Cuevas de Fuentes de León


Useful Information

Location: Near Fuentes de León. Follow the road to Cañaveral de León BA-072 for 2 km, then follow trail on the left to the cave entrances.
Open: All year Tue-Sun.
Closed 02-AUG.
Centro de Interpretación de la Naturaleza: Tue, Thu, Sat 10-14.
[2007]
Fee: free [2005]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave. Cambrian limestones (500-540Ma).
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: J. Ramón Mélida (1925): Catálogo Monumental de España
J J Duran Valsero (2006): Guia de las Cuevas Turisticas de España, 104 pp, 172 illus. SB (Español - Spanish)
pp 74-Cuevas de Fuentes de Leon
Address: Cuevas de Fuentes de León, Ayuntamiento Fuentes de León (city council Fuentes de León), Tel: +34-924-724311.
Centro de Interpretación de la Naturaleza, Tel: +34-924-724174.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1925 listed in J. Ramón Mélida: Catálogo Monumental de España.
1984 illegal excavation, findings lost.
25-JUL-2001 declared a Natural Monument of Extremadura.

Description

Mesolithic hunters in Cueva de los Caballos (Cave of the Horses). Public Domain.

The Cuevas de Fuentes de León (Caves of Fuentes de León) deserve the plural, there are seven different caves in the area which belong to the same cave system: Sima 1, Sima Cochinos, Cueva los Postes (Cave of the Posts), Cueva la Lamparilla (Cave of the Lamps), Cueva de los Caballos (Cave of the Horses), Cueva del Agua (Cave of the Water), and Cueva Masero (Masero Cave). The caves are located in an karst area of 200 ha.

The most famous of all five caves is the Cueva del Agua (Cave of the Water), which is known for a long time and was known as an archaeological site. It was listed in the Catálogo Monumental de España (Cataloge of the Monuments of Spain) by J. Ramón Mélida in 1925. However, it has never been excavated, except for an illegal dig in 1984. There were many items removed from the cave, but their wereabout is unknown. During the speleological exploration of the cave various bones and snail shells were discovered. Those findings suggest that the cave was probably used for burials. There is also a panel of engravings, located only 50 cm above the floor, which shows a series of lines looking like a mountain range. Several populations of bats live in the cave, most of them Miniopterus scheibersii and Rhinolophus mehelyi. The bats are endangered and protected by law. The cave was named Cave of Water as it has an underground lake with an surface of about 200 m².

Cueva Masero (Masero Cave) is notable for its speleothems. There are stalactites, stalagmites and columns. There are also many helictites in various forms, including the butterfly wings. There are rimstone pool an aragonite crystals.

The Cueva los Postes (Cave of the Posts) has thick sediments with archaeological content. So far remains from the Neolithic and from Roman times have been discovered.

The Cueva del Agua (Cave of the Water), the Cueva los Postes (Cave of the Posts) and the Cueva de los Caballos (Cave of the Horses) are at the moment prepared as show caves. This development was undertaken by the Centro de Interpretación de la Naturaleza (Center of Nature Interpretation). There are so far no regular tours, but the caves can be visited after appointment and previous permission from the City council.