• Valley of the Fallen. Fail to polish the slabs that cover Franco's grave
  • Historical memory: The last part: Francisco Franco leaves the Valley of the Fallen

The Valley of the Fallen has reopened its doors on Tuesday after the exhumation of the dictator Francisco Franco with less public influx than expected and with reproaches from the Benedictine community.

Few curious have approached the gates of the complex that, on the other hand, has generated great media expectation with numerous media outlets touring the facilities from the early hours of the morning.

However, the special security deployment of the last days has already been withdrawn in the area, although these days of reopening have been reinforced with Civil Guard agents.

The first visitors to access the site have been a pair of bikers, Rubén and Cristina, who have come to the monument from Elche to learn more about the architecture. "Whoever is buried does not matter to me," Rubén told the numerous concentrated media.

Upon leaving, he commented that the area of ​​exhumation was "less worn". "They have left everything perfect. If nobody knows anything it is not known that Franco was buried there," he said.

On the back of the altar you can see how 14 new black marble tiles make up what Franco's tomb was less than a week ago.

This area remains perimeter with a cord and with high security measures, so that the curious do not take photos. According to the Benedictine monks, this Monday was the day they were placed.

Despite the exhumation, one of the attendees on Tuesday placed seven red roses and five oranges on the space where the dictator's remains rested.

This same woman also placed five red roses on the grave that still remains of José Antonio Primo de Rivera.

"Act of relief"

Before the traditional mass of 11, which has gathered about a hundred faithful, the prior Santiago Cantera made an "act of relief" as they consider that there were "intruders" without permits neither judicial nor ecclesiastical in the basilica.

This religious act consisted of prayers and the blessing that Quarry made of all the spaces around the altar that presides over the center of the basilica.

Also during the liturgical act there was reference to the "insidies of the enemy" of this place although, in private statements with the media, Cantera claimed to feel "good, calm and strong."

The normal and quiet day in the Valley of the Fallen has stood out for the large presence of foreign tourists who came "casually" to visit the monument. This is the case of Joe, an American history professor who comes from New Orleans with his wife to visit the area. "I will tell my children that it is very interesting," he says.

Patrick and James are from the same country who come from Dallas and do not hesitate to call Franco "dictator". "Any person in power for more than 30 years is a dictator," says James, who is a lieutenant colonel.

They have also visited the Paco and Maribel Valley, who qualify as "by chance" to be among the first to enter the site without Franco's remains. "It doesn't seem bad to me. If they don't have it here, it's because they don't have to be here," explain these people from Malaga.

"Fruit of chance" have also been today in the Valley of the Fallen Silvia and Raul, a member of the Aragon Military Brigade, who visit the temple but will continue their holiday trip after Avila.

The sale of physical tickets and online are already available since Heritage sources have explained that "a technical failure" caused the blocking of the program of this system and that tickets seemed exhausted.

These same sources explain that the quota of tickets is 100 for every 15 minutes and there is no limit so it has not "collapsed" at any time.

The schedule of the monument is from ten in the morning to six in the afternoon, and the rules of visit have not been altered after the work, recalls Patrimonio, who administers the monument temporarily since 1982. The Valley of the Fallen has remained closed to the public since October 11 to prepare the exhumation works of Franco that were carried out on October 24.

On the last weekend of September, the last date of which data are known, the monument received on Saturday, September 28, 3,221 visits and on Sunday, September 29, 3,329 people. The total visitors for the month of September were 30,130.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Valley of the Fallen
  • Francisco Franco Bahamonde

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