Spanish Civil War 1936–1939
Línea XYZ at Viver – Morredondo, Cerro Cruz & El Ragudo bunkers
Trenches & fortifications
The story
Viver lay at the centre of the Línea XYZ, where the Nationalist drive down the Teruel–Sagunto road and railway was stopped in July 1938. Republican engineers used the broken terrain rather than building a continuous wall. The result was a network of trenches, shelters and bunkers covering the road and the railway pass at El Ragudo. Although the Nationalists had more men and command of the air, repeated frontal assaults here failed. The town has signposted short walks to the Morredondo trenches and the Cerro Cruz defensive position, and the official Línea XYZ project maps a route to the Ragudo bunkers (Viver–Benafer).
What you can see today
Trenches at Morredondo, fortified positions on the Cerro Cruz, and concrete bunkers and railway ruins at El Ragudo.
Plan your visit
The pin marks Viver: Morredondo, Cerro Cruz and El Ragudo are separate sites around it. Morredondo and Cerro Cruz are each about an hour's walk from the town. El Ragudo is reached along the Ojos Negros greenway or by track. The CIBAL interpretation centre in Viver is open; ask the tourist office (679 881 627, viver@touristinfo.net).
- Open
- CIBAL centre: Wed–Thu 10:00–14:00; Fri–Sat 10:00–14:00 & 17:00–20:00; Sun 10:00–14:00
Checked September 2026 from official sources: viver.es. Things change, so check before you travel.
Sources
- mapcarta.com/Viver
- viveelaltopalancia.blogspot.com/2021/06/las-trincheras-de-viver-seran-el-centro.html
- liniaxyz.com/rutes-de-memoria/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XYZ_Line
Nearby sites
- Línea XYZ – La Muela & La Vegatilla trenches, Jérica · 2 km
- Sierra de Espadán – Las Tetas & La Ràpita positions · 18 km
- Paredón de España (El Terrer), Paterna · 48 km
- Refugio antiaéreo de la Plaza Tetuán, Castelló de la Plana · 48 km
- Refugio de la calle Serranos, Valencia · 53 km
- Palau de Benicarló (seat of the Republican government) · 53 km
All 158 sites in Spanish Civil War 1936–1939 →
The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939
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