Spain, 49 years after Franco's death: monuments that still remember the dictatorship

November 20 this year marks the 49th anniversary of the death of dictator Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain for almost four decades after the Civil War (1936-1939). A year after the middle century of his disappearance, El país still convives las huellas materiales de ese periodoque siguen siendo objeto de debate social and political.

Aunque no existe un recuento official del Number of Francoist monuments in SpainThe government is working on a catalog that seeks to identify and contextualize these buildings. Sin embargo, estos symbols están repartidos for todo el país, con significados diversos que van desde homenajes a los 'caídos' hasta mesmemoraciones de victorias Militaires de los levevados.

Entre los más conocidos destaca El Valle de Cuelgamuros (antiguo Valle de los Caídos), where Franco's remains are kept until his exhumation in 2019. There are also monuments in other places, e.g. Pamplona, ​​Melilla and PalmaDecados a los muertos en la contienda. For example, in Burgos, a monument is erected in honor of the Italian soldiers who fought in support of the rebels.

Characters of dictatorship and victory in public space

Various monuments still honor key figures of the Francoist regime. El general Emilio MolaOne of the ideologues of the coup of 1936, he has recognition, al igual que Onesimo Redondit is a key part of the conversion for the National Movimiento base. Carrero BlancoThere are also monuments to the memory of the head of the government in the last phase of the dictatorship.

En Madrid, imponente Arco de la Victoria Sigue en pie como symbolo de la victoria del bando raised over the Second Republic. Other monuments commemorate specific victories of the civil war, such as those dedicated to the Battle of the Ebro in Tortosa, although these have been the subject of attempts to resign in recent years.

Although the dictator does not have many monuments dedicated to his personality, there are still some traces. En Santa Cruz de Tenerife inaugurated the monument in his honor. En Oviedoanother sculptural ensemble was originally created to honor them, although they removed medallion-like elements with their faces.

¿Has it really been that long?

The persistence of these symbols depends on many factors. Algunos han sido resignificados, es decir, se han modificado para Director link despojarles John El Franquismo.

Otros han sido protegidos como bienes de interes minelo que difficulty water elimination. If there is no interest in retirement, or there are no local places, he simply does not have the economic resources to do so.