At last, the summer palace of the late General Franco, located in Sada, has opened its doors to the public following an extensive legal struggle with his family.
This presents an ideal chance to delve into the mind of Spain’s notorious dictator.
After a two-year dispute, the family of General Francisco Franco has been mandated to allow visitors into their extravagant summer residence.
Tourists will now have access to the lovely palatial estate in Sada, Galicia, for four days each month.
As per a recent ruling, the regional government of Galicia has classified the late 19th-century Pazo de Meiras as a site of cultural heritage.
Officially, the neomedieval estate was presented as an “offering” from the city of La Coruña to the Generalissimo, often referred to as the “founder of the new empire,” amid the nationalistic excitement during the civil war.
However, the funds for this extravagant gift originated from taxpayers and compelled donations from the residents of the La Coruña region, where Franco was born.
“It was, in essence, looting disguised as a sale,” remarked Manuel Rivas, a writer from Galicia, in El País, further stating that the opulent gesture was a “trophy of triumph.”
The fortress-style estate, along with its extensive gardens and woodlands, was acquired in 1938 from the author Emilia Pardo Bazán for a sum ranging from 400,000 to 750,000 pesetas (€240,000-€450,000), according to the ABC newspaper.
Throughout most of his 40-year dictatorship, the Generalissimo utilized it as a summer retreat.
“Receiving this gift is something I do with joy, purely because it is a donation from my cherished compatriots,” Franco reportedly stated upon taking ownership of his new residence.
The decision by the government was applauded by the Commission to Recover Historic Memory of La Coruña, which intends to provide guided tours that will explain the coerced contributions and other influences that resulted in Franco’s acquisition of El Pazo de Meirás.
Abel López Soto, the mayor of Sada, described it as a “partial victory.” He believes that the government should take full control of the property.
by Sasha Dubronitz
