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Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Incredible Spanish town abandoned by mistake and left to rot for 55 years
A stunning Spanish town that 1,000 residents once called home was completely abandoned and left to rot more than five decades ago - all because of a flood that never even happened A tiny but beautiful town looking out onto emerald waters used to home 1,000 residents has been slowly rotting away for more than five decades. Boasting rows of colourful houses, a 15th century castle, and wrap-around fortress walls that still stand strong, Granadilla looks like something straight out of a travel brochure. But, if you take a closer look, you'll realise it's missing one important feature: people. Founded in the 9th Century, the town (which is located in Spain's western Extremadura community) was a strategic region for trade and travel. However, in the 1950s dictator Francisco Franco unveiled his ambitious plans to boost the country's economy by constructing a series of huge dams - the largest of which was the Gabriel y Galán reservoir, which surrounded Granadilla. Over the following decade, the politician forcibly demanded every single resident move out of the town, many of which chose to settle in nearby villages - hopeful that they could one day return. The eviction was blamed on rising water levels, which threatened to flood the peninsula. However, some 55 years later and the town has never flooded, not even once. Still, residents haven't been permitted to re-enter - leaving the whole region a complete ghost town. "They kicked us out, claiming that the dam would flood the town, which was impossible because the town is higher than the dam," Eugenio Jiménez, president of the Association Sons of Granadilla told the BBC back in 2022. "But those were times of dictatorship, and we had no rights. But what truly frustrates me is that during democratic times, I've been struggling for the recovery of Granadilla with the former children's association, and no government has listened to us." Instead of allowing residents to go back to their homes, Granadilla has turned into a tourist attraction - and was officially declared as a Historic-Artistic site in 1980. Funds generated from holidaymakers have gone into preserving the town and its hilltop castle. According to reports, twice a year – on the Day of the Assumption of Mary in August, and All Saints' Day in November – the former residents of Granadilla and their descendants come together in the ancient village. "Enter through the narrow Puerta de Villa, overlooked by the sturdy 15th-century castle, which you can climb for brilliant panoramas," hailed experts over at Lonely Planet. "From the Puerta de Villa, the cobblestone Calle Mayor climbs up to the delightfully rustic Plaza Mayor, surrounded by vibrant buildings. On the right stands the beautiful Casa de las Conchas, its peach-coloured exterior studded with white ceramic shells. "Some buildings function as craft workshops or exhibition centres in summer. Don't miss a stroll along the top of the 1km-long Almohad walls, with evocative views of the village, lake, eucalyptuses and pinewoods." Granadilla remains somewhat out of the UK tourist limelight as it is situated pretty far from most Spanish airports. For example, it is over three hours from Madrid, and almost four hours from Seville. Salamanca is technically the nearest airport - but no UK airports fly here directly.
Sky News
5 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Display of saint's remains draws huge crowds - but bishop says it 'encourages morbid curiosity'
Tens of thousands of people have flocked to see the remains of a revered Spanish saint, more than 440 years after her death, prompting debate over whether such displays "encourage morbid curiosity". Catholic worshippers in their droves have travelled to Alba de Tormes in western Spain to view relics of Saint Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century religious reformer. Faithful lined up to see her, silent and wonderstruck as the remains of the mystic were put on display in a silver casket for the first time in more than 100 years. "It gave me a feeling of fulfilment, of joy, and of sadness," said Guiomar Sanchez, who travelled from Madrid with her two daughters on Sunday, the last full day of the exhibit. "Seeing her was an inexplicable experience," she added, praising the saint as being ahead of her time. After weeks on display, the casket of Saint Teresa was resealed on Monday and carried through the streets with pilgrims following behind her. Saint Teresa, who died in 1582, is a towering figure from Spain's Golden Age and 16th-century counter-reformation. Her explorations of the inner life and meditations on her relationship with God were controversial, yet they have been held up over the centuries as a "profound treatise on spirituality," said Jose Calvo, a professor of theology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca who specialises in Medieval history. Her admirers include Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco, who