The remnants of Bilbao’s Iron Belt, a complex network of defensive fortifications from the Spanish Civil War, stand as silent witnesses to a turbulent past. However, their journey from strategic military structures to contested heritage sites offers a compelling case study in how societies manage, interpret, and ultimately memorialize conflict landscapes. Once marginalized and neglected, these historical vestiges increasingly find new life in tourism and education, reflecting shifting societal attitudes and political narratives that shape collective memory. The evolution of the Iron Belt’s legacy underscores the intricate dynamics between preservation, identity, and contested histories in a modern context.
Immediately following the war, the Iron Belt’s physical remains suffered considerable marginalization. While not entirely abandoned, these structures were frequently repurposed, repackaged, or simply overlooked for decades. A telling example is Gaztelumendi, a breakthrough sector of the Iron Belt where the Franco regime actively co-opted war remains as political instruments. By incorporating fortifications into tourism circuits and erecting monuments honoring fallen Francoist soldiers, the regime sought to rewrite and assert its triumphalist narrative, embedding the landscape with new symbols of power. Thus, even in neglect, the Iron Belt’s war heritage never fully disappeared but was instead transformed to serve prevailing political agendas.
Elsewhere, reuse took subtler forms. In Zierbena, elements of Carlist origin originally recycled within the Iron Belt defenses were later integrated into a military complex atop Punta Lucero during the Franco era. This ongoing military use paradoxically provided a degree of protection, preserving these historic structures amidst broader decay. Conversely, the fortifications specifically constructed as part of the Iron Belt around Punta Lucero received neither such functional continuity nor institutional care, and they gradually fell into ruin. This divergence illustrates how varying degrees of active utilization influence heritage preservation, often irrespective of historical value or symbolic importance.
For much of the 20th century, collective recognition of the Iron Belt’s significance remained scant. It was only in the early 2000s that dedicated local groups began to rekindle interest in these war landmarks. Notably, the cultural association Aldapa organized a 23-kilometer trek in 2007 tracing remnants of the Iron Belt across Zierbena’s rugged terrain. This dynamic mountain route celebrated the overlapping layers of conflict heritage, encompassing Carlist, Spanish Civil War, and postwar periods. Subsequent guided tours extended to Larrabetzu, showcasing a growing appetite for experiential interaction with historic landscapes. The establishment of the Gogora Institute in 2017 further catalyzed educational engagement, significantly expanding school visits and heritage-focused activities associated with the Iron Belt.
Yet, contemporary experiences with the Iron Belt heritage are far from uniform. Tourism and educational initiatives are unevenly distributed among municipalities, reflecting stark contrasts in local attitudes toward this contested past. For example, Berango hosts highly successful programs led by the Memorial Museum of the Iron Belt, integrating guided tours and cultural events that engage communities and visitors. In contrast, neighboring municipalities like Zierbena offer little to no organized access or interpretive efforts, signaling possible disinterest or ambivalence. Underlying these disparities are complex factors, including historical institutional neglect, social fatigue from an overload of war remnants, and dissonance with official narratives espoused by dominant memory cultures.
This fragmented memorial landscape can be interpreted through the lens of memory studies, which emphasize the importance of community collaboration in shaping heritage narratives. When local populations feel alienated from or opposed to the dominant historical discourse, collective remembrance becomes unbalanced, potentially stifling critical dialogue about the past. The Iron Belt’s current status illustrates the challenges of reconciling multiple contested memories within a shared geographical space, with some communities embracing heritage revitalization while others remain indifferent or resistant.
The formal protection of Iron Belt sites, codified in a 2019 heritage decree, marked a crucial milestone in safeguarding this fragile legacy. However, protection criteria are largely dictated by monumentality, privileging large-scale concrete and stone fortifications over less conspicuous features like trenches or air raid shelters. Such selective preservation prioritizes cost-efficiency and visual impact but leaves many integral components exposed. Furthermore, the autonomy granted to local municipalities in managing the heritage yields divergent outcomes. While some, including Berango, Sopela, and Urduliz, actively embrace conservation and promote the Iron Belt as a cultural asset, others like Zierbena persist in neglect, despite possessing legal protections that should mandate upkeep.
Economic capacity emerges as a primary driver of how municipalities engage with the Iron Belt heritage. On the comparatively affluent Right Bank and inner Biscay regions, local governments possess the means to invest in interpretation, restoration, and tourism infrastructure. Berango stands as a prime example: despite having only a single protected Iron Belt structure within its borders, it has fashioned itself as the region’s memorialization leader, leveraging its Memorial Museum to draw sustained visitor attention. This phenomenon reveals how economic privilege enables communities to foreground selective historical narratives—often with politically motivated embellishments—thereby forging a sense of identity disconnected from direct experiences of wartime violence.
Conversely, purely industrial economies such as that of Zierbena demonstrate a form of deliberate marginalization. The town’s proximity to a major port and intensive industrial activity support a high income base but do not translate into heritage engagement. Instead, tourist traffic focuses on non-controversial landmarks like Francoist batteries and barracks, effectively sidelining the Iron Belt’s conflict-related elements. This reflects a pragmatic decision to prioritize economic sectors offering immediate benefits, while hesitating to confront uncomfortable aspects of local history that might complicate community narratives or market appeal.
