health

April 24, 2026

The Dry Air of Cercedilla, Sierra de Madrid

The years of illness and physical decline of Teresa de la Parra (1889-1936) are recounted in exceptional detail, in a life so little documented, by María Fernanda Palacios in her profile included in the Venezuelan Biographical Library published by El Nacional and Banco del Caribe.

The Dry Air of Cercedilla, Sierra de Madrid

TL;DR

  • The article commemorates the 90th anniversary of the death of Venezuelan writer Teresa de la Parra.
  • María Fernanda Palacios's biography details de la Parra's final years of illness.
  • De la Parra suffered from a persistent cough and tuberculosis, seeking treatment in Paris, Switzerland, and Spain.
  • She spent time in the Fuenfría sanatorium in Cercedilla, Sierra de Madrid, due to its dry climate.
  • Despite efforts, her health continued to decline, and she faced solitude and exhaustion.
  • The article highlights her brief interactions with writer Rómulo Gallegos.