New ‘Civil War and Madrid Under Franco’ Walk in Madrid Commemorates 75th Anniversary of Guernica Bombing

Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Madrid with a new walk designed and led by historians and political experts to commemorate the 75thth anniversary of the Guernica bombing.

“Civil War and Madrid under Franco” traces a path through the center of the city where key events of the Spanish Civil War took place. The walk explores the origins of the war, the deep division between the Republicans and Francists, and finally, how the latter attained victory. It also looks at the fundamental role of international media, and volunteers who came to the aid of the Republicans, including American Lincoln Brigade and the Canadian Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.

The discussion, led by historians and political experts, presents first hand testimonials accompanied by personal artifacts of the era, supported by a clear analysis of the facts from the point of view of the international media, illustrated by rare photographic documentation. The walk ends in the Reina Sophia Museum with a focus on Picasso’s Guernica, a work of both art and denunciation.

“The events of the Spanish Civil War are still fresh in the minds of many Spanish people as well as Americans and British who participated in the battle.” said historian Almudena Cros, one of the docents leading the walk. “This is a difficult, but fundamental subject to discuss in order to understand modern Spain. I think this walk achieves this”.

Civil War and Madrid under Franco, launching this month, draws upon the expertise of Context’s network in Madrid, which includes historians, political experts and social historians. As with all of Context’s programs, groups are limited to six people. Civil War and Madrid under Franco runs Monday to Saturday at 10 am as group walks (Euro 65 per person). Private groups can be scheduled upon request (Euro 290 flat fee).

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and graphic designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is
a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects
and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in eighteen world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, and Athens. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit its website at  www.contexttravel.com.

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