
The famous painting by Picasso: Guernica with the Basque flag as background. Two strong symbols for the town.
Guernica is a small provincial town with around 16,000 inhabitants. The city is located in the Basque Highlands in northern Spain. Guernica and its name are inextricably linked with Pablo Picasso’s famous painting “Guernica” and the tragic events that took place here during the Spanish Civil War.
Guernica’s history goes all the way back to the Middle Ages, and the town offers well-preserved buildings and monuments. One of the most iconic sights is the ancient tree, “Gernikako Arbola,” which symbolizes the city’s self-governing traditions.
It is also here that you find the Casa de Juntas, a historic town hall that has witnessed important decisions in the history of the Basque Country. The city is actually a living museum of Basque culture and politics.
And Basque culture thrives in Guernica. The city has many museums, including the Museo de la Paz, which explores the theme of peace and conflict in relation to the Civil War and Picasso’s painting. Art galleries and local craft shops are also exciting places to explore.
A visit to Guernica would not be complete without seeing Picasso’s masterpiece, “Guernica,” which is on display at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid. However, there are copies of the painting in Guernica, and although the painting is not on display in Guernica, it is worth understanding its connection to the city and the events of the Civil War that inspired Picasso to paint it.
The painting depicts the bombing of the small Basque town of Guernica by Nazi planes during the Spanish Civil War on April 26, 1937. It is believed that between 250 and 1,600 people were killed in the attack.
I can therefore only encourage you to visit Guernica. A nice little town with a historical legacy that will never be forgotten.
I have included a video of Ian Hunter singing his amazing song Guernica. A song he composed in collaboration with Joe Elliott from Def Leppard and Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

“Gernikako Arbola“. The famous ancient tree which has witnessed many historic events through centuries.

Memorial wall celebrating the 50 year anniversary for the brave resistance that the Basque soldiers put up against international facism during WW2 in the battle at Pointe Grave on the 14 April 1945. To the left of the kneeling Basque soldier you can see plaques with the names of the many soldiers who died in the battle.

Celebration of Guernica’s 650 years existence.
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