EL VALLE DE LOS CAIDOS

  
Different groups have a stake in the monument: in how it gets used, for whom, and in what it says about Spain’s past. For one, Francisco Franco Bahamonde, the Caudillo himself, is buried there. The monument was erected by Franco with the intention of commemorating “victory” in the Civil War. Until very recently, this colossal basilica was still a rallying point for contemporary Franco loyalists nostalgic of his regime. Conversely, it also represents violence and grief for those who suffered under Franco’s rule.
Through this website we hope that you, the user, will be inspired to explore the many facets of these episodes of Spanish history. We encourage you to reflect on the issues presented here, which are still at play in Spain today: specifically the idea of reconciliation in a society that has suffered civil war and decades of oppression.