Throughout our territory we can find numerous abandoned villages. Surprisingly, some of them have been since the Civil War. In Vuelva Viajes we have told you about some of them, such as Belchite, in Zaragoza, one of the most visited ghost towns in Spain. Today we return to move to this Aragonese province to discover another abandoned town. It is about Rodén , who has made the news this week for having been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
Destroyed in the period from 1936 to 1937, as a consequence of the terrible Civil War that our country experienced at the end of the 30s, Rodén has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest by the government council considering it a place or natural place linked to events or memories of the past. Today at Vuela Viajes we want to learn more about this corner of Zaragoza. Would you like to join us?
A town that does not appear in the history books
There are many who know Belchite and its tragic history. However, just 27 kilometers away is another town that does not usually appear in history books and that also suffered the consequences of the Spanish Civil War. In fact, to this day ramshackle houses and collapsed towers continue to be found on the site. And that before the barbarism, the town was made up of 80 houses crowned by the church and the castle. In addition, it had a town hall, school, shops and flour and oil mills. It is important to bear in mind that we are referring to Rodén Viejo, a “surname” that has been given to differentiate it from the new town, which is built in the lower part, on flat land.
What happened in Rodén?
A few years ago, a neighbor of Fuentes de Ebro, a municipality to which Rodén belongs, created the Torre de Rodén association with the aim of asserting the heritage of its ruins. And we must not forget that this place is much more than rocks . Of course, what exactly happened in this place is not clear. Some believe that the houses were raided to obtain materials to build parapets and trenches in the front. However, others claim that it was razed by artillery and bombarded by aircraft before dismantling. In any case, the 200 inhabitants who lived in the town at the time decided to flee for their own safety.
Architectural monument of great interest
Regardless of what happened in Rodén during the Civil War, the town has architectural monuments of great interest. In addition, it stands out at the landscape level, since it looks like an acropolis when found on a mound. Among the buildings of interest are the Castillo de Rodén and the church of San Martín. One of its most notable elements is the tower , which a few years ago had to be intervened to consolidate its roof, since the water that entered was causing serious damage. It is important to bear in mind that this tower is built in alabaster ashlars, something very rare in our country.
The declaration of Asset of Cultural Interest is not the goal
Thanks to the declaration of Rodén as an Asset of Cultural Interest, a Special Protection Plan for the area must be drawn up. Of course, from Fuentes de Ebro they are very clear that this declaration is not the goal, but that the objective is to obtain resources to be able to recover the punished patrimonial elements and generate a tourist and visitable space. Until the plan is written, any activity that could deteriorate what remains of this town will be prohibited.
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