Spain has launched an official process that may forever change the status of one of Santander’s most iconic landmarks — the Palacio de la Magdalena. The historic building is now poised to receive nationwide significance: authorities plan to recognize it as a memorial site for the victims of the Franco dictatorship.
In the late 1930s, immediately after the fall of the Basque Country, the palace stables were turned into a large detention camp. More than 1,600 people suspected of ties to Republicans or the military opposition were held there. Most had no trial and no opportunity to defend themselves. Detainees waited months for interrogations, but for some, death came first. The palace’s location made escape nearly impossible: a peninsula surrounded by water, with entrances under strict guard. The only hope for freedom was to swim across the cold waters of the Bay of Biscay.
This camp became one of the first in a series of similar facilities across Spain. Its photographs circulated throughout the country, and the palace itself served as a model for other detention sites. Authorities at the time actively used it for propaganda, showcasing their power and control.
Today, documents related to this period are preserved in the military archive of Ávila and at the Center for Historical Memory in Salamanca. Research continues, as the history of the La Magdalena camp remains one of the darkest chapters of postwar Cantabria.
The road to recognition and new perspectives
The process of declaring the palace a site of remembrance not only involves preserving its historical legacy, but also honoring the memory of victims of the military coup, civil war, and subsequent dictatorship. Over the next two weeks, the Santander municipality, which owns the palace, must state its position and suggest possible measures for protecting the site. The University of Cantabria and the Menéndez Pelayo International University will also take part in the discussions.
Once the decision is published, a twenty-day public consultation period will begin. During this time, anyone will be able to share their opinion on the future of the palace. Authorities must make a final decision on the site’s status within a year.
This step could become a key milestone in re-examining Spain’s past. Recognizing the Palacio de La Magdalena as a site of memory would not only preserve historical truth, but also remind us of the fates of thousands of people who became victims of repression. For many people in Cantabria and across the country, it is a chance to look anew at events that have remained in the shadows for decades.
