Belchite
Encyclopedia
Belchite is a village in the province of Zaragoza, Spain
, about 40 km southeast of Zaragoza
. It is the capital of Campo de Belchite
comarca and is located in a plain surrounded by low hills, the highest of which is Lobo. The area around Belchite is one of the most arid places of Aragon.
In 1122 Alfonso the Battler
founded the Confraternity of Belchite
to defend the frontier.
On June 15, 1809, French and Spanish forces in the Peninsular War
fought the Battle of María
near Belchite.
Between August 24 and September 7, 1937, loyalist Spanish Republic
an and rebel General Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War
fought the Battle of Belchite
in and around the town. After 1939 a new village of Belchite was built adjacent to the ruins of the old, which remain a ghost town
as a memorial to the war.
The remains of the old village have been used as filming locations in films including Terry Gilliam's
1988 film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
and Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, about 40 km southeast of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
. It is the capital of Campo de Belchite
Campo de Belchite
Campo de Belchite is a comarca in Aragon, Spain. It is located in Zaragoza Province, in the transitional area between the Iberian System and the Ebro Valley.The administrative capital is Belchite, with 1,647 inhabitants the largest town of the comarca....
comarca and is located in a plain surrounded by low hills, the highest of which is Lobo. The area around Belchite is one of the most arid places of Aragon.
In 1122 Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso I , called the Battler or the Warrior , was the king of Aragon and Navarre from 1104 until his death in 1134. He was the second son of King Sancho Ramírez and successor of his brother Peter I...
founded the Confraternity of Belchite
Confraternity of Belchite
The Confraternity of Belchite was an "experimental" community of knights founded in 1122 by Alfonso the Battler, king of Aragon and Navarre, and lasting until shortly after 1136. Members could enlist permanently or for a set time, vowing "never to live at peace with the pagans but to devote all...
to defend the frontier.
On June 15, 1809, French and Spanish forces in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
fought the Battle of María
Battle of María
The Battle of María, also known as the Battle of Belchite, resulted in the defeat of part of General Blake's Spanish army by a French force under General Suchet on June 15, 1809.-External links:**...
near Belchite.
Between August 24 and September 7, 1937, loyalist Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
an and rebel General Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
fought the Battle of Belchite
Battle of Belchite (1937)
Battle of Belchite was a group of military operations that took place in the Spanish Civil War between 24 August and 7 September 1937 nearby the town of Belchite, in Aragon.-Prelude:...
in and around the town. After 1939 a new village of Belchite was built adjacent to the ruins of the old, which remain a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
as a memorial to the war.
The remains of the old village have been used as filming locations in films including Terry Gilliam's
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
1988 film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 1988 British adventure comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman, and Robin Williams.-Plot:...
and Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth is a 2006 Spanish Spanish-language dark fantasy film, written and directed by Mexican film-maker Guillermo del Toro. It was produced and distributed by the Mexican film company Esperanto Films...
.
Places of interest
- The ruined village east of the rebuilt town.
- Santuario de Nuestra Señora del Pueyo, located a few km west of Belchite new town