The ruins of Belchite in Aragon, Spain
Ahead of the 40th anniversary of Francisco Franco’s death, historians are working to demolish the myths that the Spanish dictator himself had created by constantly rewriting history. Franco ordered that the Belchite ruins be left untouched as a “living” monument of war.
- Visitors walk through the entrance to the republican mausoleum bearing the inscription, disappeared “Honor a los caidos” (Honor to the fallen) in the village of Belchite, Aragon, on November 12, 2015. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- Visitors walk through the entrance to the republican mausoleum bearing the inscription, disappeared “Honor a los caidos” (Honor to the fallen) in the village of Belchite, Aragon, on November 12, 2015. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- The entrance of the village of Belchite stands in Aragon on November 12, 2015. Belchite was devastated during “the Battle of Belchite” in the Spanish civil war in a series of military operations confronting loyalist Spanish republicans and General Franco’s nationalists forces between August 24 and September 7, 1937 in and around the small town of Belchite. Following the battle Franco ordered that the ruins be left untouched as a “living” monument of war. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- The entrance of the village of Belchite stands in Aragon on November 12, 2015. Belchite was devastated during “the Battle of Belchite” in the Spanish civil war in a series of military operations confronting loyalist Spanish republicans and General Franco’s nationalists forces between August 24 and September 7, 1937 in and around the small town of Belchite. Following the battle Franco ordered that the ruins be left untouched as a “living” monument of war. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- People stand under an arch in the ruins of Belchite village, in Aragon on November 12, 2015. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- Tour guide Pilar walks down the central street through the ruins of Belchite village, in Aragon on November 12, 2015. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- The ruins of San Martin de Tours church in the old village of Belchite in Aragon stand on November 12, 2015. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- The ruins of San Martin de Tours church in the old village of Belchite in Aragon stand on November 12, 2015.(GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- The entrance of the village of Belchite stands in Aragon on November 12, 2015. Belchite was devastated during “the Battle of Belchite” in the Spanish civil war in a series of military operations confronting loyalist Spanish republicans and General Franco’s nationalists forces between August 24 and September 7, 1937 in and around the small town of Belchite. Following the battle Franco ordered that the ruins be left untouched as a “living” monument of war. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
- Tour guide Pilar walks down the central street through the ruins of Belchite village, in Aragon on November 12, 2015. (GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)