Edificio Banco Santander, on the Paseo de Pereda, in the city of Santander (Cantabria) where it originated and where it maintains its headquarters. The Santander Group from the merger took place between Banco Santander and Banco Central Hispano (BCH) in 1999. In turn, the Banco Central Hispano was formed in 1991 by the merger of Central and Latin American banks. Banco de Santander was founded in 1857. In principle operated only in the province of Santander (Cantabria today) but it later spread throughout Spain, many banks buying. For suparte, Banco Hispano was founded in 1900 with money repatriated to Cuba since the Hispano-American War of 1898, which is why his name. The Central Bank was born in 1919 from the merger of eight small banks. Later he continued buying banks to become the first private bank in Spain in the 80s. In May 2000, the Group acquired Mexican bank Santander Serfin, which became Grupo Financiero Santander Serfin, SA de CVand finally, Santander. In September 2004 it acquired British bank Abbey National (later renamed Abbey). Until August 2007, its name was Banco Santander Central Hispano, better known by his initials, BSCH. On the 13th of that month, he changed the name to the current Banco Santander. In October 2007, participated with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Belgian bank Fortis to buy ABN AMRO Bank, with the aim of dismembering and delivery. In this operation to hit him Santander Banco Real in Brazil and Banca Antonveneta in Italy. Later it was sold Antonveneta to Monte dei Paschi di Siena (another Italian bank) and its corporate banking division to General Electric Finance Interbanca. On 14 July 2008 she reported that Santander was in advanced talks to acquire the bank Alliance Leicester, a mortgage bank (building society) British, by 1600 million. On January 11, 2010 renamed British institutions Abbey and Bradford Bingley and Santander. Have the foresight to rename Alliance Leicester by the end of 2010, with all merged into one entity in the country.