Top 4 Caves カルテスでの

The Altamira Cave covers an area of more than 5500 m². It was used from 33,600 BC until the entrance collapsed in 11,000 BC. The particularly impressive ceiling paintings are dated to the period 16,500 to 13,000 BC.[3] The cave was discovered in 1868 by a hunter due to the disappearance of a hunting dog, who immediately reported the discovery to the lord of Santillana,[2] the naturalist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola (1831–1888). The paintings were discovered by Sautuola's five-year-old daughter Maria, who was able to walk upright through the cave and made out images of "cattle" on the ceiling.[2] Marcelino began systematically digging in the cave in 1879[2] and published a short description of the "prehistoric objects in the province of Santander". Even the Spanish King Alfonso XII was invited into the cave. However, the academic world doubted the authenticity of the cave paintings.[2] The French prehistorian Émile Cartailhac described the paintings as a "vulgar prank by a scribbler" that he and his contemporaries did not even want to look at. The discovery had to wait almost 23 years for recognition. It was only when similar paintings were discovered in the Font-de-Gaume cave near Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil in the Dordogne department (France) in 1901 that the attitude of French researchers and Cartailhac, who became the symbol of archaeological ignorance, changed. Cartailhac apologized posthumously to the Marquis de Sautuola in an essay in 1902 ("Mea culpa" d'un sceptique[4]).

The Altamira Cave covers an area of more than 5500 m². It was used from 33,600 BC until the entrance collapsed in 11,000 BC. The particularly impressive ceiling paintings are dated to the period 16,500 to 13,000 BC.[3] The cave was discovered in 1868 by a hunter due to the disappearance of a hunting dog, who immediately reported the discovery to the lord of Santillana,[2] the naturalist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola (1831–1888). The paintings were discovered by Sautuola's five-year-old daughter Maria, who was able to walk upright through the cave and made out images of "cattle" on the ceiling.[2] Marcelino began systematically digging in the cave in 1879[2] and published a short description of the "prehistoric objects in the province of Santander". Even the Spanish King Alfonso XII was invited into the cave. However, the academic world doubted the authenticity of the cave paintings.

The Altamira Cave covers an area of more than 5500 m². It was used from 33,600 BC until the entrance collapsed in 11,000 BC. The particularly impressive ceiling paintings are dated to the period 16,500 to 13,000 BC.[3] The cave was discovered in 1868 by a hunter due to the disappearance of a hunting dog, who immediately reported the discovery to the lord of Santillana,[2] the naturalist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola (1831–1888). The paintings were discovered by Sautuola's five-year-old daughter Maria, who was able to walk upright through the cave and made out images of "cattle" on the ceiling.[2] Marcelino began systematically digging in the cave in 1879[2] and published a short description of the "prehistoric objects in the province of Santander". Even the Spanish King Alfonso XII was invited into the cave. However, the academic world doubted the authenticity of the cave paintings.

Very well done museum, very worthwhile

A very interesting and familiar place. I tried to get to the Sumidero de las Palomas, but it was impossible for me to get there, I would have needed not some walking sticks, but a machete!

The set of the Cuevas del Monte Castillo in Puente Viesgo is undoubtedly one of the greatest exponents of Rock Art in Spain. It is a set of four cavities with Paleolithic rock art, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008. Of the four, two are open to the public: El Castillo and Las Monedas. You can buy tickets at cuevas.culturadecantabria.com

The recreational area of Fuente de las Palomas del Monte Dobra has been rehabilitated a large area with picnic tables to spend the day, around the Fuente de las Palomas, which was actually an old watering hole in which a multitude of amphibians now grow and that was formerly a depression in the land where cattle used to go to drink. Within the recreational area there is also a sink that leads to a cave, which can be visited but taking extreme precautions because if we are not a little prepared it can be dangerous (proper footwear, looking at the time of year to avoid unnecessary slips , suitable age, even a flashlight... those things that always have to be taken into account if we are going to explore these types of places)

Excellent museum with multilingual exhibits and fascinating reproductions of these famous 30'000 years-old cave paintings. Bikes have to be locked at the parking area, but they have large lockers I the museum for your panniers and other bike bags.