Not far from Madrid, just 50 km to the north, in the picturesque valley of Quelgamuros, there is a memorial complex called the Valley of the Fallen. It was created in memory of those who died during the Civil War. This is a huge building, built by order of the military and statesman F. Franco in 1940. The Valley of the Fallen in Spain is one of the popular attractions that can be visited both independently and as part of an excursion group with a guide.
The history of the memorial complex
Work on the construction of the Valley of the Fallen began in 1940 by order of General F. Franco. The construction was supervised by architect Pedro Murugus. In 1950, he was replaced by another architect - Diego Mendes. The construction work itself was carried out using the labor of prisoners. For this they received very small salaries, but the term of serving a sentence decreased exponentially.
The Valley of the Fallen in Spain is a monument in honor of all those killed in the Civil War, both the Franco and the Reds. Today it is often called the "eighth wonder of the world." It is noteworthy that each part of the memorial complex is huge. For example, a cross 150 meters high rises above the basilica carved directly in the rock, and its crossbar is 46 meters long. This is the main element of the memorial.
The complex is decorated with various creations by sculptor H. Avalos. In front of visitors, the memorial opens with a huge esplanade. The Valley of the Fallen was erected for almost 19 years and was inaugurated on April 1, 1959.
Territory of the Valley of the Fallen in Spain
The memorial complex occupies a fairly large territory - 1365 hectares. It starts with an entrance gate that gives access to a picturesque road leading to the foot of the Holy Cross. The memorial complex ends with an esplanade with an area of more than 30 thousand square meters. Approximately in the middle of the way, tourists will meet four huge monolithic columns made of granite. Each is 11.5 m high and 1.5 m in diameter. The columns were cut down as early as 1400 and were called Juanelos.
A huge cross, the dimensions of which were indicated above, as if crowning a rock. You can climb to it either along a hiking trail or on the funicular. Inside the cross is an elevator.
At the 25-meter height in the Valley of the Fallen in Spain, the same sculptures made by Avalos are located - these are the four apostles-evangelists. A little higher, at a level of 42 m from the earth, the rest of his creations are placed - the main Christian virtues.
The esplanade, which opens a sight, in its depths conceals an entrance to the crypt 262 m long. To implement this project, it was required to extract approximately 200 thousand cubic meters of rock from the rock. The door was made of bronze, and right behind it was a grille decorated with various images. In the center is the figure of the Apostle James, and 40 saints surround it. The lattice is the fruit of the collaboration of D. Mendes and H. Espies.
The gallery is decorated with side niches in which 6 chapels fit. The walls are hung with tapestries by V. Pannemater, who depicted scenes from the Apocalypse on them. On the way to the altar, eight statues made of granite open to the eyes of the guests. This is the work of Sanrrino and A. Martin.
Another attraction of the Valley of the Fallen in Spain is the main altar. It is a granite block, at the foot of which are located the graves of the Spanish dictator F. Franco and the head of the phalanx movement H. Antonio. The completion of the altar is a huge dome, decorated with 6 million ceramic elements that together form a mosaic. On the sides of the altar there are 2 chapels where almost 34 thousand victims of the Civil War found eternal peace of mind.
Franco was a very religious person. Therefore, together with the construction of the complex, he also ordered the rebuilding of the abbey of the Benedictine monks. Now this monastery is located on the north side of the Risco de la Nava rock, and with it there is a boarding school for boys singing in church choirs.
The grave of General F. Franco in the Valley of the Fallen
The Valley of the Fallen in Spain, the photo of which can be seen in this article, is, in fact, the pantheon of dictator Franco. That is, if not for this memorial complex, it is unlikely that the general would have been spoken about so often. And it turns out that Franco immortalized his name by creating something grand.
The general took care of the place for his burial long before his death. Yes, he himself chose where his body would rest. This place was located symmetrically to the plate of H. Antonio, behind the altar, in the center of the basilica. Franco died in 1975, and they buried him exactly where it was ordered. And now for more than three decades masses have been celebrated on his grave.
By the way, the public has repeatedly tried to push the government to move the mausoleum along with the graves of H. Antonio and F. Franco somewhere else. The memorial complex itself was proposed to be renamed into a cemetery for people who died during the reign of the general. For such a "renewal" voted more than half of the Spaniards! But the government refused to transfer the grave of Franco from the Valley of the Fallen in Spain.
Address of the Valley of the Fallen and location on the map
The memorial complex is located in the mountains of the city of Guadarrama, which is 50 km from Madrid. Exact address: Carretera de Guadarrama / El Escorial 28209 San Lorenzo de El Escorial Madrid. GPS coordinates: 40.641739 - 4.155319. For a more accurate understanding of the location of the Valley of the Fallen, it is recommended to look at the location of the complex on a map.
The working hours of the memorial complex
The memorial complex is open from 10:00 to 18:30 in the summer (April - September) and from 10:00 to 17:00 in the winter (October - March). The estimated ticket price is 4 euros for children 5-16 years old, students and senior citizens, for other citizens - 9 euros. Children under 5 years old admission is free.
How to get to the Valley of the Fallen in Spain?
There is an opportunity to get to the memorial complex by public transport, by bus as part of an excursion group and independently, by private car. It is important to know that the Valley of the Fallen is surrounded by a huge forest, which is a protected area. The entrance to the territory is at the foot of the hill, on the AP-6 highway. Tourists are greeted by security guards who charge entry fees. Then you need to drive 6 km, but you can’t stop and get out of the car along the way, and also walk this stretch of road. Wild animals live here, which can attack a person.
If it was decided to go as part of an excursion group, you can contact any travel agency in Spain and book a tour. You can also take it yourself by train or bus. First from Madrid to the city of Escoreale. Upon arrival, you can immediately transfer to the bus that goes directly to the Cross. The bus takes people there and back, approximately one and a half hours are allotted for sightseeing.
Drive to the monumental complex by car
How to get to the Valley of the Fallen (Spain) by car? From Madrid you need to go towards the city of Escoreale, following the road signs: first along the M-30 highway, then along the A-6, and then along the AR-6 (Noroeste motorway) to the guarded gate. After paying the fare, you must follow the road that will lead directly to the Cross.
In conclusion, we suggest watching a video that captures all the elements of the Valley of the Fallen memorial complex.