Paseo de Moret, 3 Postcode:: 28008 - Madrid Tfno. 91 780 87 20/19  RCT: 882 67 20/19 Fax: 91 780 87 44 ihycm@et.mde.es