Beyond economics, political traditions strongly influence memorialization paths. The Right Bank and inner Biscay municipalities have historically favored Basque nationalist leadership, fostering a political climate more receptive to commemorating Republican-aligned heritage. In contrast, Zierbena’s left-leaning, working-class background and belated nationalist adoption have contributed to a more fractured or indifferent approach to Iron Belt memory. Political identity thus colors the stories told about the past, determining which narratives are amplified, which are suppressed, and how heritage becomes mobilized in service of contemporary agendas.
Adding another layer, the role of grassroots associations has been instrumental in championing Iron Belt conservation. Long before heritage received official recognition, local groups led initiatives to document, preserve, and reinterpret battlefield relics. Active in both the Right Bank and inner Biscay, these associations exert sustained pressure on authorities and galvanize community involvement. However, in Zierbena, their significant absence or demobilization signals a broader disengagement with conflict heritage. This lack of associative vitality exacerbates neglect and leaves sites vulnerable, underscoring the critical importance of civil society in heritage stewardship.
Once political will for institutional preservation crystallized, echoes of earlier activism were incorporated into decision-making processes. The Memorial Museum of the Iron Belt in Berango and the Larrabetzu Memory Space emerged as primary heritage centers, symbolizing different curatorial philosophies. Berango’s museum resembles a cabinet of curiosities, showcasing items donated by veterans’ associations and presenting a glorified narrative of the Republican defender—what scholars term “neogudarism.” By contrast, Larrabetzu’s Memory Space embraces a more inclusive and critical approach, addressing broader 20th-century social histories including women’s war roles, ideological diversity, and language repression under Francoism.
Nonetheless, institutional collaborations with associations are not free from tension. Sometimes, museums struggle to fully integrate association perspectives into public programming or risk reinforcing problematic aspects of heritage politics. A notable controversy surrounding the 2023 sculpture “Agurra”—constructed with bronze salvaged from Iron Belt battlefields by amateur metal detectorists—illustrates this dilemma. While portrayed as a community achievement, such practices might inadvertently encourage looting and undermine conservation efforts. This incident highlights the fine balance heritage institutions must strike between honoring grassroots contributions and upholding ethical preservation standards.
Ultimately, the legacy of Bilbao’s Iron Belt is not merely about maintaining old concrete structures; it encapsulates ongoing struggles over memory, identity, and power. How different communities choose to engage—or disengage—with this contested past directly shapes the political and cultural landscapes of the present. As new generations confront these heritage sites, the challenge lies in fostering dialogues that transcend partisan narratives, include marginalized voices, and unpack the complexities of wartime experience. By acknowledging the multifaceted nature of memory and promoting inclusive conservation strategies, the Iron Belt can serve as a dynamic platform for critical reflection and reconciliation rather than silent erasure.
The intertwining of economic resources, political currents, and associative activism determines much of what is visible and celebrated in the public memory of the Iron Belt today. Financially robust municipalities leverage heritage to boost tourism and cultivate identity, even selectively reimagining historical events to fit contemporary agendas. In contrast, areas with less political will or associative momentum tend to let heritage fade, succumbing either to indifference or deliberate omission. This disparity suggests that effective memorialization requires more than just legal mechanisms—it demands engaged communities, sustainable economic models, and transparent dialogues around difficult histories.
The Iron Belt’s heritage trajectory also challenges conventional notions about battlefield preservation. Rather than fixed relics, these war remains are active participants in evolving cultural practices, contested narratives, and identity formation processes. Digital humanities initiatives, as referenced in recent scholarship, provide promising tools to document and disseminate knowledge about such complex sites, making history accessible and participatory. By harnessing technology alongside traditional conservation, new forms of engagement could help overcome social fatigue and fragmentation, revitalizing the Iron Belt’s role in collective memory.
In sum, Bilbao’s Iron Belt stands as a powerful microcosm of how war heritage can oscillate between marginalization and memorialization. Its physical scars not only remind us of past conflict but also reflect contemporary struggles over meaning, belonging, and historical justice. Through nuanced management that respects plural narratives and fosters community inclusion, this heritage holds the potential to transcend division, contributing to a richer, more critical understanding of Spain’s multifaceted past. As municipalities and organizations continue to navigate these challenges, Bilbao’s Iron Belt offers invaluable insights into the enduring legacies of conflict and the politics of memory.
Subject of Research: The evolving heritage and memorialization of Bilbao’s Iron Belt defensive structures from the Spanish Civil War, focusing on their political, economic, and associative dimensions in shaping collective memory.
Article Title: Battlefield memories: the legacy of Bilbao’s Iron Belt (Spanish Civil War) through digital humanities.
Article References:
González-Cantera, T., Rubio-Campillo, X. Battlefield memories: the legacy of Bilbao’s Iron Belt (Spanish Civil War) through digital humanities. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 709 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04987-6
Image Credits: AI Generated
