Overview

Olivia Munoz-Rojas critically examines the wartime destruction and post-war rebuilding of three prominent sites in Madrid, Bilbao and Barcelona in the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath. Each case highlights different dimensions of the material impact of the conflict, the practical challenges of reconstruction and the symbolic uses of the two processes by the winning side. The books reveals aspects of the Spanish Civil War and the evolution of the Franco regime from an original and fruitful angle as well as more general insights into the topic of wartime destruction and post-war reconstruction of cities. The title -- Ashes and Granite -- aims to capture, visually and texturally, on the one hand, the damage caused by the war and, on the other, the Franco regime's concept of the ideal Hispanic construction material. Written from an interdisciplinary perspective at the intersection of urban and political history and theory, planning and architecture, the book draws largely on unpublished archival material. Key features of the Franco regime's rebuilding programme are considered, such as the priority given to rural reconstruction and the persistent search for a national architectural style. The case of Madrid centres on the failure of the Falange's ambitious plans for a neo-imperial capital as illustrative of the regime's gradual shift from state planning to privately driven urban development. The case of Bilbao focuses on the reconstruction of the bridges of the city to demonstrate how, occasionally, the regime managed to turn destruction and reconstruction into opportunities for successfully marking the beginning of what was perceived as a new era in Spain's history. Finally, the opening of Avenida de la Catedral in Barcelona exemplifies how wartime destruction sometimes facilitated the implementation of controversial planning, acting as a catalyst for urban redevelopment. Moreover, the opening of the avenue contributed to the disclosure of the ancient Roman city-wall, allowing the regime to appropriate the ancient legacy symbolically. Published in association with the Canada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies.

