THE HUNDRED PILLARS CAVE IN ARNEDO

Arnedo is the gateway to the Upper Cidacos River Valley, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2003. The Cidacos Valley combines cultural but also natural and palaeontological attractions (the Route of the Dinosaurs is one of the main tourist destinations in the area, as it houses a huge collection of ichnites or dinosaur fossils), also scenic because of the beauty of the valley and the passage through towns like Arnedillo. The Cidacos Green Route, a 34-kilometre nature trail between Arnedo and Arnedillo that uses the route of a former railway, is spectacular for the colours and scenery we see along this route, the vegetation of poplars, willows and ash trees. Following this route, we are surrounded by reddish rocks that hide cellars in the wall, and at the top we see numerous pairs of vultures.

The Cidacos Valley preserves some human occupations from the last moments of the Lower Palaeolithic and Middle Palaeolithic. Nevertheless, the best prehistoric remains of the first occupations have been dated to the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods, with many open-air settlements and the first uses of rock shelters and small caves built in the wide rocky foothills along the river. Very interesting is the Roman period and the first centuries of the Middle Ages (Visigothic period) in the area, when wine production was increased and this area became an important and rich territory that was first brought under control by the Islamic people and then by the older Christian kingdoms of Navarre, Castile and Aragon (who fought for centuries for control of this zone). It was in this context that the Cave of the Hundred Pillars was developed.