was rumoured to have kept a relic of the saint's hand next to his bed, and new Pope Leo XIV, who visited her birthplace last year. Some worshippers this month were visibly moved. On Sunday, a group of nuns from India wept as they looked upon the saint's remains behind a glass case. But the exhibition has also provoked debate over the appropriateness of displaying the remains of long-dead people in public. "It is not a good idea to display the body of Saint Teresa in this way," said nearby Bishop of Salamanca, Jose Luis Retana. "It only serves to encourage people's morbid curiosity." But local church officials and experts downplayed such reactions, saying the display was nothing out of the ordinary for how Catholics have revered their saints for centuries. "It was just something people always did when they thought somebody might be a saint," said Cathleen Medwick, who wrote a book about Saint Teresa. "And the fact that her body hadn't decayed very much was also considered a sign of her sanctity," she added.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Display of saint's remains draws huge crowds - but bishop says it 'encourages morbid curiosity'
Tens of thousands of people have flocked to see the remains of a revered Spanish saint, more than 440 years after her death, prompting debate over whether such displays "encourage morbid curiosity". Catholic worshippers in their droves have travelled to Alba de Tormes in western to view relics of Saint Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century religious reformer. Faithful lined up to see her, silent and wonderstruck as the remains of the mystic were put on display in a silver casket for the first time in more than 100 years. "It gave me a feeling of fulfilment, of joy, and of sadness," said Guiomar Sanchez, who travelled from Madrid with her two daughters on Sunday, the last full day of the exhibit. "Seeing her was an inexplicable experience," she added, praising the saint as being ahead of her time. After weeks on display, the casket of Saint Teresa was resealed on Monday and carried through the streets with pilgrims following behind her. Saint Teresa, who died in 1582, is a towering figure from Spain's Golden Age and 16th-century counter-reformation. Her explorations of the inner life and meditations on her relationship with God were controversial, yet they have been held up over the centuries as a "profound treatise on spirituality," said Jose Calvo, a professor of theology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca who specialises in Medieval history. Her admirers include Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco, who was rumoured to have kept a relic of the saint's hand next to his bed, and new , who visited her birthplace last year. Read more from Sky News: Some worshippers this month were visibly moved. On Sunday, a group of nuns from India wept as they looked upon the saint's remains behind a glass case. But the exhibition has also provoked debate over the appropriateness of displaying the remains of long-dead people in public. "It is not a good idea to display the body of Saint Teresa in this way," said nearby Bishop of Salamanca, Jose Luis Retana. "It only serves to encourage people's morbid curiosity." But local church officials and experts downplayed such reactions, saying the display was nothing out of the ordinary for how Catholics have revered their saints for centuries. "It was just something people always did when they thought somebody might be a saint," said Cathleen Medwick, who wrote a book about Saint Teresa. "And the fact that her body hadn't decayed very much was also considered a sign of her sanctity," she added.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spain returns artwork seized during Civil War
MADRID (Reuters) -Spain on Thursday returned paintings belonging to a former Madrid mayor that were seized for their protection during the 1936-39 Civil War and never returned under Francisco Franco's dictatorship. The seven paintings had been kept in several museums throughout Spain, including the Prado Museum in Madrid, where the handover ceremony to the family of Pedro Rico, Madrid's mayor as the Civil War broke out, took place on Thursday evening. In 2022, the Prado published a list of artworks that had been seized during the war and set up a research project to track down their legitimate owners. The government has identified more than 6,000 items, including jewellery, ceramics and textiles, as well as some paintings, sculptures and furniture, which were safeguarded during the war by Republican forces fighting Franco's Nationalists and never returned by Francoist institutions when he came to power. "It's a very important moment of justice and reparation that the Spanish government is doing for their families," said Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun. The paintings returned to Rico's family nine decades later were mainly scenes of everyday life by 19th-century artists such as Eugenio Lucas and his son Lucas Villaamil. Francisca Rico said she was very moved by the restitution of the paintings belonging to her grandfather, who was mayor between 1931-1934 and then in 1936 and who died in exile in France. "(They're ) finally doing what should have been done long ago," she said.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
