The Valley of the Fallen in Spain is in danger

The largest cross in the world is in danger. The Valley of the Fallen in Spain holds the remains of those who died in the Spanish Civil War from both sides.

General Franco, in an act of reconciliation, had La Pietà built, a replica of the image of Our Lady holding Our Lord. It was created by none other than a leftist. That means there is a place for all Spaniards there, beyond their political or ideological stance.

This is why the change of prior causes great concern and reaction, as there is fear that the new one might succumb to pressure. The current socialist government has been very hostile to this place. Moreover, the most radical leftists are calling for the destruction of the Valley of the Fallen.

What will happen? Let’s stay vigilant.

The Valley of the Fallen is a monument in Spain, built by order of Francisco Franco and inaugurated in 1959. Its initial purpose was to honor those who fell during the Spanish Civil War, although over time, it became a symbol associated with Francoism. The complex includes a basilica, a Benedictine abbey, and a massive 150-meter-high cross, as well as a crypt where Franco and José Antonio Primo de Rivera, the founder of the Falange, were buried.

The government of Pedro Sánchez has implemented several measures to alter the monument’s significance, arguing that it should no longer serve as a place of Francoist exaltation. In 2019, Franco’s remains were exhumed from the site, and in 2023, the government approved transforming the location into a "civil cemetery" with a reinterpretation in line with the Democratic Memory Law. These actions have sparked strong controversy, with some advocating for the monument’s preservation as part of Spain’s history and others calling for its reform or even its demolition.