National Catholicism was part of the ideological identity of Francoism, the political system through which the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco governed the Spanish State between 1939 and 1975. Its most visible manifestation was the hegemony that the Catholic Church had in all aspects of public and private life. As a symbol of the ideological divisions within Francoism, it can be contrasted to national syndicalism, an essential component of the ideology and political practice of the Falangists.
An image of Christ the King, with the expression "I Shall Reign in Spain" (Spanish: Reinaré en España) inscribed.
At 150 metres (490 ft), the crucifix at the Valle de los Caídos, built in 1940–59, is the world's tallest.
Valle de los Caídos in El Escorial, exemplary building of the Francoist era-style.
Francoist Spain, also known as the Francoist dictatorship, was the period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title Caudillo. After his death in 1975, Spain transitioned into a democracy. During this time period, Spain was officially known as the Spanish State.
Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler in Meeting at Hendaye, 1940
Franco and U.S. President Gerald Ford riding in a ceremonial parade in Madrid, 1975
Armed forces in San Sebastián, 1942
Francoist demonstration in Salamanca in 1937