The Mausoleum of the Italians

At the top of the Puerto del Escudo (Pass of the Shield), in the border between Burgos and Cantabria, we found this strange monument built as the final resting place for the Italian soldiers fallen during the Spanish Civil War in that place. The Italian CTV (Corpo Truppe Volontarie) attacked the Puerto del Escudo in 1937, during the National offensive against Santander. The attack was eventually successful, but the Italians sustained hundreds of...

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The Engaña Tunnel (South entrance)

The Engaña tunnel is one of the biggest civil engineering works during the dictatorship of Franco. It is a railway tunnel between the provinces of Cantabria and Burgos which never came into operation.   The tunnel is part of the Santander-Mediterranean railway (now mostly abandoned), and it is located between Vega de Pas in Cantabria and Pedrosa de Valdeporres in Burgos. It is 6.976 m. long, and it goes under the mountain pass of Estacas...

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Tierra de Campos

Our visit to Tierra de Campos (meaning land of fields) has brought us some surprises. Among small villages with adobe houses (a mix of clay, straw and water) and huge cereal fields we found some interesting abandoned places with a story to tell. In addition, the wheather was excellent, making our trip even more enjoyable. Tierra de Campos is a region located in the north of the province of Valladolid and part of the east of Palencia, in Castile...

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