Spain's Cuelgamuros Valley Set for Transformation with €26 Million Investment
The Spanish Government has announced a significant investment of 26 million euros aimed at reimagining the Cuelgamuros Valley, formerly known as the Valley of the Fallen. This initiative will include the establishment of an interpretation center and will be guided by an international ideas competition to be revealed in the coming days. Work on the site is expected to commence no earlier than 2027.
The plan was detailed by sources from the Ministries of Democratic Memory, Justice, and Housing, following an agreement reached with the Vatican that allows for the transformation of the site without the expulsion of the Benedictine monks who currently reside there. The site has been a contentious symbol, housing Spain's largest mass grave, containing over 33,000 bodies from both sides of the Spanish Civil War. Notably, the remains of Francisco Franco and José Antonio Primo de Rivera, founder of the Falange, were buried within its basilica until recently.
Of the allotted funds, 6 million euros will be dedicated specifically to the rehabilitation of the deteriorating monument located in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. An additional 4 million euros will be offered to the winning team of the competition as fees. The Government aims to announce the design contest by the end of next week, allowing two months for anonymous submissions that will address artistic, architectural, and landscaping elements of the site.
An independent jury made up of representatives from various related ministries, architecture professionals, and a Church representative will select the winning proposal. In the first phase, the top ten proposals will receive 60,500 euros each, with the ultimate winner selected by September 2025, who will receive an additional 60,500 euros to further develop their proposal.
Following the selection, there will be an eight-month period for the creation of the execution project before construction bids are solicited at the end of 2026, allowing work to commence the following year. The Government is particularly interested in attracting international, multidisciplinary teams to bring fresh perspectives to Cuelgamuros, aspiring to transform it into a global emblem of democratic values. The Ministry's sources highlighted comparable sites like the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago de Chile as exemplary undertakings.
The basilica will maintain its independent access, but there will be the addition of a new interpretation center located at the access square to the basilica, with the possibility of being situated above ground or beneath it. Visitors will gain access to the basilica through a new entrance, which will be distinct from the one used for religious services. Although certain areas, such as the foyer and dome, may see modifications—such as explanatory signage—the altar and pews will remain intact for worship purposes. The iconic 150-meter-high stone cross is also set to remain as is.
Ongoing work at the crypts where the remains are buried will continue, but this area will not be part of the design competition. The Government has expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached with the Vatican, allowing the Benedictine monks to stay, which marks a departure from the original plan to remove them. This accord follows the departure of Santiago Cantera, the prior of the abbey, which facilitated these discussions.
The next step involves finalizing a royal decree that will provide a legal framework for the Cuelgamuros Valley, which is currently under the ownership of National Heritage.
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