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9781845194369

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Reviews

Reconstruction is a term often thought of in a physical sense, but using Spain after 1939 as case studies, both of these works challenge us to delve deeper into the meaning of the term and examine its implications for propagandistic, cultural and symbolic meanings. [...]Reading these two books together is a worthwhile exercise, and leaves many questions to explore. Olivia Munoz-Rojas emphasizes the gap between rhetoric and reality, and she underlines that the Franco regime was not only 'repressive' but also 'lethargic' and that the visions of a new Spain fell short given these attitudes (67). Viejo-Rose, on the other hand, believes Spain serves as an excellent case to study the transformation of landscapes through reconstruction and that it allows one to draw out the symbolic narratives inherent in the process of 're-visioning the nation' (197). --David A. Messenger, University of Wyoming, Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies This highly original book joins a growing subfield of scholarship on the urban aftermath of wartime bombings. While other works have highlighted memory or commemoration, Olivia Munoz-Rojas draws on her knowledge of architecture, urban studies, and Spanish history to assess the Franco dictatorship's attempts to wed reconstruction to ideology at sites in three cities affected by Spain's Civil War (1936-39): the Montana de Principe Pio in Madrid, eight bridges in Bilbao, and the Placa Nova in Barcelona. [...] Munoz-Rojas has produced an innovative and perceptive investigation of prewar planning, wartime architectural casualties, postwar reconstruction, and the contours of dictatorship in modern Spain. Her book is a valuable addition to an emerging historiography on the aftermath of war from the viewpoints of urban reconstruction and the ideological aesthetics of dictatorships. --Dr Eric R. Smith, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Michigan War Studies Review Interdisciplinary studies are still relatively uncommon in Spanish historical writing and Ashes and Granite is much to be welcomed. The relationship between official discourse and the practice of urban reconstruction in Francoist Spain that emerges from the book is arresting, and offers nuanced and innovative insights into the nature of the regime. --Mary Vincent, Professor of Modern European History, University of Sheffield Ashes and Granite documents a little-understood side of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath: what the war and the installation of Francoism meant to the making of cities. Through the presentation of hitherto-buried primary sources and excellent comparative visual documentation, the book is a genuine contribution to urban history. --Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology, emeritus, London School of Economics Reconstruction is a term often thought of in a physical sense, but using Spain after 1939 as case studies, both of these works challenge us to delve deeper into the meaning of the term and examine its implications for propagandistic, cultural and symbolic meanings. [ ]Reading these two books together is a worthwhile exercise, and leaves many questions to explore. Olivia Munoz-Rojas emphasizes the gap between rhetoric and reality, and she underlines that the Franco regime was not only repressive but also lethargic and that the visions of a new Spain fell short given these attitudes (67). Viejo-Rose, on the other hand, believes Spain serves as an excellent case to study the transformation of landscapes through reconstruction and that it allows one to draw out the symbolic narratives inherent in the process of re-visioning the nation (197). David A. Messenger, University of Wyoming, Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies This highly original book joins a growing subfield of scholarship on the urban aftermath of wartime bombings. While other works have highlighted memory or commemoration, Olivia Munoz-Rojas draws on her knowledge of architecture, urban studies, and Spanish history to assess the Franco dictatorship's attempts to wed reconstruction to ideology at sites in three cities affected by Spain's Civil War (1936 39): the Montana de Principe Pio in Madrid, eight bridges in Bilbao, and the Placa Nova in Barcelona. [ ] Munoz-Rojas has produced an innovative and perceptive investigation of prewar planning, wartime architectural casualties, postwar reconstruction, and the contours of dictatorship in modern Spain. Her book is a valuable addition to an emerging historiography on the aftermath of war from the viewpoints of urban reconstruction and the ideological aesthetics of dictatorships. Dr Eric R. Smith, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Michigan War Studies Review Interdisciplinary studies are still relatively uncommon in Spanish historical writing and Ashes and Granite is much to be welcomed. The relationship between official discourse and the practice of urban reconstruction in Francoist Spain that emerges from the book is arresting, and offers nuanced and innovative insights into the nature of the regime. Mary Vincent, Professor of Modern European History, University of Sheffield Ashes and Granite documents a little-understood side of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath: what the war and the installation of Francoism meant to the making of cities. Through the presentation of hitherto-buried primary sources and excellent comparative visual documentation, the book is a genuine contribution to urban history. Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology, emeritus, London School of Economics Reconstruction is a term often thought of in a physical sense, but using Spain after 1939 as case studies, both of these works challenge us to delve deeper into the meaning of the term and examine its implications for propagandistic, cultural and symbolic meanings. [...]Reading these two books together is a worthwhile exercise, and leaves many questions to explore. Olivia Munoz-Rojas emphasizes the gap between rhetoric and reality, and she underlines that the Franco regime was not only 'repressive' but also 'lethargic' and that the visions of a new Spain fell short given these attitudes (67). Viejo-Rose, on the other hand, believes Spain serves as an excellent case to study the transformation of landscapes through reconstruction and that it allows one to draw out the symbolic narratives inherent in the process of 're-visioning the nation' (197). --David A. Messenger, University of Wyoming, Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies Reconstruction is a term often thought of in a physical sense, but using Spain after 1939 as case studies, both of these works challenge us to delve deeper into the meaning of the term and examine its implications for propagandistic, cultural and symbolic meanings. [...]Reading these two books together is a worthwhile exercise, and leaves many questions to explore. Olivia Munoz-Rojas emphasizes the gap between rhetoric and reality, and she underlines that the Franco regime was not only repressive but also lethargic and that the visions of a new Spain fell short given these attitudes (67). Viejo-Rose, on the other hand, believes Spain serves as an excellent case to study the transformation of landscapes through reconstruction and that it allows one to draw out the symbolic narratives inherent in the process of re-visioning the nation (197). --David A. Messenger, University of Wyoming, Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies This highly original book joins a growing subfield of scholarship on the urban aftermath of wartime bombings. While other works have highlighted memory or commemoration, Olivia Munoz-Rojas draws on her knowledge of architecture, urban studies, and Spanish history to assess the Franco dictatorship's attempts to wed reconstruction to ideology at sites in three cities affected by Spain's Civil War (1936-39): the Montana de Principe Pio in Madrid, eight bridges in Bilbao, and the Placa Nova in Barcelona. [...] Munoz-Rojas has produced an innovative and perceptive investigation of prewar planning, wartime architectural casualties, postwar reconstruction, and the contours of dictatorship in modern Spain. Her book is a valuable addition to an emerging historiography on the aftermath of war from the viewpoints of urban reconstruction and the ideological aesthetics of dictatorships. --Dr Eric R. Smith, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Michigan War Studies Review Interdisciplinary studies are still relatively uncommon in Spanish historical writing and Ashes and Granite is much to be welcomed. The relationship between official discourse and the practice of urban reconstruction in Francoist Spain that emerges from the book is arresting, and offers nuanced and innovative insights into the nature of the regime. --Mary Vincent, Professor of Modern European History, University of Sheffield Ashes and Granite documents a little-understood side of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath: what the war and the installation of Francoism meant to the making of cities. Through the presentation of hitherto-buried primary sources and excellent comparative visual documentation, the book is a genuine contribution to urban history. --Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology, emeritus, London School of Economics

<p> Reconstruction is a term often thought of in a physical sense, but using Spain after 1939 as case studies, both of these works challenge us to delve deeper into the meaning of the term and examine its implications for propagandistic, cultural and symbolic meanings. [...]Reading these two books together is a worthwhile exercise, and leaves many questions to explore. Olivia Munoz-Rojas emphasizes the gap between rhetoric and reality, and she underlines that the Franco regime was not only 'repressive' but also 'lethargic' and that the visions of a new Spain fell short given these attitudes (67). Viejo-Rose, on the other hand, believes Spain serves as an excellent case to study the transformation of landscapes through reconstruction and that it allows one to draw out the symbolic narratives inherent in the process of 're-visioning the nation' (197). --David A. Messenger, University of Wyoming, Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies

Author Information

Olivia Munoz-Rojas teaches in the Department of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds a PhD in Sociology/Cities from the same institution, having previously studied and researched in Spain (Universidad Complutense, CSIC, UOC), Sweden (Uppsala, Lund) and the United States (New York University). She has published on the topic of urban destruction and reconstruction before, and this is her first single-authored book.

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