CANFRANC, A FORTIFIED VALLEY

The Canfranc valley harbours examples of military architecture that date back to medieval times. The fact that it is the main corridor for cross-border communications in the central Pyrenees has influenced the appearance of numerous defensive structures over the course of history. Paths, railway lines and roads have always been subjected to some kind of military and customs supervision.

The Fusiliers’ Tower, built in the 19th century, was a military defence post designed to avoid possible incursions from the north through the recently-built road which had replaced the old track to France. It is the centre of this guided tour, which aims to illustrate the character of the frontier area of this Pyrenean valley.

Through an active and participative explanation based on in situ visits to locations of interest, visitors can get to know the magnificent International Station in Canfranc and hear about the consequences of its construction, such as the bunkers of line P, the defensive structure built in the 1940s to repel a potential allied invasion after the Second World War, the remains of the Espelunca tower, built under Phillip II by the engineer Tiburcio Spanocchi to protect and defend the route to France from a protestant invasion from the Bearn or the Fusiliers’ Tower mentioned above.