Ashes and granite
Subtitle: destruction and reconstruction in the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath
By: Olivia Muñoz-Rojas
Series: Cañada Blanch/Sussex Academic studies on contemporary Spain; Cañada Blanch/Sussex Academic studies on contemporary Spain
Publisher: Sussex Academic Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Eastbourne; Portland
Language: eng
Number of pages: 223
ISBN-13: 9781845194369
Subjects: Destruction and pillage; Architecture; Reconstruction (1939-1951); History
Description: "Written from an interdisciplinary perspective at the intersection of urban and political history and theory, planning and architecture, the book draws largely on unpublished archival material. Key features of the Franco regime's rebuilding programme are considered, such as the priority given to rural reconstruction and the persistent search for a national architectural style. The case of Madrid centres on the failure of the Falange's ambitious plans for a neo-imperial capital as illustrative of the regime's gradual shift from state planning to privately driven urban development. The case of Bilbao focuses on the reconstruction of the bridges of the city to demonstrate how, occasionally, the regime managed to turn destruction and reconstruction into opportunities for successfully marking the beginning of what was perceived as a new era in Spain's history. Finally, the opening of Avenida de la Catedral in Barcelona exemplifies how wartime destruction sometimes facilitated the implementation of controversial planning, acting as a catalyst for urban redevelopment. Moreover, the opening of the avenue contributed to the disclosure of the ancient Roman city-wall, allowing the regime to appropriate the ancient legacy symbolically" --
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.