Valley of the Fallen

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Juan de Ávalos. The entrance leads into a vestibule which is smaller than the main hall but still of impressive size, with a barrel vault which re-echoes the slightest whisper. Beyond this extends the immense nave of the basilica, 262m/860ft long, its walls hung with copies of Brussels tapestries. The heart of this rock church is the altar, below the 42m/138ft high mosaic-decorated dome over the crossing. A grave slab in front of the altar marks the tomb of Primo de Rivera, founder of the Falange, and behind the altar is a similar slab under which Franco is buried. In vaults under the Capilla de los Caídos, to the right of the altar, are 40,000 sarcophagi with the remains of those who fell in the Civil War (not open to the public). To the right of the basilica is a funicular going up to the foot of the gigantic cross.