The Valley of the Fallen

The monument, known as “El Valle de los Caidos” in Spain, was constructed by Franco not long after the end of the Spanish Civil War. He said it was meant to be a national act of atonement and reconciliation for the lives lost in the war.

It is located about 30 miles north of Madrid, and only a few of minutes from our campsite. We pay the small entrance fee at the main road and drive the 4 miles up to the car park. First observation is that it’s clearly not a valley: we’re 3,000 feet up near the top of a hill! On the hill summit, noticeable for miles around, is a 500 foot cross, the tallest commemorative cross in the world.

We follow a path around the rocks to the basilica, a huge Catholic church hewn out of solid rock under the cross. Before entering, we take in the scale of the external edifice and its stark grandeur. It is the style known as international classicism that was also favoured by other dictators of Franco’s era.

 Just to appreciate the size of it, that’s Jane stood by one of the columns.

Over the door is a Pietà, based on Michelangelo’s in the St Peter’s, Rome, but here Mary looks more like the Grim Reaper from a distance.

We step inside. It’s vast; the excavated dimensions are larger than St Peter’s but to avoid any conflict a large unconsecrated area was partitioned off at the entrance. It took over 18 years to build and according to some sources employed some forced and prison labour. No photos allowed inside so the next few pictures are sourced from the internet.

The following photo is the altar, just visible at the far end in the above picture.

The remains of 40,000 Civil War victims of both sides are interred in the monument. In fact, the only person buried here that did not die in the war is Franco himself. His tomb is the other side of the altar cross in the previous photo. Although the Catholic rules allow him to be buried here because he promoted the construction of the building, public outcry has resulted in his imminent reburial in Madrid this June.

A most imposing but rather severe impression was left by the basilica. However, there were gentler places like this garden.

We’re not done yet! There’s a monastery, too, built in the same style. The cloisters have that same powerful military look, something the Templars would have been comfortable with.

The monastery buildings on the far side of the square seem less dominating. Perhaps it’s the forest background.

The monastery is positioned on the other side of the hill hollowed out for the basilica and, it would appear from the door in the photo, it punches right through. That cross looks even more imposing from this side, if that’s at all possible.

There is no doubt that the Valley has immense presence, but it has been the centre of controversy since Franco’s death in 1975 as more representing Franco’s victory than an even-handed memorial to the loss of life during the Civil War (1936-39).

A thoroughly interesting experience.