DZ CHARLIE

Spanish Civil War 1936–1939

Barranco de Víznar (mass graves, Place of Memory)

Repression & memory site

GuideSpanish Civil War 1936–1939
AreaAndalusia
TypeRepression & memory site
WhenAug 1936 – 1940s
Time to allow45 min
LocationExact spot known
GPS37.24016, -3.54378
Open the free field guideDirections (Google Maps)

The story

After the military rising took Granada in July 1936, the rebel civil government organised the execution of Republican supporters, trade unionists, teachers and politicians. Many were taken at night from La Colonia, a house in Víznar used as a holding point, and shot in this pine-covered ravine beside the Víznar–Alfacar road, where they were buried in pits and natural hollows. Killings continued into the post-war years. University of Granada excavations since the 2010s have located some 29 graves and recovered the remains of 166 people, a few of them since identified by DNA. The ravine is an official Andalusian Place of Memory, and for many it stands for all the victims of the repression in Granada.

What you can see today

A path through the pines to excavated and marked graves, a stone monolith inscribed 'Todos eran Lorca' (2002) and a stone gallery with metal plaques bearing victims' names.

Plan your visit

Open access and free, on the GR-3101 between Víznar and Alfacar; roadside parking. A night poetry vigil is held each 18–19 August. Combine with Alfacar (1 km west).

Where sources disagree: The total number of people killed and buried at Víznar–Alfacar is unknown; estimates run from hundreds to over a thousand. Exhumation counts rise with each campaign.

Sources

Nearby sites

All 158 sites in Spanish Civil War 1936–1939 →

The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939

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