A costly building

The building project for the Casa de Salud de Santa Cristina and Special School of Midwifery was commissioned to architect Luis de Landecho Jordán de Urríes (1852-1941). The project was so vast that the money raised for the work ran out and building work came to a standstill in 1906. The Committee of Ladies had no other option but to ask the State for help. As from 1908, the State´s general budget included a subsidy of around 100,000 pesetas for finishing the building. The building progressed slowly thanks to this money, although it was still not enough. Given that one of the functions of the centre was the training of midwives, the solution they came up with to finish the building was to make a donation to the Ministry for Public Education and Fine Arts.

On June 12 1916, Casilda de Salabert (duchess of Santa Mauro) acting on behalf of the Queen and Committee of Ladies signed the donation –which had certain conditions attached- before a notary. Among the conditions was a key one: the constituting of a Trust whose Committee would make all the decisions concerning the workings of the institution, such as appointing the director and other facultative staff, which would be ratified by the Ministry.

Management of the Casa de Salud de Santa Cristina was given to the Congregación de las Hermanas de la Caridad (Congregation of the Sisters of Charity), who would not only take charge of the different support services (kitchens, washing, consulting rooms, etc…) but would also supervise the moral behaviour of the students of midwifery who attended the centre. In 1918, Ministry for Public Education and Fine Arts agreed on a budget for execution costs of 843,660.92 pesetas to finish the building once and for all. Nevertheless, another 220,259.14 pesetas had to be invested in 1924 so as to finish the building.