An epic fortress in Spain that turned into a ghost (10 photos)

Tourists enjoy visiting this city in Spain to wander through empty streets, look into orphaned houses and see surroundings from the majestic fortress walls. Once Granadilla was busy city, and now only the wind lives here.





A walled city in the northwest of the province of Cáceres was founded Arabs in the distant IX century to control the Silver Road - the ancient road in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, along which trade caravans and pilgrims crossed it for many centuries.



Since then, the city has repeatedly changed owners. Bye not passed into the hands of caudillo Francisco Franco. During his tough policy the country sought to acquire maximum resource independence. IN as part of this task, the Gabriel y Galan reservoir was developed, whose task was to provide water to especially arid territories.





The Alagon River was blocked. And Granadilla was supposed to be in the floodplain of the reservoir. All residents (and at that time there were about 1000 people) were forcibly relocated to nearby settlements. IN In 1963, the construction of the dam was completed. And the city became a peninsula which was connected to the mainland by a single road.



The settlement did not go under water, but the inhabitants could not return to their homes. Decades have passed. And those forced settlers who are still alive, bitterly recall the insult and devastation, who experienced being forced to leave their home. Although the city was not threatened by flooding, because Granadilla was located above the dam. But it was pointless to challenge dictatorial decisions.



It's been a long time. Settlers and their descendants even created special association to protect their rights. But so far to no avail. IN 80s Granadilla at the legislative level turned into a historical monument and organized an open-air museum. Exiles visit small homeland twice a year, on holidays, and continue to hope that someday the streets of the ancient ghost town will be filled with life again, and they will be able to return theirs and come home not on rare holidays, but stay here forever.