The Spanish government on Tuesday unveiled plans to overhaul an imposing monument near Madrid that once served as the resting place of dictator Francisco Franco, just days ahead of the 50th anniversary of his death.
The project is part of the socialist-led government’s broader effort to ‘resignify’ the Valley of Cuelgamuros — the vast underground basilica formerly known as the Valley of the Fallen (Valle de los Caidos).
The sprawling complex contains the remains of some 33,000 people from both sides of the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War, which began with a military uprising that eventually brought Franco to power. ALSO READ: Spanish government to publish a list of Franco-era symbols targeted for removal.
Franco, who died on 20 November 1975, commissioned the monument’s construction and was originally buried there. However, in 2019, his remains were exhumed and transferred to a private family crypt under orders from the Spanish least-leaning government, to stop the site from becoming a pilgrimage spot for far-right sympathisers. ALSO READ: Senate approves law that bans support for Franco and seeks to bring ‘justice’ to victims.
The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry shared on X a model of the proposed redesign — titled ‘The Foundation and the Cross’ — noting that British architect David Chipperfield had taken part in the project.
The ministry said the plan offers ‘a new vision for the monument’ that emphasises ‘discretion in the landscape’.
According to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government, Spain still has more than 3,300 mass graves from the civil war – the largest being at Cuelgamuros – and the remains of around 140,000 people are still missing. ALSO READ: Spanish government seeks to speed up the dissolution of Franco foundation.
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📍 Pereda Pérez Arquitectos y Lignum S.L., ganadores del Concurso Internacional de Ideas para el Memorial de Cuelgamuros con el proyecto ‘La base y la cruz’.
— Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana (@viviendagob) November 11, 2025
El jurado, presidido por el SG @inaquicarnicero, ha seleccionado por unanimidad esta propuesta. pic.twitter.com/hYGncf2HL9
📍’La base y la cruz’, proyecto ganador del Concurso Internacional de ideas para la resignificación del Valle de Cuelgamuros
— Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana (@viviendagob) November 11, 2025
El SG @inaquicarnicero y el arquitecto británico y ganador del premio Pritzker, David Chipperfield, han dado a conocer este martes la propuesta vencedora. pic.twitter.com/c9pDucyI5u
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