On 1 April 1939, Alicante was the last city loyal to the Republican government to be occupied by General Franco's troops At the time, the harbor was thronged with Republican supporters seeking to flee the country.
The Spanish Civil War left many marks on Alicante, some are still visible more than 80 years after the conflict ended. Here are some examples of graffiti by Nationalist prisoners held by the Republicans during the war and Republican prisoners held by the Franco regime after the city fell. They were held at the Castle of Santa Barbara.
