The bourgeoisie in the city of Palencia increased their economic and social power in the 19th century as a result of the development of industry, consolidating their position as the dominant social class. This process of industrialisation, coupled with the arrival of the railway and confiscation of land, would influence new architecture in the city and the concept of new town planning that responded to the needs of this new rising class.

It was against this backdrop that Modernisme was developed, bringing together actions in all the arts, but especially in the decorative arts, which were reflected in both public and private buildings. Many of these buildings would be located in Calle Mayor, the main street that was the backbone of the city, in which a fusion of architecture, commerce and social activity of both past and present in Palencia can be found. Buildings such as the Casa de Flora Germán y Fulgencio García, Estudio de Arroyo y Gallego or the beautiful Palacio de Villandrando, whose main façade was designed in such a way that reinterpreted Venetian and Catalan Gothic. It is an exquisite work resolved with a subtle elegance, whose capitals, mullioned windows and frieze decorated with a striking mosaic commissioned to Daniel Zuloaga create as a whole a work admired by visitors to the city.

Another element that typified this new artistic trend was the bay window. This feature was extensively used in Palencia and became a crucial part of decorating façades. It was an element that possessed a clear social and also functional meaning, designed to allow people to look without being seen, and not only providing thermal insulation and light to the house, but also becoming a decorative element that helped to incorporate volume and dynamism.

But in addition to houses we can also find other representative exponents of Modernisme, such as the Diputación, Casino, Consejo de Cuentas or several other buildings that have now been given converted into educational centres, such as the Colegio Modesto La Fuente or the Instituto General Técnico, better known today as the Instituto Jorge Manrique.

As for representatives of this movement, there are several leading figures, such as Cándido Germán, Jacobo Romero, Juan Agapito y Revilla and Germán Calvo. But if there is one figure who stands out above the rest because of his prolific work in the city, it is undoubtedly Jerónimo Arroyo. Educated in Barcelona, this architect was influenced by Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch. Such was his inspiration that he set up his own artificial stone factory, a material that became the hallmark of his buildings together with that of red brick. The architect decorated his façades with slender columns, atlantes such as those of Bar Alaska, countless geometric shapes, twisted lines and the like, managing to skilfully adapt the aesthetic qualities of “Art Nouveau” in both the façades of buildings and the wrought ironwork of some of the entrance doors in the houses he built, imbuing his work with a sense of plant movement and sinuosity.

Alongside many other small details such as old door knockers in a variety of shapes, bells, flowers, garlands, women’s faces carved in stone, coats of arms, mascarons from whose mouths hangings emerge and so on, these elements would all help to further embellish the streets of the city of Palencia.