The most exciting and unique academic experience I had during my semester in Madrid was a visit to the Congreso de los Diputados. For my non-Spanish speakers, this translates directly to Congress of the Deputies and is basically like the Spanish House of Representatives. It is one branch of the Cortes Generales, the other being the Senado (the Senate).  

However, unlike how I expect the US House of Representatives to be, we were able to take a tour on a random Tuesday. I felt super lucky to have a professor who was so well connected and was able to get us this tour, because I have lived in the US my entire life and have never heard of anyone getting a tour of Congress for class. And not only did we have a tour with a guide, but we got to speak to one of the Deputies during our tour and ask him about his job, his policies, and what issues are facing Spain today. 

Our class met outside this super modern, almost sharp-looking building, and entered through some modest-looking glass doors. We had to put our bags through metal detectors and show our passports at the door, but besides that, it was not on super high lockdown like I would expect such an important government building to be. But maybe I’ve just seen one too many spy movies…  

We were also all given copies of the current Spanish Constitution. I couldn’t read most of it—but that’s another academic pursuit! 

My class in the main chamber at Congreso de los Diputados.  

My first photo shows my class in the main chamber of Congress. It’s where laws are made and discussed and where the chambers come together. Our tour guide pointed out two bullet holes near the upper chamber, remnants of a violent coup in 1981. I did some more research into it, and apparently there were 37 holes recorded when the damage was first catalogued. However, during restoration a lot of those holes have disappeared, but I guess some are still around and they serve as a reminder of the building’s history. 

The front of the chamber, used as the debate floor. I’d argue it’s also an art exhibit of sorts—look at how beautifully decorated it is! 

The area where my class was posing was in front of the main horseshoe where Congress sits when in session. The seats in front that we were facing, underneath the crest, are where members of parliament (MPs) go to debate. The crest is flanked by two big paintings, and the one on the right depicts the signing of the 1812 Constitution.  

Speaking of the constitution, and speaking of spy tactics, one thing we learned while taking a tour of the Congress’ library, which dates back to 1889, was that the 1812 Constitution, known colloquially as ‘La Pepa’, which established a constitutional monarchy in Spain, was printed on little circular papers. But in 1814, just two years after the constitution’s ratification, King Ferdinand VII, who was basically a dictator, came back into power and repealed it. According to our tour guide, the reason behind printing the constitution on these small, pocket-sized papers was so that they could be discreetly distributed as makeup compacts. “Nobody was checking the women’s products for illegal activity,” he said to us. 

If you ever got a pocket constitution in APUSH or AP Gov, this one is basically like that…but maybe a little cooler.  

Beyond the library and main legislative chambers, we got to see the entrance hall, and some other chambers. Each building was ornately and grandly decorated, with gold accents and beautifully muralled ceilings. There were grandfather clocks dating back hundreds of years that also tracked celestial bodies. And one of my favorite things that we saw was the original La Pepa, and the table it was signed on. If you zoom in you can see the Juan Hancocks.  

The original La Pepa and a statue of Queen Isabella. The two guys on the wall are former prime ministers. 

Apparently, the room it’s held in used to be a cafeteria or break area for MPs but it’s not a very large room, so now it’s an entrance hall. There’s a door on the wall to the right of where La Pepa is, which opens up to the grand steps and main entrance of the building, the one where there’s an actual façade and columns and which is home to two big lion statues. This isn’t the functional entrance that we used, but it’s what comes up if you look at pictures of the outside of the building.  

The iconic exterior of Congreso de los Diputados. Past that door is the room with La Pepa, and in front is one of the lions.  

After the tour, we got to speak to one of the MPs, which was my favorite part of the tour. I have never met a congressman before in the US or in any other country, much less gotten to talk to them, so I was really excited. His name is Victor Camino Miñana and is a representative of Valencia, where he was born and raised. He’s actually in some of the pictures–if you look at my first photo, he’s the tall guy in the middle wearing a white sweater and a gray blazer. A member of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, he’s one of the country’s youngest MPs and came to popularity as president of the Juventudes Socialistas de España, or the Socialist Youth of Spain. We got to have a whole Q and A with him and ask about policymaking, what issues are facing Spain today, and what it’s like to be an MP working with other MPs and how it all gets done.  

I left the building with one of my classmates and marveled at how lucky we were to get to see the Spanish parliament THAT up close. I felt so enriched and so grateful that day to have been able to learn so much and have such a cool opportunity that I probably would never have gotten in the US.