Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in addition to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used for determining the color and chemical composition of the architectural elements of the facades of a historical building, which today is the seat of the Diputacion Provincial of Cadiz. It dates from 1770 and was built as Custom Headquarters. It is near the port and is almost encircled by the walls of the city. The determination of the color and chemical composition of the materials that provoke this color and the determination of the layers found in the extracted samples from significant zones allow to define the various interventions over the facade and to localize the time in which they were made. This is possible by comparing with graphical registries and historical documentation. The objective is a study of the color of the different facades that the building has had in order to know the history of the building and to choose materials and colors that should be used in a restoration intervention of this historical building. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.