Valley Of The Fallen Stock Image

A TRAGIC NUMBER OF SOLDIERS perished on both sides during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. As both a burial monument and as a memorial church, the epic Valley of the Fallen Valle de los Caà Â­dos was created by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, and despite its intended purpose, many still see it as a symbol of the despot’s abuse of power.The monumental complex is built on and into the slopes of a Spanish mountain range and features a number of components. The courtyard is spread out at the base of the mountain in a wide arc featuring grand porticoes, while the church proper is actually built into the hillside. Topping off the entire affair is the colossal 500-foot 152-meter cross that extends from the tip of the mountaintop. This too features titanic figures hewn into its base, and can be seen for dozens of miles around.