Valle de Los Caidos , San Lorenzo del Escorial , Madrid

This Historic Monument had a purpose, to act as reconciliation for the Fallen heroic Soldiers from both sides of the Spanish Civil War.

Dictator Francisco Franco known as Caudillo de España (means military or political leader) in 1939 decided to build this colosal – Neo Herrero style monument , construction started in 1940 and took 18 years to be finished . Officially inaugurated April 1st 1959, 20 years after the end of the Spanish Civil War.

It is set in a precinct of over three thousand acres (13 Km2) In the grounds you will find the Catholic basilica and the Memorial monument humbled by the largest Christian Cross in the World , One Hundred and Fifty Meters tall and Forty Six Meters wide. It can be seen from a distance of over 40 Km. It is situated in the “Sierra de Guadarrama”. Not far for Madrid. The fact that it is one of the largest common Graves with the remains of over 40.000 bodies from both side of which some twelve thousand were never identified makes it more controversial. The other two reason for the actual controversies are the fact that the body of the founder of the “Falange Española” ( fascist political movement) Antonio Primo de Rivera and former dictator Francisco Franco are both buried there , Rivera in the rear of the Main altar and Franco in the front .It seems to be now a priority of the actual government to remove Franco first  out of the memorial site and Primo de Rivera possibly to the basilica.

This controversy has doubled the daily visits so it has been financially beneficial for the Monument . You find people that were Franco followers and adversaries visiting in case the history is changed by removal their bodies.

It is interesting to know that according to Franco’s family , the dictator never wanted to be buried there nor was it ever intended for him to be buried there. It was the interim government after his death in 1975 that decide to burry him there and within two days of his death arrangements were made having to move pipes and all sorts of work had to be done in a hurry.

In my opinion It is a monument worth going to visit regardless of your political views.

The entrance price is 9 Euros per visitor , there are some discounts for groups etc that you can find out on their Web site.