While you are discovering a new city, it is always interesting to find out about famous people who were born in that place. Granada hosts one of the most famous poet and writer of Spain: Federico García Lorca.
Federico García Lorca (1898–1936) was born near Granada in the village of Fuente Vaqueros, surrounded by social conditions and images that are going to influence his works during all his life. Still young, he moves with his family to Granada where this multi-cultural city brings Lorca into contact with some of the greatest writers and artists of the age.
In 1919 he leaves Granada in order to move to Madrid at the Residencia de Estudiantes, a prestigious progressive men’s residence hall – which will be his home for the next decade. Here he meets nowadays famous artists and authors such as Luis Buñuel, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Rafael Alberti, Jorge Guillén, Pedro Salinas and Salvador Dalí: also known as “La Generación del 27”.
The “Generation of ’27” is the last generation of authors before the beginning of the Spanish Civil War -which will almost totally destroy the cultural and literary life of Spain for its duration. The poets of this movement differ in their individual styles and concerns but all together they form the major trend in Spanish poetry between 1920 and the early ’40s. Lorca for example is in love with Granada and Spain in general, indeed he writes most of his stories based on Spanish themes -such as flamenco and Gypsy culture.
In 1930 he returns from America to Granada and during this period he spends his time writing some of his most famous works, Bodas de Sangre (Blood Weddings), two poetry collections – Canciones (‘Songs’) and Romancero gitano (‘Gypsy Ballads’) – and his play La casa de Bernarda Alba (‘The House of Bernarda Alba’).
Federico García Lorca’s life is really short, indeed in 1936 at the beginning of Spanish Civil War – at just 38 years old – he is shot by the Assault Guard. His body is buried in a mass grave and his books were burned at Plaza del Carmen in Granada – after Lorca’s death his books are banned from Spain. Lorca’s body has never been recovered, but in recent years excavations have begun to exhume the bodies of some men who have been executed with the poet.
Nowadays Lorca – because of his talent and his activities – is still considered a figure who left a great mark in Spanish literature and culture, indeed there are many places dedicated to him.
During your trip in Granada it is possible to visit, for example, Lorca’s old house (Huerta de San Vicente) in Granada which now it has been converted into an interesting museum.
At the same time, Federico García Lorca Park hosts an event as an homage to the poet and to all the victims of the Spanish Civil War, that is celebrated every year. The park is decorated with Lorca poems and a monolith next to the tree where the poet was executed that says “Lorca was everyone”.
Truly in love with the magic Spain, it is tragic how his art and activities cost him his life, but still one thing is sure: even though Franco’s effort on removing tracks of Lorca from the Spanish culture, still the poet is one of the most representative authors of his period.
So, come to Granada and let you entertain by the story of Lorca and his works!