Aragon Guide

Belchite is a village in Zaragoza province, Spain, about 40 km southeast of Zaragoza. On June 15, 1809, French and Spanish forces in the Peninsular War fought the Battle of María near Belchite. Between August 24 and September 7, 1937, Republican and Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War fought the Battle of Belchite in and around the town. The whole town was (and is) destroyed.

Franco ordered that the ruins be left untouched as a "live" monument of war. A new town was constructed near the former. The remains of the old village have been used as filming locations in films including Terry Gilliam's 1988 film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth.