Existence exists

 Why Teruel?  I suppose it is because it has existed on the edge of knowledge for so long. In the winter of 1937 the Spanish Republican armies launched an attack in an attempt to pinch out the salient, centred on the town. I knew of the snow, the mountains and the fierceness of the fighting but that is about it.


The battle begin on 15th December 1937, when Lister’s Division attacked the city without any preliminary bombardment and amongst falling snow. The immediate effect of the attack was to halt the Fascist offensive at Guadalajara, the political necessity of saving any provincial capital, no matter how remote, outweighed current operations.  Troops were rushed to Aragon. 


Teruel fell to the Republicans on 8th January.  On 17th the Fascists reinforcements arrived and a counter attack began.  The International Brigades were sent in to reinforce the Government side and it was during this time that Clement Atlee visited them,  Eventually Fascist numbers and material told and the city was lost agan.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Teruel 



So we approach Teruel/  It has a population of nearly 36000, making it Spain’s least populated provincial capital. What it lacks in people it makes up in nearby dinosaurs, some of the oldest in the Iberian Peninsula.  In 1999, to improve the profile of the city a campaign began around the slogan ‘ Teruel exists.’  It does but still lacks a direct rail service to the capital.



We enter from the north, passed the campus of the University of Zaragoza and the Bar Vincente. It has about 1300 reviews, 4,3 stars and, four days ago, Estanque said ‘One of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Very accessible and easy parking. Very friendly staff and spacious, clean premises. The sandwiches are 10. We arrived at the same time (the kitchen closes at 4:00 p.m.) and the service was excellent, this is not always the case when arriving just right.  I will repeat.’



We will end here.








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