A tiny village in northwest Spain has been left in a state of ruin since the Spanish Civil War. (Image: Getty)
Around 90 years ago, the tiny village of Belchite, near , northwest Spain, stood as a stunning example of ancient history, with settlements located there as far back as 75 AD.
However, with the outbreak of the guerra civil in 1936, it now stands as a testament to the ravages of war and a living museum of this troubled time in history.
Found on the border between the republican state and fascist forces, Belchite became the centre of a 15-day siege – one of the bloodiest and most important battles of the whole war – one that all but .
Eventually the village fell to General Franco’s forces in 1939, who left its razed remains to stand as a reminder of his power and a warning to any future rebels.
Today, Belchite is frequented only by visitors wishing to walk its bullet-riddled streets and learn more about this troubled period of Spanish history, which saw between 500,000 and 800,000 deaths.
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During the war, houses were bombed, churches were razed and the townspeople were slaughtered. (Image: Getty)
Belchite is located in one of the driest areas in Aragon, with temperatures often remaining around the low-to-mid 30s in the summer.
Easily accessible by car via the A-222 and just 30 miles from the provincial capital, Zaragoza, Belchite boasts a history that dates back thousands of years.
In 1122, Alfonso the Battler (the King of Aragon and Navarre, 1104-1134) founded the Confraternity of Belchite to defend the frontier between the kingdoms and al-Andalus – the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. It stood as an experimental community of knights, who vowed to devote their lives to fighting pagans.
Over the centuries, it was built up with some breathtaking medieval churches and monuments, including the arc of San Roque.
In June 1809, during the Peninsular War, French and Spanish forces also fought in the Battle of Maria near Belchite.
However, during the Battle of Belchite which would see the end of life in the village as residents knew it, houses were bombed, churches were razed and the townspeople were slaughtered.
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Many parts of Belchite have been left as they were during the war (Image: Getty)
One of the most vivid descriptions after the battle was written by historian Cecil Eby: “[The journalist] found a town so totally ruined that often people could not tell where the streets had been. People were digging under piles of mortar, bricks, and beams pulling out corpses.”
“Belchite was less a town than a nasty smell.”
The scenes were reminiscent of the destruction seen in Guernica a few months earlier, one which was immortalised in Pablo Picasso’s iconic painting of the same name.
Some parts of the village have since been rebuilt, and a population of around 1,600 remains, though many parts have been left as they were during the war.
Belchite has also been used as the setting for period films such as The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), as well as used in the opening scene of a 1983 ITV documentary on the civil war.
There are two of Belchite available – one during the day, and another at night, for those visitors brave enough to explore the spooky rubble and the shells of the buildings. You can get tickets for a guided tour of Belchite from the tourist information office or buy tickets online, while the Ethnological Museum is open on Saturdays and Sunday mornings.