Fosa Común de Oviedo

Fosa Común de Oviedo is a mass grave within the El Salvador cemetery complex in Oviedo, Asturias, that commemorates victims of Francoist repression during the Spanish Civil War. It is not a conventional tourist attraction, but it has become one of the region's most significant sites of historical memory and draws visitors interested in 20th-century Spanish history.

Where is it located?

The grave lies on the grounds of the former civil (non-Catholic) cemetery, adjoining the back of the Catholic section of Oviedo's municipal El Salvador cemetery. This unconsecrated ground was used during the 1930s and 1940s to bury people executed by Francoist authorities. Today the site forms part of the wider cemetery complex and can be visited during the cemetery's regular opening hours.

What will you see there?

The grave itself measures roughly 21 by 12 metres, a surface area of under 250 square metres, yet it holds the remains of 1,316 people — making it the largest known mass grave from Francoist repression anywhere in Asturias. The surrounding walls carry plaques inscribed with the names of more than a thousand identified victims, established through historical and archival research, along with panels explaining the site's history.

What is the history behind it?

Bodies buried here came from execution sites across Oviedo, including the former military drill ground known as Campo de Maniobras, the San Lázaro slaughterhouse, and the area around Cadellada. Most executions and burials took place in 1937 and 1938, during the peak of post-war repression in a city that had fallen under Francoist control within the first weeks of the conflict. For decades the site remained largely forgotten: under the dictatorship, publicly honoring those buried there was effectively impossible, and mourners could only leave flowers by throwing them over the locked gate of the civil cemetery from outside. The Fosa Común de Oviedo was among the first mass graves in Asturias to undergo archaeological and historical investigation and to be formally commemorated with name plaques. In recent years, historical memory associations and regional authorities have pushed for the site to be officially declared a Democratic Memory Site for Asturias.

When should you visit?

The site can be visited year-round during the opening hours of the El Salvador cemetery, typically during daytime. Visitors should approach it as a place of reflection rather than entertainment, and allow a quiet moment to take in its significance. Late October and early November, around All Souls' Day, and other local commemorative anniversaries are particularly fitting times to visit, as memorial ceremonies are sometimes held then.

How do you get there?

The El Salvador cemetery sits within the city of Oviedo and is easily reached on foot or by public transport from the city centre. Entry to the cemetery grounds, and therefore to the mass grave site, is free of charge.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee? No, access to the El Salvador cemetery grounds and the mass grave site is free for all visitors.

How many people are buried in the Fosa Común de Oviedo? Historical research has established that the grave holds the remains of 1,316 people killed during Francoist repression, mostly between 1937 and 1938.

Is this the largest mass grave in Asturias? Yes, by number of victims it is the largest known Civil War-era mass grave in the entire Asturias region.

Are there any informational plaques at the site? Yes, the walls surrounding the grave display the names of more than a thousand identified victims along with materials explaining the history of the site.