Municipal Cemetery of Paterna

The Municipal Cemetery of Paterna is far more than an ordinary town burial ground — it stands as one of the most significant sites of historical memory tied to Spain's post-Civil War period. Located in Paterna, in the province of Valencia, the cemetery still functions as a working municipal necropolis, yet its historical weight sets it apart from any typical local graveyard.

Why is this cemetery historically significant?

Paterna holds the distinction of being the first site in the Valencian Community with documented executions carried out after the end of the Spanish Civil War, beginning on 3 April 1939. It also ranks second in all of Spain for the number of executions carried out by the Franco regime during the post-war repression. This history makes the site inseparable from Spain's broader reckoning with political repression and historical memory.

How many people are buried in the mass graves?

The cemetery contains more than one hundred mass graves, holding the remains of 2,238 people executed under Franco's regime. Because of the sheer scale of these burials, Paterna is often referred to as the "great mass grave" and regarded as a symbol of historical memory for the entire Valencian Community. Of particular significance is the so-called great grave of Valencia, also known as the "wall of Spain" — a mass grave containing the remains of more than 2,200 executed people brought from various penitentiary centers across the Valencian region.

What does the layout of the cemetery look like?

The necropolis is divided into smaller plots separated by trees, giving the site a quiet, contemplative character despite the dramatic history it holds. The oldest graves are made of wrought iron, stone, or sandstone — materials typical of the early twentieth century — allowing visitors to trace the cemetery's development across the decades and notice the contrast between its older and newer sections.

What is happening at the cemetery today?

For several years now, exhumation work has been underway at the cemetery, aimed at locating and identifying the remains of victims of Francoist repression. This work carries fundamental importance for the victims' families, allowing them to complete a mourning process that, for many, has remained unresolved for decades. The exhumations in Paterna have become one of the most recognizable symbols of the fight for historical memory in Spain, drawing the attention of historians, journalists, and institutions dedicated to studying the repression of the Francoist period.

Is it worth visiting this site?

The Municipal Cemetery of Paterna is a place of reflection and remembrance rather than a conventional tourist attraction. Visitors should approach it with particular respect for its character — it is both a memorial space honoring the victims of political violence and an active cemetery where residents of Paterna continue to be buried. For anyone interested in twentieth-century Spanish history, especially the Civil War and the Franco dictatorship, this is a site of considerable educational and symbolic significance.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Municipal Cemetery of Paterna located? The cemetery is located in the town of Paterna, in the province of Valencia, within Spain's Valencian Community.

Why is the Paterna cemetery so historically important? Because it was the first site in the Valencian Community with documented post-war executions, and it ranks second in Spain for the number of executions carried out by the Francoist regime.

How many people rest in the cemetery's mass graves? More than one hundred mass graves are estimated to hold the remains of 2,238 people executed during the post-war period.

What is the "wall of Spain"? It is the popular name given to one of the cemetery's largest mass graves, which contains the remains of more than 2,200 executed people brought from various prisons across the Valencian region.

Is exhumation work still taking place at the cemetery? Yes, efforts to locate and identify the remains of victims of Francoist repression continue, with the aim of allowing families to complete their mourning process.