This Spanish dining tradition is one of its best-kept secrets
It's easy to spot when lunch has arrived in Spain. Shops, businesses, and schools shut their doors. Crowds begin to gather, spilling onto sidewalks, and packing into bars and restaurants in search of a good meal. While most visitors flock to the nearest plaza patio drawn in by signs for paella and sangria, most locals are settling into their favorite restaurants for one of Spain's most beloved food traditions—menú del día. Menú del día, or menu of the day, is a rotating three-course meal offered at an affordable price and can be found in restaurants all across the country. While some savvy travelers know of this dining secret, it mostly remains a locally loved tradition that visitors overlook. Menú del día was born in the Franco regime. In 1965, General Francisco Franco passed a law requiring all restaurants to offer a fixed-price tourist menu that included three courses and a drink. The goal was to create an affordable lunch option and boost tourism. The program worked. According to a study conducted by PubMed Central, Spain went from having 5.4 million visitors in 1960 to over 20 million by the end of the decade. It remains a tourist-driven incentive; however, over the years, it became a dining staple for locals as well. The fixed menu, which typically costs between 10 and 16 euros depending on where you're dining, includes a starter, main course, and dessert. It also comes with one drink either wine, beer, coffee, a soft drink, or water. Given the low fixed rate, restaurateurs have to get creative. Most build their daily offerings around the cheapest, fresh ingredients they can get from local purveyors. The meals are simple by nature, but they're always filling and satisfying. The menu typically has three to four options for each course: primer plato (starter), segundo plato (main course), and postre (dessert). You make your selection for all three courses upon ordering and specify the drink you want. For the starter, you might find fideuà, a short-cut noodle dish similar to paella; huevos revueltos, scrambled eggs with mushrooms, asparagus or morcilla (blood sausage); or a chilled soup like salmorejo or gazpacho. Main courses tend to be heartier, often centered around meat or seafood. You might see pork loin in a creamy blue cheese sauce, beef cheeks braised in red wine, or a fish fillet finished with a light lemon and garlic sauce. Fresh fruit is the most common dessert in Spain. But occasionally, you'll find options like ice cream, a chocolate or apple tart, rice pudding, or even a wedge of cheese drizzled with honey. Don't be surprised if you receive a whole bottle of wine when two or more people order the menú del día. House wine is often served in an individual porrón, a uniquely shaped glass pitcher traditionally poured straight into your mouth, if you're brave enough to try. That said, the dishes don't always stick to traditional Spanish cuisine. International restaurants serving everything from sushi and ramen to pasta often offer a three-course menú del día built around their usual fare. Virtually every city and province across the country offers menú del día, although it's no longer required by law. The European Directive 2006/123/CE revised tourism laws in the European Union to encourage free-market practices. This eliminated the legal requirement for Spanish restaurants to offer a fixed-price tourist menu, giving regions and individual establishments the freedom to decide whether to continue the tradition. Today, menú del día is becoming less common due to thin profit margins for restaurant owners. Still, many spots, especially in larger cities like Seville, Málaga, Barcelona, and Madrid, continue to serve it. The catch, though, is that it is only available on weekdays from about 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. It's never offered on the weekend. After 4 p.m., most restaurants close to prep for dinner and won't open again until around 8 or 9 p.m. Unfortunately, there's no foolproof way to know if a restaurant offers menú del día without stopping by or calling ahead. Your best bet is to keep an eye out for chalkboards or printed signs advertising a fixed-price lunch as you wander the city. Menú del día shouldn't be a well-kept secret reserved for locals. With so many restaurants offering it and the incredible value it provides for a high-quality, freshly made meal—it's something more travelers should know about and seek out. Liz Brumer-Smith is a Florida-based freelance writer and travel creator behind the channel Eat See TV. In 2017, she and her husband hit the road full-time in their RV with their two cats, exploring North America and documenting their adventures on YouTube and their blog. Today, Liz shares stories of food, culture, and destinations around the globe.
