Madrid in War: Civil War, Guernica and World War II

Under its monumental and touristic appearance, Plaza Mayor hides stories of fear, resistance and survival. At this point in the tour, the guide will reveal how this emblematic space was lived during the Civil War, what happened between its portals and why it was a key place to understand Madrid at war. A story that completely transforms the way you will look at this square again.

Under the clock that sets the pace for Spain, Puerta del Sol was the scene of crucial decisions and extreme experiences during the Civil War. At this point in the tour, the guide will reconstruct how one lived here while bombs fell on the city, which buildings were key and why this place better symbolizes the resilience of the besieged Madrid than any other.

Where there are cinemas and bright screens today, during the Civil War the world’s gaze was focused. In Callao, in front of the old Florida Hotel, journalists and correspondents narrated the siege of Madrid as bombs fell on the city. At this point in the tour you will discover how it was reported from the urban front and why this place was key to understanding the international dimension of the conflict.

Under its monumental facades, Gran Via was a real front line. During the Civil War, bombs, sirens and ruined buildings were part of the daily life. At this point in the tour, the guide will reconstruct how this strategic avenue survived and why Gran Vía became one of the symbols of Madrid that resisted under the pumps.

Where once there were classrooms and students, the war imposed a new reality. The Santa Teresa Institute represents how the Civil War altered the daily lives of thousands of Madridians, transforming learning spaces into places marked by urgency, fear and the need to resist.

In front of the Royal Palace, the Plaza de Oriente symbolized power in a besieged city. During the Civil War, this space was the scene of constant tension, where the symbolic value of the place was as important as its strategic position. An endpoint that helps to understand how the war was also fought on a political and symbolic level.

Very close to the institutional heart of Madrid, Guernica’s name recalls one of the most shocking episodes of the Civil War. At this point in the tour, the guide will explain why the bombing shocked the world, how it was used as a symbol of politics and denunciation, and what role it played in the historical memory of the conflict beyond the battlefield.

In the midst of conflict and polarization, the Church of the Carmelites recalls that the Civil War was also experienced in the religious sphere. This space allows us to reflect on the social fracture, persecution, fear and transformation of places destined for wartime collection

Here the fate of Madrid was decided in the early days of the Civil War. The Mountain Barracks was the scene of one of the most violent and decisive episodes of the beginning of the conflict, a point where history changed irreversibly and that allows us to understand how the war really began in the capital

After touring the bombed and besieged Madrid, the Temple of Debod offers a space for final reflection. Surrounded by a landscape marked by the history of the conflict, this place symbolizes the passage of time, memory and reconstruction of a city that survived the war

From this viewpoint you can understand why Madrid was a besieged city. Face to face with the line of combat, the guide will reconstruct how the defense was organized, what was seen from here during the war and how the closeness of the front marked the pace of life of the entire city

Where today there are trails and gardens, during the Civil War there were trenches and fighting. The Parque del Oeste allows us to visualize the intensity of the Battle of Madrid and reflect on how the city transformed ancient battlefields into spaces of memory and coexistence