Aragón, a region filled with cultural heritage, natural spaces and charming towns and villages. If you are considering visiting the area soon, a great recommendation for covering it is the Orwell Route, in the Alcubierre mountains, Los Monegros. The route is named after the British author George Orwell, who fought in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), and wrote about his experiences in his book Homage to Catalonia. Naturally it is a journey bursting with historical value.
The itinerary starts in Monte Iranzo, known as the la Loma Orwell (Orwell Hill). To get there you need to take the A-129 from Leciñena to Alcubierre, and at kilometre 34.6 you will find signposts that will lead you to the exact spot. Here you will find fences, bunkers, communication trenches, sand-bag barricades, firing trenches and other components of a military settlement.
Apart from La Loma Orwell, there is more wartime heritage close by that has been restored. Specifically, at kilometre 33.5 along the same A-129 road you will come to the Tres Huegas, a completely refurbished area that served as a shelter to Francoist troops. Along the itinerary you can observe command posts, rest shelters, bunkers, kitchen areas, cisterns, trenches and communication trenches.From here you can see the San Simón mount where a war memorial stands in memory of the Falangist and Francoist troops.
Another point of interest is the Santa Quiteria Hermitage. To get there you need to head to the area of the aqueduct, close to the centre of the town of Tardienta, and drive towards Barrio Espada, then stay on the road for three kilometres and then follow the signposted route for another two kilometres.The domain of this hermitage provided a privileged observation point and unbeatable setting for defence and against attack.
Lastly, to learn more about one of the saddest chapters in Spain’s history you can visit the Interpretation and Documentation Centre of the Spanish Civil War in Aragón, located in Robres, six kilometres from Alcubierre. It is the headquarters of a work centre for the study of the period comprising the Republic, the Civil War and the Francoist dictatorship in Spain.
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