The largest Western movie cemetery in the world is actually in Spain (but not in Almería)
• Fascinating Spain
• Castile and León
Pilgrims walking the Santiago Way are not the only ones to be seen in the surroundings of the village of Santo Domingo de Silos in the province ofBurgos. In fact, quite a fewcinema buffs and other inquisitive typesmake another kind of pilgrimage to this area.
Aerial view of the cemetery. | Shutterstock
Midway betweenSanto Domingo de Silos, famous for its monastery, and the village of Contreras, liesan enclave more similar to Arizona than Castile, where one of the most emblematic movie scenes of the ‘Spaghetti Western’ genre was filmed.
A cinematic cemetery
5,000 wooden crosses aligned in concentric circles jut out of the rocky terrain. This is the place known as Sad Hill, the scene whereClint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach fought their final duelin the 1966 filmThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Sad Hill Cemetery. | Dreamstime
Whilst most people might associate the Spaghetti Westerns filmed in Spain with the region ofAlmería,the genius of Sergio Leone has left behind its indelible mark hereamong the oak trees and mountains of Burgos.
A legendary film set
The Italian architect and cinema set designer, Carlo Simi, was charged with designing the film’s iconic final duel scene. The placing of the wooden crosses and the creation of desert-like vegetation was actually carried out by Spanish soldiers. The result was an on-screenatmosphere blending both tension and solemnity.
View of Sad Hill Cemetery. | Shutterstock
Magical hallowed ground without the departed
The oddest thing about Sad Hill Cemetery is thatnone of the tombs contain human remains, as far as we know. Despite being a fictional landscape of wood and stone, the empty graves only heighten the mysterious aura.
After the film’s production, the graveyardremained abandoned for nearly 50 yearsuntil the Cultural Association of Sad Hill started a crowdfunding campaign in 2015 to mark it as an official movie site of Spain.
• Europe’s only desert is in Spain and it hides a tiny Hollywood
The now permanently placed crosses form a peculiar circular labyrinth providing captivating views. Standing on the same central stone whereClint Eastwood and Van Cleef stood staring each other down, it is hard not to hear Ennio Morricone’s memorable melody from the film score. In fact, quite a few visitors often listen to the film’s music on their electronic devices.
An emotive and free visit
Crosses in Sad Hill Cemetery. | Shutterstock
A visit to Sad Hill Cemeteryis free of charge and no reservation is required. The most striking moments are either at dawn or dusk, when the crosses are bathed in golden light casting long shadows onto the terrain.
To reach Sad Hill, take the forest walking trail from the village of Santo Domingo de Silos, crossing the Arlanza River to the trail leading to the cemetery.The route is marked with signsand easily found.
You can also read this article inSpanish.
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Источник: Fascinating Spain
