Adolfo Suarez, Spain's first democratically elected prime minister, has been laid to rest. He died on Sunday at age 81 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for a decade.
His body lay in state for 24 hours, and people queued outside parliament from early morning to pay their respects. His coffin was then borne through Madrid on a horse-drawn carriage during a funeral procession and taken to Avila, northwest of the capital, for burial in the cathedral.
Soldiers march outside parliament before the coffin begins its journey from Madrid to AvilaGettyMilitary pallbearers carry the coffin out of the Spanish parliament in Madrid at the start of his funeral processionReutersPrime Minister Mariano Rajoy (C), Parliament Chairman Jesus Posada (L) and Senate Chairman Pio Garcia Escudero watch as the coffin of the former Prime Ministeris carried by military pallbearersReutersSoldiers march at Cibeles Square in Madrid as the coffin of former Spanish prime minister Adolfo Suarez makes its way to Avila for his burialGettyA horse-drawn carriage carries the coffin of former Adolfo Suarez during his funeral procession in MadridReutersSpanish bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla attends the funeral of Spain's former Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez in MadridReutersA man holds an old photo of himself with Adolfo Suarez as he waits for the former PM's coffin to arrive at the Cathedral of AvilaReutersFriends and family look on as municipal police pallbearers carry the coffin into the Cathedral in Avila, northwest of MadridReutersRelatives walk behind the coffin as it is carried by members of the municipal police into Avila's Cathedral for his burialReutersThe coffin of Spain's former Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez is seen during his funeral mass before being buried inside Avila's CathedralReutersAdolfo Suarez's coffin is lowered into his grave inside the Cathedral of AvilaReutersThe cover of the grave where Spain's former Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez was buried is seen inside Avila CathedralReuters
Spain held three days of mourning for one of the key architects of the country's transition from dictatorship to democracy in the 1970s following decades of right-wing rule under Gen. Francisco Franco.
In 1976, King Juan Carlos chose Suarez to guide the country toward a democratic parliamentary monarchy after Franco's death a year earlier. He was prime minister until 1981 and retired from politics in 1991.
In his honour, the government has announced that Madrid's Barajas airport would now be called Adolfo Suarez, Madrid-Barajas airport.
Spain's King Juan Carlos greets Adolfo Suarez Illana, son of the former Prime MinisterReutersCrown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia stand in front of the coffin during his wake at the Spanish parliament in MadridReutersSpain's former Prime Ministers - Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Jose Maria Aznar and Felipe Gonzalez - stand together as they attend the wake for Adolfo SuarezReutersBullfighter Juan Jose Padilla attends the wake of Spain's former Prime Minister in MadridReutersA woman holds a book about Adolfo Suarez as she queues up to pay her respects to the former prime minister at the funeral chapel of the Spanish parliament in MadridGettyKing Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are received at Barajas airport by the Spanish Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez, on 24 June 1979. In the wake of Suarez's death, the Spanish government has announced that it will rename Madrid's main Barajas airport after himGetty
