Elena Moro Madrid

Madrid

Updated Saturday, February 10, 2024-00:23

Trenches, machine gun nests, armored artillery posts, parapet wells, housing wells, troop wells or plain wells, marksman's posts, catenary housing, barracks or company barracks... These are

some of the 500 military constructions of the that there are well-preserved remains

in the Sierra de Guadarrama, and that they can be visited through 10 itineraries included in the tourist product

Guadarrama: in the footsteps of the war

, designed by the Guadarrama City Council in 2012 to highlight the heritage of the Civil War existing in this municipality, and to "promote a type of responsible hiking in an environment where nature dignifies memory", as the then mayor of Guadarrama Carmen María Pérez presented the project.

Nature and history go hand in hand in this abrupt natural border that has divided both plateaus over the centuries, with the passage from one side of the mountain massif to the other only accessible through a few passes and hills. A strategic place that has been attempted to conquer or defend - depending on the side - since time immemorial, as occurred during the Civil War (1936-39). Respect for the past, even if it is to avoid repeating the same mistakes and unfortunate confrontations, leads to the desire to

conserve and get to know these places that mix the horror of war with the beauty of nature

.

The first military campaign of the Civil War took place in the municipality of Guadarrama. On July 17, 1936, the National Uprising began in Melilla to overthrow the Government of the Second Republic, but Madrid and other capitals remained loyal to the Republican Government, which caused the country to be divided into two zones that declared war.

The national side wants to occupy Madrid as soon as possible

: the Northern Army, under the command of General Mola, is heading towards the capital, but on the way it must cross the mountainous elevations of the Central System.

The ports of the Sierra de Guadarrama and Somosierra become

decisive strategic points, especially Alto del León, where the highway from A Coruña and the railway from Madrid to Segovia pass. On July 18, several groups made up of volunteers from the town of Guadarrama head to Alto del León.

On July 21, the commanders of both armies decide to militarily occupy the Port

. The Republican side advances with the Castillo Column, which takes the Alto del León in the early hours of July 22, and a fraction of this same, the Burillo Column, positions itself at the same time in the Puerto de Navacerrada.

Shooter's position during the route. JUAN PABLO AVISIÓN

The national troops arrived in San Rafael on the afternoon of that day, July 22, and began the assault on the Port of Guadarrama. Shortly before nightfall they occupy Alto del León. On the morning of July 23, the national reinforcements arrive and will occupy the slopes and hills immediately around Alto. Meanwhile, from the town of Guadarrama the republican militias launch a counterattack to recover the lost ground... And up to this point we can read, or write, because all the details of the fight to conquer or defend Alto del León, its flanks and surroundings , such as Cerro de la Sevillana or Cabeza Líjar, you will find them perfectly explained in the guide book that can be downloaded on the website

www.turismoguadarrama.com

and authored by

Juan Pablo Avisón, anthropologist, travel guide writer and expert in the traces of the conflict in our region

.

«The Guadarrama city council knew that there were many remains of the civil conflict in its territory (even the town had participated in one of the battles), and commissioned me and Manuel Redondo - responsible for marking thematic routes in the Sierra - to carry out a catalog that compiled all the remains and

put together the scenarios in which there had been a confrontation

in order to better understand what had happened in the municipality," explains Juan Pablo.

«We started to hike the mountain and after traveling more than 180 km. and evaluate and inventory the more than 500 existing positions in 21 positions, this book was born (with the advice of the priest of the Civil War in the central area, Jacinto Arévalo), and the 10 itineraries that link

the hottest points in the battle of Guadarrama

, those remains that were most outstanding due to their size, structure and conservation," Juan Pablo tells us about his work.

There are 15 interpretive stages

: La Sevillana and Alto del León, La Gamonosa, Cabeza Líjar and Salamanca, Cuelgamuros, Álamos Blancos, Cebo de los Lobos I and II, el Horcajo and Loma de San Macario, Hornillos, Picazuelo, Cuesta de la Herrería, Cerro de la Viña and los Regajos, Solana de Fuente la Teja and Peña Cervera, and Dehesa de los Poyales.

And 10 itineraries that can be consulted on the website

with all the detailed information to do the tour on your own (and also download the

tracks

on our GPS), but we recommend making this visit to the past even more complete and personalized in the company of Juan Pablo, who guides us on the

La Huella de la Guerra

, a route organized by the Guadarrama Reservation Center, and which is one of the so-called

14 essentials of the Sierra

promoted by the Sierra de Guadarrama Development Association.

The route starts from Alto del León itself

, and from there the walk begins to complete a circular route in which we visit all the elements around Puerto del León, which was the zero point of the conflict, because it was the main strategic pass where a large part of the battle of Guadarrama took place. «During the itinerary we not only talk about the remains, but also about the fauna and flora of the environment, to understand the environment in which we are and all the nature that surrounds us, but we delve quite deeply into the conflict: how the battle developed, where the contenders were located, who won, how long the War lasted...

We talked in detail about what the sides were like, who made them up and what weapons they had

, how they faced the cold and heat, how supplies increased... No It is a very long route and we do not ascend to a very high level, but we fill it with a lot of content and people leave very satisfied," explains Juan Pablo.

The guide is very didactic

, not only does it give us a description of the remains we found, it also includes sketches drawn by Juan Pablo in his field work that help us identify these elements and "to easily understand, among other things, that the positions "They were not distributed by free will, but rather had a very clear functionality," adds Avisón. «For example, the differences between the national positions, which formed small islands in which all the force was concentrated, with the republican positions, which were placed in the old style

in huge and elongated trenches that made them weaker

... ».

Not only can you do this route. If we feel like it, we can lengthen it by adding other circular routes that start from Alto del León. «

The routes are found on both the left and right flanks

, and are full of forts, especially on the national side. Some have excellent quality because they are built in reinforced concrete and with some peculiarities that make them very special, especially that

they have been able to withstand vandalism

," concludes Juan Pablo. And so, knowing more about the conflict that took place in these mountains of Guadarrama, where peace now reigns, we finish this march in the footsteps of war, hoping that it will never be repeated again.