VALLE DE CUELGAMUROS
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Church with a breathtaking view of the Sierra de Guadarrama, occupied by a Higher Center for Scientific Research in the basement
This is a very impressive monument, set in spectacular natural surroundings, surrounded by mountains. The gigantic cross remains visible for miles along the road. The basilica complex claims to be a memorial "to the memory of the dead on both sides of the Civil War", but the gigantism of its architecture, the omnipresent inscription "Fallen for God and Spain", and its proximity to El Escorial reveal its true function: the glorification of General Franco. The dictator himself was buried here, before being exhumed in 2019 at the request of his family. The other tomb is that of Phalangist leader José Antonio Primo de Rivera, also exhumed in 2023. The presence of the "other side" is summed up by the fact that it was Republican survivors who built the complex for political prisoners in forced labor. In April 1959, Franco and Carmen Polo inaugurated the complex with cheers and outstretched arms. His speech was implacable towards the defeated. On November 20, the anniversary of Franco's death, far-right groups gathered at the Valle de los Caídos, before Zapatero's government passed the Law of Historical Memory in 2007. In 2022, Valle de los Caídos became El Valle de Cuelgamuros, the geographical name of the valley.
The church is carved out of granite, its perfect stability facilitating seismological studies. The basement is occupied by the Centre Supérieur de Recherche Scientifique. There's also a hostel nearby where you can put down your bags.
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