“Who rests here?” I wonder aloud as we approach the gates of Cementerio de Mingorrubio. This municipal cemetery on the edge of Madrid holds secrets of Spain’s past. It is also called the Cemetery of El Pardo.
Cementerio de Mingorrubio is located in the northern district of Fuencarral-El Pardo. It was built in 1962. For such a place it is a very quiet location.
Many people consider this the cemetery of Franco’s inner circle. Dozens of important figures from the dictatorship are buried here. The most notable is Francisco Franco himself. He was relocated here in 2019 from the Valle de los Caídos.
Franco’s family vault is impressive. It was built in 1969. The City Council of Madrid paid for it. The cost was eleven and a half million pesetas. Arias Navarro was mayor at the time. The vault has a small chapel. A crypt is in its basement. A vaulted dome tops it off. It can hold nine graves.
Beside Franco, his wife Carmen Polo rests here. She was the 1st Lady of Meirás. Other notable burials in Cementerio de Mingorrubio include. The 1st Marquess of Arias-Navarro was the last Francoist Prime Minister of Spain. Luis Carrero Blanco was a Spanish Navy admiral and Francoist Prime Minister. Architect Luis Gutiérrez Soto is also interred here.
Rafael Trujillo, the dictator of the Dominican Republic, is buried here. His son, General Ramfis Trujillo, also rests in Cementerio de Mingorrubio. Other families have vaults here. These include Escrivá de Balaguer, Malo de Molina, Miguel Delibes and Oreja Aguirre.
The cemetery is near the nucleus of Mingorrubio. It is also close to the El Pardo Palace. Only a single road leads to it. This road passes several army and Civil Guard complexes. It is in a beautiful national park.
Cementerio de Mingorrubio may be a peaceful place. However, it holds the remains of people who shaped Spain’s history. Consider their stories as you explore this place of rest. It is open from 10:00 to 17:00. Remember to show respect to those who rest here.